PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – Federal officials have released a scathing report of the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families.
The Providence Journal reports the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services said in a review released this week that the state child welfare agency needs to make improvements in 21 of the 28 areas studied.
Authorities found that the department couldn’t meet investigation timelines and the system was strained by the “volume of cases” and “broader systemic challenges.”
Recommendations included developing safety plans, engaging with parents and conducting better assessments of children and families.
Agency Director Trista Piccola says the report was discouraging but that it takes years “to turn a system around.”
A 2017 report by the state’s Office of the Child Advocate said the agency needed to make immediate changes.
