Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Foster home visit cutbacks nixed by Bush

DCF's gas-saving measure risked children's safety, the governor says.

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush told the Department of Children and Families to rescind a gasoline-saving measure that temporarily suspended required monthly visits by social workers to many foster children.

The governor said Thursday he was unaware of the policy outlined in a Sept. 8 memo until hearing the Miami Herald was writing about it. He then called DCF Secretary Lucy Hadi and asked her to make sure monthly visits continued.

"We're trying to conserve energy, which is appropriate. We are the largest institution in the state. We need to lead by example," Bush said. "But not to jeopardize the safety of children. ... We should be vigilant to make every effort to visit foster care children once a month."

Hadi sent a note to social workers later Thursday that read, in part, "I want to be entirely clear that we are committed to ensuring that each child is visited at least monthly."

In 2002, Bush ordered the department to make sure required monthly visits were being done after the discovery that 4-year-old Rilya Wilson was missing from her Miami foster home and her caseworker had not visited her in more than a year. Rilya has never been found. The Sept. 8 memo cited the fuel crisis created by Hurricane Katrina and said caseworkers should have contact with children at least every 90 days.

"Established policy and procedure currently sets monthly minimum standards for face-to-face contact with children in care and custody that may be difficult to meet due to the current energy crisis in Florida," said the memo, prepared by Family Safety Program director Beth Englander.

Caseworkers were told to make sure other professionals, such as teachers, pediatricians and therapists, have contact with children's parents or caregivers once a month. Caseworkers could then call those professionals and request written reports.

Englander sent out a second memo Thursday that said, "Effective immediately, the department has determined that the need for this temporary procedure has abated and therefore, the temporary policy is withdrawn.

[Last modified September 16, 2005, 01:35:22]