Illinois DCFS Director Marc Smith Held In Contempt Of Court For Fourth Time Over Placement Of Teen
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A judge on Thursday afternoon ordered Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith in contempt of court for the fourth time in two months.
This latest order involves the department repeatedly moving a teenager who has been bouncing her between different foster homes, psychiatric hospitals, and shelters. DCFS moved her a total of 24 times times since November.
The teen currently is hospitalized. When she is ready for release, the judge ordered she be appropriately placed, or DCFS will face $1,000-a-day fines.
After being hit with the three other past contempt orders, DCFS quickly found the right placements for those youth who had been languishing in psychiatric hospitals.
A Cook County Juvenile Court judge also held Smith in contempt in three other recent cases due to DCFS' failure to get those children into appropriate care.
Late last month, lawmakers held a virtual hearing on the DCFS, with some even suggesting overhauling the department if Smith can't right the ship.
Capacity, or the number of residential beds and foster homes for children in the state's care, is an ongoing and critical concern. It is the main reason behind an issue we have extensively reported – children being kept in psychiatric hospitals longer than medically necessary. In some cases, months longer.