Media alert: On the Air with Fox 25

In approximately 5 minutes I will be interviewed live on the Fox 25 evening news to discuss the legislature's upcoming 2014 agenda.

In Case You Missed It...

I was an in-studio guest on the Fox 25 News last night to discuss the troubling case of 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver of Fitchburg, whose family has been receiving services through the Department of Children and Families since 2011 and who has gone missing since September. Please click on the video below to view the segment in its entirety.

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Statement on DCF Missing Child Case

I released the following statement today, following a press conference by Department of Children and Families Commissioner Olga Roche updating the department’s response to the disappearance of 5-year-old Fitchburg resident Jeremiah Oliver:

“Today’s press conference by DCF Commissioner Olga Roche exposed more troubling details about the failure of the department to protect 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver. While the commissioner is right to discharge those at fault from state employment, and to order better scrutiny of certain cases, the situation deserves more.

First, a system that tolerated falsified reports and lies needs to be reviewed independently to ensure that there are no other children who are vulnerable due to lack of home visits or other forms of oversight. In addition, we must all collectively determine what reforms are needed to ensure that no other child goes for months without needed home visits. And we must also continue to hope and pray for the safe return of this young boy.”

MEDIA ALERT: On the Air with Fox 25

I will be appearing live on Fox 25 this afternoon to discuss the disappearance of 5-year-old Fitchburg resident Jeremiah Oliver, whose family has been receiving services through the Department of Children and Families (DCF) since 2011 but who has been missing since September 14th.

During the segment, I will be providing my reaction to today’s press conference by DCF Commissioner Olga Roche and Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary of Children, Youth and Families Kathy Betts announcing “action steps” the agency is taking to “help strengthen families and ensure a safe and secure environment for children.” Earlier this month, I joined with my colleagues in the Senate Republican Caucus in calling for an independent investigation by Auditor Suzanne Bump and/or Inspector General Glenn Cunha into DCF’s failures regarding Oliver’s disappearance.

The segment will air live on Fox 25 today at approximately 4:57 p.m.

On the Air with NECN

On Friday I was interviewed by NECN Reporter Peter Howe regarding a bill I filed that would authorize Massachusetts' Division of Marine Fisheries to establish a Massachusetts Seafood Marketing Program. To view Friday night's segment please play the posted video below.

Merry Christmas!

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” -Charles Dickens

Christmas is the one time of year where everyone has the opportunity to feel like a child again.  It is a special day where strangers become friends, and where loved ones are honored and cherished.  It is my hope that among all the blessings of this day, that we each take a few moments to honor our servicemen and servicewomen who are currently home and overseas protecting this great nation.

Senate Republican Caucus Press Release Regarding DCF

Today the Senate Republican Caucus distributed the following press release regarding a letter sent by the caucus to Auditor Suzanne Bump and Inspector General Glenn Cunha, urging them to begin an independent investigation regarding the services provided by the Department of Children and Families:

Senate Republican Caucus Seeks Independent Investigation of DCF Services

Immediate Review of All Cases Warranted for the Welfare of Children

Boston- Responding to recent reports of the disappearance of a missing 5-year-old Fitchburg child, the Senate Republican Caucus, led by Senator Don Humason (R-Westfield), who is the republican member serving on the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, is calling for an independent investigation by Auditor Suzanne Bump and/or Inspector General Glenn Cunha into the failures of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) regarding the disappearance of Jeremiah Oliver.

Since September 2011, Jeremiah Oliver and his family have been receiving services from DCF, however, the supervisor and social worker assigned to the family failed to conduct monthly, mandated household checks.  Sadly, Jeremiah Oliver was last seen on September 14th, and his whereabouts remain unknown.

In the December 20th letter to Auditor Bump and Inspector General Cunha, the Senate Republican Caucus wrote “Increasingly, as our understanding of the department’s failure to carry out its mandate expands, there are further growing concerns for all other children in the DCF system.”

On Thursday, December 19th, Commissioner Olga Roche of DCF announced that the department will conduct its own internal review into as many as 40,000 cases, however, citing the need for an independent review, the caucus wrote, “We request and encourage a full review and examination independently or in concert (by the auditor and the inspector general), of the DCF’s practices and procedures so that we can prevent any other similar abuse or problem from occurring.”

The Senate Republican Caucus requests that the investigation include:

·         collecting as much information as possible to assess the risk and safety issues for children in the system;

·         determining how many children have not had direct, monthly contact with a DCF case worker;

·         determining the adequacy of the 110 CMR 6.00 and other pertinent regulations relative to case review procedures for children in foster care and non-foster care settings;

·         determining the adherence to standards in comprehensive assessments and family service plans;

·         determining the Department’s adherence to procedures established under 110 CMR 13.00 for the Case Investigation Unit;

·         assessing the number of service plans initiated as a result of a 51A child abuse or neglect filing or court order;

·         collecting information as to the standard number of cases assigned to social workers and the average number of children assigned to social workers;

·         determining if there has been public access to appropriately redacted reports of the Department's Case Investigation Unit;

·         determining if case management activities and other services provided to children and families were adequate and appropriately adhered with DCF policies and regulations; 

·         referring any relevant finding of a criminal nature to the Attorney General;

·         providing recommendations that may improve the DCF’s policy, regulations, training, or contracted services; and

·         providing procedural recommendations, that when adhered to, will require that DCF acts in a manner that is accountable and open to oversight.

“The nature and scope of these developing circumstances demand independent investigations.  Only through well-developed inquiry can we determine how to best help the staff and management of DCF to protect the lives of children,” the Caucus wrote.

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