Gregg Proposes DCS Reforms

INDIANAPOLIS – Gubernatorial candidate John Gregg proposed several reforms to Indiana’s Department of Child Services today.  Gregg announced the reforms as part of his Hoosier Handshake plan that he has been unveiling to Indiana voters throughout the spring and summer.  

“We need to make the protection of our children a top priority,” Gregg said.  “In recent years, the Department of Child Services has failed to provide necessary services for Hoosier families.  Our children are our greatest resource, and as Governor I will fight to ensure that every Hoosier child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe and loving home.” 

“As Governor, I will ensure that DCS is always working in the best interests of the child.  That means providing prevention services that can keep children out of the juvenile justice system.  That means helping families that want to adopt children with mental health issues and it means making children a priority.” 

Lieutenant Gubernatorial nominee Vi Simpson added, “We judge a society by how it treats its most vulnerable people.  The Legislature and the people have said that they want these services provided to vulnerable children in Indiana.  Under our administration, that is exactly what they will get.” 

Gregg proposed common sense reforms to DCS that will give every child the ability to grow up in a safe, loving home.  These reforms will expand access to DCS services, enhance awareness of adoption and make children a priority for Indiana.  Gregg’s proposals included the following:

• Reinstate prevention services that can keep struggling families together and keep Indiana teens out of juvenile courts.  This will allow parents of children with mental illness issues to receive services proactively, instead of waiting for juvenile courts to order them. 
• Launch a statewide adoption promotion effort to increase adoptions in Indiana. 
• Increase services for adoptive parents such as counseling and medical needs of adopted children. 
• Create the Office of the Child Advocate to fight for and increase awareness of children’s issues throughout the state. 

More details can be found at http://www.greggforgovernor.com/docs/DCS-Policy.pdf

Comments

[Ryan]

Mr. Gregg,

As a citizen of Indiana who has had to call DCS to report child abuse that I've witness before, I'd suggest you start by NOT HAVING THEM CALL AND WARN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABUSING THE CHILD TWENTY-FOUR *_HOURS_* AHEAD OF THE INVESTIGATION so that they have plenty of time to go threaten the child into telling the investigator whatever they want him or her to hear.

Thank you.

[Jim]

Well spoken Ryan!