DSHS gets failing grades in U.S. review of child safety

By Jonathan Martin
Seattle Times staff reporter

	Uma Ahluwalia
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A federal review of 50 child-welfare cases in Washington state has found disturbing trends in child-abuse investigations and an acute shortage of mental-health care for foster children.

But the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is not alone in receiving failing grades from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. All 48 states examined by the federal auditors in the past two years fell short of new federal standards for child-welfare systems.

The DSHS fared unusually poorly on measures for child safety and well-being, failing 21 of 23 specific criteria.

Based on case reviews in King, Clark and Adams counties last year, the auditors found an unacceptable level of repeat child abuse; too few face-to-face interviews by social workers with foster children or their parents; inadequate training for staff members and foster parents; and a "lack of effort to incorporate fathers into any aspect of the case process."

"There are serious problems here," said Rep. Ruth Kagi, a Seattle Democrat who chairs the House Children and Family Services committee. Kagi said she was disturbed that DSHS fared worst in its attempts to consult with birth parents and extended family when a child is in foster care.

DSHS now must tell the federal auditors how it will improve in each deficient area within the next two years or face some loss of federal funding.

The agency spotlighted several positive findings, including a pattern of keeping siblings in foster care together and having a solid bureaucratic infrastructure that includes foster-home licensing and a good computer system.

But Uma Ahluwalia, DSHS child-welfare director, said she was surprised the agency had failed all measures of child safety. The findings provide a blueprint to fix problems, she said.

"This is a moment in time to really push the reform agenda," said Ahluwalia, hired late last year. "That's what they hired me to do."

The audit also echoed several problems that emerged in the 2000 trial of a class-action lawsuit to stop foster children from being moved from home to home. The audit and lawsuit noted a lack of mental-health care and a need for more foster homes.
 
A state Supreme Court ruling last year sent the lawsuit — Jessica Braam v. DSHS — back to Bellingham for a second trial, but child advocates said yesterday the audit lends more validity to the lawsuit.

"It should be a signal that the state needs to settle the Braam lawsuit and put the interests of children at the forefront," said Jon Gould of the Children's Alliance.

The federal audits were launched across the country over the last two years. The reviews have been criticized as drive-by critiques that set unrealistic standards.

"We did set high standards, and don't make an apology for it. How could we not?" said Susan Orr, associate commissioner in the federal Administration for Children and Families, which conducted the audits.

While Washington failed all seven child-safety measures, no state passed more than two, indicating the child-welfare system nationwide is broken, she said.

"It's a system in need of reform, no question about it," she said. "There's pockets of great casework practice in every state. It's just not uniform."

Jonathan Martin: 206-464-2605 or jmartin@seattletimes.com

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