NASHVILLE – State lawmakers are hoping to get some answers this week from the embattled Tennessee Department of Children’s Services that has been heavily criticized for its refusal to release records related to the abuse and death of children under its care.
The Tennessean reports DCS Commissioner Kate O’Day has agreed to address questions from the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday morning.
One concern among lawmakers is the diminishing oversight of DCS.
In the past two years, at least a half-dozen groups that once monitored DCS’ work have been eliminated, according to The Tennessean. Others fell victim to reorganizations of the Legislature or state government by Gov. Bill Haslam or Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville, both Republicans.
Those entities eliminated include the $1.2 million Children’s Program Outcome Review Team. O’Day reportedly asked her own staff to conduct reviews of the agency instead.