And while we're on the subject of government and religion, what in heaven's name was Regier thinking when he embarked on his newest mission to recruit churches to pray for caseworkers?
Let's be clear: Churches can - and perhaps should - pray all they want for Regier's Department of Children and Families and its caseworkers, individually or collectively. In his role as church member or private citizen, Regier is free to seek the prayers of others.
But the DCF chief has no business using public money or staff to summon a prayer army. Such efforts flout the spirit, if not the very words, of the constitutional bar against government establishment of religion. Regier should focus on getting caseworkers the worldly services and support they need to do their jobs - and they need a lot - and let churches offer spiritual assistance on their own time and dime.
The prayer idea appears to have been the brainchild of Regier's faith-based coordinator, Del R. Palmer. According to the Miami Herald, Palmer, with Regier's backing, first envisioned importing the Oklahoma-based "Adopt-A-Worker" program, whose founders tout prayer as its "most important and powerful activity." Regier has since said DCF will not use the Oklahoma program as middleman but will instead partner directly with congregations, which presumably would provide gifts for DCF clients as well as pray for caseworkers.
"This is a resource," Regier said. "These people (the congregations) will be there to encourage (caseworkers) and pray for them."
For decades, the faith-based community has been a vital player in Florida's child-welfare system, delivering an array of services to children and parents. If Regier can find an appropriate way to help churches funnel even more support to DCF clients, more power to him. But Regier goes too far in exhorting prayer, however beneficial he, or the rest of us, might believe it to be.
Though Regier has made some strides in increasing caseworker salaries and lowering caseloads, DCF workers remain overworked and underpaid. They need better tools and training from the state, as well as a wider menu of options and placements to help families.
That's where Regier should put his energies. He's leading a government agency, not a prayer circle.
