Next year, the dysfunctional state agency that protects abused and neglected children will have new leadership.
Troubled Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to get a new director (Photo: Google)
Heidi Mueller Appointed as DCFS Director to Address Ongoing Challenges
Heidi Mueller will become DCFS director on February 1 under Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Mueller, the Department of Juvenile Justice Director, has been lauded for reforming the state’s juvenile justice system. Mueller is the 15th DCFS director in 20 years, and the shift comes amid substantial problems. Mueller’s reputation as a reformer is likely to provide a fresh perspective on the agency’s ongoing difficulties.
Heidi Dahlenberg, legal director of the ACLU of Illinois, stressed the need for youth placement and a move away from huge institutions at Mueller’s inauguration. A settlement agreement from the ACLU’s lawsuit against DCFS addresses caseload reductions, financing, training, and system redesign. Over 30 years after the consent order, understaffing persists.
DCFS personnel received an email announcing Mueller’s hiring and that outgoing director Marc Smith would stay until January. Legislative hearings, contempt charges, and child deaths after agency interaction have plagued Smith, who has led the agency since 2019. DCFS reports showed improper placement and non-compliance with laws and agency procedures, putting children at risk. DCFS faces heavy caseloads, limited beds, and difficulty placing abused children.
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Challenges and Failures in DCFS Oversight Highlighted in OIG Annual Report
The Office of the Inspector General’s annual report reported 160 DCFS-cared-for children who died within a year, the greatest amount in 20 years. The investigation revealed systemic failures to safeguard vulnerable children, including 8-year-old Navin Jones’ death. Unfortunately, DCFS investigators missed opportunities to address concerns and protect Navin from serious mistreatment, which ended in his death. The investigation recommended disciplinary action against Navin’s managers and personnel for failures.
Heidi Mueller’s nomination as DCFS director is considered a major step toward systemic transformation and better child welfare results.
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