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Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, The (GA) August 28, 2003
Pressure is mounting for the
ouster of the state's top two child welfare officials following the deaths
of two boys this summer.
The head of the union for state child welfare workers and a leading
child welfare advocate called Wednesday for the firing of Jim Martin,
commissioner of the Department of Human Resources, and Juanita
Blount-Clark, director of the Division of Family and Children Services.
"The fatal flaw in all this is the leadership. The head of DFCS has
been there about four years, and the DHR commissioner is going on two
years, and they have done absolutely nothing," said Don Keenan, head of
Keenan's Kids Foundation, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that advocates on
child welfare issues. "When you have a failing football team like this,
you blame the coach."
His remarks came a day after agency officials announced a series of
firings and resignations related to the deaths of two 2-year-olds, Kyshawn
Punter and Caleb Woods. Both boys' families had histories with DFCS.
Ralph Williams, president of Atlanta Service Employees
International Union Local 1985, which represents DFCS and DHR employees,
said Gov. Sonny Perdue needs to take stronger action.
"If Juanita Blount-Clark and Jim Martin think those two caseworkers
should be fired, then the governor should take the same action against
them," said Williams. "This is a top-level management accountability
issue."
Perdue discussed the need for improvements at DFCS on Wednesday at
a summit on children's issues.
"As makers of public policy, we have to address failures within the
DFCS system," he said.
Asked whether the governor is considering the dismissal of Martin
and Blount-Clark, Perdue spokesman Dan McLagan said later, "Everything is
on the table. There are no sacred cows. But we will not discuss internal
personnel matters." He added, "The governor has said the commissioner is a
man with a heart for children, and knows he is working very hard."
Martin and Blount-Clark declined to comment on the matter
Wednesday.
Longtime political observers have speculated for months that
Perdue, a Republican, would replace Martin, a former state House member,
in part because of his Democratic political affiliation, his ties to
former Gov. Roy Barnes and the ongoing problems with DFCS, which is under
DHR.
Before taking office in January, Perdue asked all department heads
in state government to submit their resignations. He then gave them the
option of reapplying for their jobs, and Martin was among the majority who
did.
In the past several months, Perdue has opted to accept some of
those resignations. Earlier this month, he accepted the resignation of
Orlando Martinez, the commissioner of the state Department of Juvenile
Justice. Martinez had come under fire from legislators in the Augusta area
for privatizing a troubled Augusta youth prison and putting 120 state
employees out of work.
State Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), a leading figure on
child welfare issues in Georgia, also called for the removal of
Blount-Clark.
Oliver said she favored keeping Martin in place. "In many ways I
have respect for the job he's done, but not always."
Perdue acknowledged during the summit that many of the state's
child welfare offices are ill-equipped, but said better equipment is on
the way.
"Many DFCS offices are equipped with old technology that hamper
efficiency and effectiveness," Perdue said during the First Lady's Summit
on Our Children.
He cited several technology advances already in the works. Starting
in October, the state will begin issuing portable computers to
caseworkers, with every caseworker receiving one by April. The plan to
outfit about 2,000 caseworkers will cost $5.4 million, officials said.
In addition, Perdue said that every DFCS office would be connected
to the Internet by the end of the year. That effort, about halfway
complete, is expected to cost $4.5 million.
Perdue said DFCS caseworkers sometimes must use two or three
different computer systems to track and report on their cases. They spend
hours in court making notes that they later must type into a computer.
"We're going to change that starting now," he said.
Perdue also said progress is being made in connecting the computer
systems of different DFCS offices. That is expected to improve interoffice
communication as families move from county to county.
The governor vowed that protecting children would remain a state
priority even during tough budget times.
Staff writer Nancy Badertscher contributed to this article.
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