The Arizona Department of Child Safety is aiming to reduce the number of cases of child abuse and neglect coming into the system and retain staff. Director Greg McKay released a new plan to do that Thursday.
DCS reports a backlog of 15,810 cases. McKay wants to cut that number in half by 2017. He plans to do that and stem the number of cases coming into the system by improving services to families in need and developing decision-making tools to help guide caseworkers about when to remove children from their homes.
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“When people make decisions that affect people’s lives, it’s important that they make those decision on objective sets of principles and facts and tools and not fear of the 'what if' factor, which unfortunately our staff experience,” McKay said.
DCS released this strategic plan the same day Arizona Governor Doug Ducey established a council to help families caring for foster children and adopted children.
