HELENA — Some people who have complained about the way the Division of Child and Family Services have handled their cases are justified in their complaints, the agency’s former field services administrator told the Protect Montana Kids Commission on Tuesday.
Gov. Steve Bullock appointed the commission to study the agency, gather public input and recommend legislative and systemic changes in response to protests by grandparents, counselors and others who felt cases had been mishandled.
Former field services administrator Cory Costello of Great Falls said overburdened workers and high turnover is part of the picture, but it’s not the whole story.
“Family engagement, family centered practice is key to DFS doing a good job,” she said. A child’s extended family as well as counselors, teachers and others need to be included, she said.
“Many of the people here had justifiable complaints that weren’t heard, so they went to the streets,” Costello said. “And it’s sad that that’s what it took.”
She said the agency needs to make sure the families receive help with any substance abuse or mental health problems.
And she suggested the commission needed to gather detailed information to help make its decisions.
“Maybe some children are being removed that shouldn’t be,” Costello said. Look at the data for the number of cases that were closed in 60 days, she said.
She also suggested more and ongoing training for caseworkers. “You have people who don’t know what they’re doing, and they’re making big decisions,” Costello said.
Earlier, agency workers told the commission that their work is difficult, emotionally draining and doesn’t pay well, but they do it because they believe they’re making a difference in children’s lives.
Representatives of groups that provide services for children in state custody said caseworkers need to improve their communication with them, while a foster parent complained about worker turnover.
Jann Petek of Helena said seeing nine caseworkers in a period of several months doesn’t help a child with reactive detachment disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. “It only adds to her distrust of adults,” said Petek, a foster parent and program manager at Intermountain Family Based Services.
Family therapist Rochelle Beley of Harlowton said the high turnover rate also means new caseworkers don’t know all of the background on a child and the child’s family.