GOP lawmakers call for audit of child welfare agency after multiple issues

[April 08, 2022]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Several Illinois Republican lawmakers are calling for a performance audit of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as the department faces several ongoing issues, including the deaths of children under its care.

State Reps. Tom Weber, R-Lake Villa, David Welter, R-Morris, and Chris Bos, R-Lake Zurich, discussed House Resolution 824 calling for action to be taken at DCFS at a Wednesday news conference.

"We have filed HR824 calling on the Illinois Auditor General to audit DCFS and examine the following: Changes the department has made thus far to prevent further deaths, to prevent unnecessary psychiatric stays and better serve the interests of system-involved youths," Weber said.

Since December, five children have died while being served by the state’s child protection agency. Critics blame the state's child welfare agency, which had numerous interactions with the children and their families.

DCFS Director Marc Smith has received eight contempt of court orders after failing to place youth in proper care in a timely manner.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked about these issues and blamed Republicans and his predecessor.

"The very people who are holding a press conference downstairs are the same people who voted with [former Illinois Gov.] Bruce Rauner to underfund that agency," Pritzker said. "Indeed to provide no funding at all."

Pritzker said the challenges he was left with will take some time to fix.

"What I was left with, and what the current General Assembly was left with, was a lot of rebuilding that needed to take place and it's not something you can snap your fingers and have happen overnight," Pritzker said.

Bos said Pritzker can place blame where he wants but these issues are still ongoing during the fourth year of his administration.

"Governor, the children who died in 2019, 2020, 2021, and this year, cannot be blamed on your predecessor," Bos said. "The children being held for months in the hospital without being properly placed cannot be blamed on your predecessor."

The performance audit, if one happens, would look into the amount spent defending legal matters, including efforts to get the agency into court-mandated compliance for failure to properly place children, as well as the amount DCFS spent in 2020 and 2021 to address preventable deaths and stays in psychiatric facilities beyond medical necessity and emergency placements.

House Resolution 824 was filed Wednesday and is awaiting further action.

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.