DCYF Needs Federal Review to Uncover “Everything Right and Wrong” with Agency: Serpa LIVE

DCYF Needs Federal Review to Uncover “Everything Right and Wrong” with Agency: Serpa LIVE

Rhode Island State Representative Patricia Serpa said that she believes the Rhode Island Department of Youth, Children, and Families (DCYF) needs to go to through a federal accreditation process that could be “painful, difficult, and embarrassing”  — to ultimately get to the root of the problems in the agency. 

Serpa, the House Oversight Committee Chair, joined GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle ahead of this Thursday’s House Oversight hearing to review recommendations in the 2019 report of the Child Fatality Review Panel.

“I know the committee is concerned about a report that was filed by the federal government to protect all Rhode Island children back in 2007 after the death of TJ Wright (in 2004) — and they made 20 specific recommendations,” said Serpa. “In January of 2018 those recommendations were finalized, so here we are a year and a half later and those recommendations all apply to child safety, child well-being. I expect the committee is going to want a complete update on where we are with those 20 recommendations — and I’m already hearing the buzz we haven’t made much progress.”

“I think it’s a perfect opportunity to flush out their grievances,” said Serpa of DCYF staff that she expects will be at Thursday’s hearing at 5 p.m. at the Rhode Island State House in Room 101. 

Serpa: Federal Accreditation Process Necessary 

Serpa spoke to the Fiscal Year 2020 budget containing a half a million dollars for a federal accreditation process — which sees as necessary to move DCYF forward. 

“It’s been a failure of many administrations and many directors so I’m not doing to place this on solely the shoulders of Dr. [Trista] Piccola but that agency has had three directors in 6 years,” said Serpa.

“It’s a self-purging of everything that’s right and everything that’s wrong with your agency,” said Serpa of the accreditation process. “You meet after hours, you meet on weekends, it’s painful and it’s difficult — and sometimes you’re embarrassed — but that’s okay, and when you’re finished with your report, this national agency with no political agenda or political ties to Rhode Island — nothing to gain by coming in and looking at our self-study and making recommendations."

"Maybe they’ll find DCYF is top leave in management and middle management, maybe they’ll find we’re short on caseworkers — I know we are — this can be a very helpful tool.”