MISSOULA — Montana’s Department of Justice is moving forward with its effort to release to the public reports that find child and family services caseworkers failed to follow policies in investigating reported child abuse.
The Missoulian reports the DOJ filed a petition Thursday in Helena asking District Judge Mike Menahan to review “findings reports” issued by the Child and Family Service’s Ombudsman in both their complete and redacted forms and determine if redacted reports can be made public.
The Department of Public Health and Human Services argues the reports should remain confidential. Spokesman Jon Ebelt says the agency has 42 days to respond to the petition.
The Missoulian obtained several findings reports, one of which found workers at the child abuse hotline failed to put a high priority on a report of a child born with meth in her system.