Illinois House Republicans blast DCFS, Pritzker over scathing audit

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois House Republicans are renewing their calls for reform within the Department of Children and Family Services after another scathing audit of the agency. The two-year investigation found that DCFS failed to comply with multiple state laws created to keep children safe.

The Auditor General's office said Tuesday that DCFS did not comply with several sections of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act from July 2020 to June 2022.

DCFS is required to report cases of death, serious injury, torture and other types of abuse to law enforcement within 24 hours. However, it took the agency 5 to 43 days to alert police and state attorneys in 20% of the reports examined in the recent audit.

"What we have here is an audit of an agency that takes its responsibility so lightly that we're leaving abused and neglected children in our wake," Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) said Friday. "This cannot be allowed to stand."

Auditors wrote that DCFS took between 431-906 days to inform schools about investigations of abuse and neglect when state law requires notification within 10 days. DCFS also waited 218-290 days to report cases of infants testing positive for drugs to law enforcement.

"We've seen what happens when we're left out of the conversation, when there is no access, when there is no accountability," said House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna). "There's federal investigations, there's corruption and Illinoisans can't wait."

DCFS Communications Director Heather Tarczan said the audit covered years during the height of the pandemic when staffing for the department and other businesses worldwide were at an all time low. Still, Tarczan stated that the agency continued to provide services to children and families across the state and has invested in new technology to further help alleviate administrative burdens.

"DCFS always notify law enforcement and or the State's Attorney when required to do so," Tarczan stated. "At times DCFS must commence the investigation to determine that notification is required prior to contacting law enforcement or the State's Attorney. It is the work of the investigation that informs whether we need to contact law enforcement and the State's Attorney."

Multiple Republican lawmakers have filed bills to require a DCFS caseload tracking system, annual report on ongoing child abuse cases and mandatory intact family services for at-risk families. While some Democrats and Republicans have argued that DCFS Director Marc Smith should resign or be replaced, Reick believes the agency needs a complete overhaul.

"You could replace Marc Smith with St. Germaine Cousin, who's the patron saint of abused children, and nothing would change," Reick stressed. "Responsibility for this adverse opinion lies squarely at the feet of the governor."

Tarczan stated that the audit noted there are some cases where state law indicates DCFS should file reports with other entities within a "reasonable time-frame." While that is a vague requirement, Tarczan explained the department has given itself a self-imposed corrective action item to define parameters of the time-frame that will be automated pending the launch of IllinoisConnect later this year.

"A large percentage of our budge has been allocated towards technology infrastructure improvements which has not been upgraded in more than three decades," Tarczan stated. "This investment will absolutely help drive system wide improvements."

Meanwhile, Pritzker's Press Secretary Alex Gough said the Republicans calling for reform have never voted for a budget that increased funding for DCFS.

Gough noted that Pritzker has made the agency a priority in every budget he has signed and launched a historic Children's Behavioral Health Initiative to redesign the systems that support the state's most vulnerable kids and adolescents.

"To say he has not responded to problems within the agency would be wrong," Gough added.

Tarczan also explained that staffing needs will continue to grow as the needs of child welfare services grow. She noted that DCFS staffing is the highest in 15 years and the agency is incredibly proud of recent recruitment efforts.

"The focus has been to hire caseworkers and case managers - the frontline workers who are responding to the needs of thousands of Illinois children and families annually," Tarczan stated.