An independent monitor for the Tennessee Department of Children's Services says the agency's progress in 2012 was disappointing. The Technical Assistance Committee reports to a federal judge on DCS' performance as part of a 2001 settlement over the agency's treatment of foster children. Among other things, the 2012 report found that workers took too long to make contact with child victims. In the highest priority cases, where children were considered to potentially be in imminent danger, caseworkers made contact within 24 hours between about 30% and 70%of the time. DCS came under fire in 2012 when officials could not say with certainty how many of the children it serves had died. The commissioner resigned in early 2013 and was replaced by Jim Henry, who is restructuring the agency.
Independent Monitor Criticizes TN Children's Services
