If we want to protect Iowa kids from abuse, neglect and potential death, it’s time to provide adequate funding for the Iowa Department of Human Services.
That is the No. 1 takeaway from a …
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If we want to protect Iowa kids from abuse, neglect and potential death, it’s time to provide adequate funding for the Iowa Department of Human Services.
That is the No. 1 takeaway from a heartbreaking report released by the state ombudsman this week.
It’s clear many mistakes were made in how DHS handled child-abuse reports about Natalie Finn, a West Des Moines teen who died in October 2016 following years of abuse and neglect.
In “A Tragedy of Errors: An Investigation of the Death of Natalie Finn,” the ombudsman makes several recommendations – some of which DHS has already implemented – including:
• Thoroughly review DHS’s child-abuse intake operations.
• Keep records of child-abuse reports and assessments for longer periods so that patterns can be identified.
• Require intake workers to read their notes back to callers reporting abuse over the phone to ensure accuracy.
• Train field workers on legal tools available to them when faced with resistance from parents.
• Provide resources to help child-abuse workers cope with their job-related stresses.
Increasing funding is a must if we’re going to give these workers the support, resources and numbers they need in the critical task of protecting our most vulnerable children.
The number of child-abuse intake workers at DHS has not increased since 2011, but reports of abuse have.
As we begin hammering out the state budget, I will be fighting for these workers and kids. Ensuring protections for vulnerable Iowans will always be a top priority for me.