Georgia - The summer brought changes to the hierarchy at Georgia's Department of Human Services and the Department of Family and Children's Services.
Clyde Reese - Out as DHS Commissioner - In as Commissioner at the Department of Community Health (DCH)
No tears here... Our dealings as parents and advocates with former DHS Commissioner Clyde Reese were less than stellar, actually non-existent, although repeatedly attempted by advocates, during the Ridge Creek School fiasco. DHS/ORCC lack of accountability, lack of oversight, and lack of transparency allowed the debacle to continue. However, moving Mr. Reese to the DCH is not exactly proactive, nor progressive in an administrative attempt to fix the problems repeatedly cited in reports such as Kenny A., the Children's Rights Org, and the Georgia Advocacy Office.
Ron Scroggy - Out as DFCS Director - In as Executive Director of Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Children (GAHSC)
Ron Scroggy heralded from Inner Harbour Youth Villages as the former CEO, where ORCC survey reports on Youth Villages provided egregious incidents of non-compliance. Hiring Mr. Scroggy as Director of DFCS appeared to be a conflict of interest to begin with, offering up just another avenue for the "fox to guard the henhouse." Mr.Scroggy is now at GAHSC, which is far from comforting.Both gentlemen appeared to do a remarkable job insulating Georgia's DHS and DFCS from any transparency and accountability. Under Mr. Scroggy's tenure, DFCS offices were raided by the FBI and charges were brought against underlings. Advocate's general opinion - the FBI raided the wrong offices.
Do not bang the drums quite yet... Governor Deal just shifted the players around to different departments providing each player with a different venue for the same apparent inepitude, lack of integrity, and complicit behavior.
Dave Statton, former Director of the ORCC, who abruptly cleaned out his desk in 2011, the morning after our parent/advocate conference call, holds the trump cards relating to his immediate exit - among other issues. Were you really given a RIFF? Perhaps it is time to release the conference call... what say you Mr. Statton?
How do you really feel about subjectively changing survey reports before release?
http://www.childrensrights.org/news-events/press/metro-atlanta-backslides-on-protecting-kids-in-foster-care/