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Youth testimony and DCS officials clash over case practices as committee advances sunset bill with mixed votes
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Summary
During consideration of HB 1572 (sunset review of the Department of Children's Services), a youth witness and a former foster parent/case manager gave emotional testimony alleging multiple placements, denied therapy and retaliation; DCS officials responded with general explanations of legal process and progress on audit findings. The committee debated rolling the bill and ultimately advanced it out of committee after recorded votes.
The Government Operations Committee took up House Bill 1572, the sunset review for the Department of Children's Services (DCS). After placing amendment 14938 on the bill, the committee opened the floor to public testimony. Two witnesses gave time-limited statements.
A youth who identified himself as Ivan told lawmakers he entered DCS care at age 8 with two younger sisters and a baby brother and described being moved among residential facilities for nearly four years. "I spent nearly 4 years being tossed around from 1 facility to another, where I was being hurt really bad... No one wanted to help me," he said, and asked lawmakers for help to reunite his family. A second witness, Jessica Yana, identified herself as a former juvenile-detention center employee, foster parent and later case manager and alleged she suffered retaliation for reporting abuse, that families were denied counseling and family therapy, and that placements were repeatedly unstable. "I was directed not to speak to the courts... I was retaliated against, and I was blocked from working with children," she said.
Committee members thanked the witnesses and then asked DCS officials to respond. Commissioner Archie Quinn said he could not comment on specific, ongoing cases but emphasized the department's goal that families belong together and highlighted a reduction in children in custody since 2022. Quinn said the department has reduced overall custody counts by about 10% since he took office and cited current totals (about 7,756 children in foster care and about 550 in juvenile justice). The department noted work on resolving audit findings, including a plan to replace its case file system with a new system called C-First, anticipated to go live in October, which DCS officials said would address several repeat audit findings.
General counsel Sammy Mayfair explained, in general terms, that courts make placement determinations based on the individual circumstances of each child and that it is legally possible for one sibling to return home while another remains in care if their individual best interests differ. The department said that specific case details could not be discussed in committee.
A portion of the committee sought more time for a fuller hearing with DCS. Leader Camper moved to roll the bill to a Monday calendar to permit more time; the roll motion failed on a tie (7 ayes, 7 nays). The committee then voted to advance the bill as amended; the clerk announced the final tally as 9 ayes, 1 nay and 4 present but not voting. The committee also recorded that DCS will return with a fuller report in December per sunset procedures and audit follow-up.
The committee adjourned after disposing of the day's agenda.
