DCS watchdog says death investigations still too slow

A state ombudsman told the Department of Child Services its investigations into child fatalities and near-fatalities sometimes still take too long, despite efforts to improve its performance.

That finding and others were included in the DCS Ombudsman Bureau's annual report, released last week. The ombudsman fielded 607 complaints about Indiana's child welfare agency in 2013, a slight increase from the year before, according to the report. The bureau opened cases on 210 of them.

Ombudsman Alfreda Singleton-Smith, who became director of the watchdog agency in June, made six systemwide recommendations and 24 in specific cases.

The child fatality recommendation was in response to changes made in 2012, after the ombudsman found DCS was taking nearly two years to complete some of its fatality and near-fatality investigations.

The bureau recommended DCS develop a plan to speed up its investigation of such cases. In 2012, DCS implemented a policy to complete such assessments within 180 days. In the 2013 report, Singleton-Smith said the agency still isn't always hitting that benchmark.

DCS told Singleton-Smith the agency's assessments can be delayed by reports from other agencies and coordination with prosecutor's offices and police.

"The ombudsman report is an independent look at how to improve DCS processes," said DCS spokesman James Wide. "DCS has (used) and will continue to use the recommendations to protect Hoosier children from abuse and neglect and work to ensure their financial support."

Among the bureau's most recent findings:

• A child support case in which a DCS employee may have been representing his or her spouse was referred to DCS' ethics officer, who "reviewed the matter in question, and appropriate action was taken." The outcome is unclear. Singleton-Smith recommended the office address the role of bias in its decision-making, which officials say they did.

• The bureau found DCS delayed reunification of a mother and her children, even though the woman had complied with all requirements. The ombudsman cited issues with DCS' communication and planning as well as "negative and unprofessional communication from the service provider." DCS met with the provider and outlined the agency's code of conduct and values.

• The bureau recommended DCS increase staffing to comply with legal caseload standards. DCS is in the process of doing so.

State legislators established the Ombudsman Bureau in 2009 amid concerns about the deaths of several children involved with DCS, and about a growing number of children being removed from their families.

"The DCS Ombudsman Bureau looks forward to opportunities to continue to strengthen the lines of communication with the Department of Child Services in effort to support the best interests of Indiana's families and children," Singleton-Smith said in an email to The Indianapolis Star.

Call Star reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski at (317) 444-6135. Follow her on Twitter at @IndyMarisaK.