New DCF Website Meant To Improve Child Death Transparency
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — Florida Welfare officials launched a new site, mandated by the legislature, to improve transparency surrounding child abuse deaths.
The Department of Children and Families said Wednesday, June 25th the public site contains information on child fatalities reported to the Florida Abuse Hotline alleged to be a result of abuse or neglect.
In a statement released Wednesday, Interim Secretary Mike Carroll said, "This website will serve as an important tool to maximize transparency and to raise public awareness of the tragedies our department is committed to ending...We know this data will be useful to communities statewide and will allow the department and our partners to improve child welfare practice and better protect children and assist at-risk families."
The agency said the website exceeds the new data requirement to publish basic information set by the Legislature. The website sorts data by county, child's age and prior history.
The site features 2014 data but DCF is working to include the past five years by this fall.
The website comes after Tuesday's scathing grand jury report accuses the agency of "intentionally and deliberately" manipulating child abuse death investigations to make it appear fewer children were dying.
Click here to view the site.
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
RELATED CONTENT:
