Macon Sheriff Deputy partners with DCFS workers in pilot program

MACON COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) report feeling a little safer on the job thanks to a pilot program with sheriff's departments across the state.

In Macon County, the initiative launched July 1st to staff a Macon County Sheriff Deputy in the Decatur DCFS office.

"I go out in the field with them, I make sure they're safe. That's the top goal right there- make sure DCFS has some protection, make sure the kids have protection," Detective Chad Wayne, of the Macon County Sheriff's Office, told WAND News.

Detective Wayne said its been a busy few weeks, working alongside DCFS workers. He escorts those who need to make a home visit, investigate abuse complaints or take a child into protective custody.

"We've had some situations where there was a bit of had an escalation. Nothing extremely serious, but certainly needed police involvement for sure," Detective Wayne explained.

But his work starts well before DCFS is knocking on a front door.

"They'll ask to see what kind of involvements, previous police involvements that have been there. They'll give us a name, they'll give us an address and then we'll take a look in our system and see what involvement we've had, if there a long list- it doesn't really matter, we're just looking for threats of possible violent situations," Detective Wayne added.

"We always try to get as much information up front before we go out to a home because the best assessments we make are the ones where we have the most information whether that's for the safety of our workers or for the safety of the children and families that we serve," Shannon Huston, Associate Regiona Administrator of Child Protection in the Central Region for DCFS, told WAND News.

Huston said this partnership is getting information to her case workers more efficiently and providing an extra layer of security.

"In each of the communities that we have this program going, we've had nothing but positive feedback. And we are working diligently to expand this pilot program as much as we can across the state," Huston explained.

The pilot program is also happening with sheriff's departments and local DCFS workers in Sangamon, Jefferson and Madison Counties.

DCFS is covering the deputy's salary and benefits. The initiative came after DCFS workers Diedra Silas was killed in January on a home visit in Sangamon County.