Senators want to see Children and Youth Services reform
Senators Lisa Baker and Judy Schwank of Berks County want to see major reform when it comes to Children and Youth Services.
HARRISBURG (WOLF-TV) — Two state senators want to see major change within Children and Youth Services.
They're concerned with the number of children who died or were abused while in the system.
Senators Lisa Baker and Judy Schwank of Berks County want to see major reform when it comes to Children and Youth Services.
"We need to get the right people to the table. Let's figure out what can we do to make the circumstances better? No child in foster care or in placement or in an adoptive situation should be subjected to some of the things that we've been hearing about,” Sen. Baker said.
Last year, the state Auditor General released his "State of the Child" report.
It revealed that nearly 46 children died and another 79 nearly died in 2016 alone.
Nearly half of those children were with families are known to CYS.
"I can state the names and tell you who they are, and their stories are sad and horrific. It's not an indictment about the people on the ground who are trying to serve these young people. What can we do moving forward to make this system better,” Sen. Baker added.
The senators plan to create a panel that's modeled after the commission that investigated the “Kids for Cash” scandal in Luzerne County.
Judy Lorah Fisher knows Kids for Cash all too well.
Her niece Amanda was wrongly imprisoned for several years.
Fisher is now a community activist who says she's heard from thousands of families in our area who allege their children were improperly taken from them.
"It is the answer that we've been looking for; is that somebody comes and investigates and sees what we've been talking about all along,” Fisher said.
Fisher says the numbers released in the AG's report speak for itself.
"What else do we need to prove that it's broken? What else do we need to prove that these children have to have a safety. Children and Youth need to get back to the way they used to protect children, not put them in a system that's broken,” Fisher added.
If passed, the commission would have 24 months to make their recommendations to each judicial branch.
The main goals: figure out why these deaths took place and make sure it never happens again.
They're concerned with the number of children who died or were abused while in the system.
Senators Lisa Baker and Judy Schwank of Berks County want to see major reform when it comes to Children and Youth Services.
"We need to get the right people to the table. Let's figure out what can we do to make the circumstances better? No child in foster care or in placement or in an adoptive situation should be subjected to some of the things that we've been hearing about,” Sen. Baker said.
Last year, the state Auditor General released his "State of the Child" report.
It revealed that nearly 46 children died and another 79 nearly died in 2016 alone.
Nearly half of those children were with families are known to CYS.
"I can state the names and tell you who they are, and their stories are sad and horrific. It's not an indictment about the people on the ground who are trying to serve these young people. What can we do moving forward to make this system better,” Sen. Baker added.
The senators plan to create a panel that's modeled after the commission that investigated the “Kids for Cash” scandal in Luzerne County.
Judy Lorah Fisher knows Kids for Cash all too well.
Her niece Amanda was wrongly imprisoned for several years.
Fisher is now a community activist who says she's heard from thousands of families in our area who allege their children were improperly taken from them.
"It is the answer that we've been looking for; is that somebody comes and investigates and sees what we've been talking about all along,” Fisher said.
Fisher says the numbers released in the AG's report speak for itself.
"What else do we need to prove that it's broken? What else do we need to prove that these children have to have a safety. Children and Youth need to get back to the way they used to protect children, not put them in a system that's broken,” Fisher added.
If passed, the commission would have 24 months to make their recommendations to each judicial branch.
The main goals: figure out why these deaths took place and make sure it never happens again.
No comments:
Post a Comment