Legislators on the Government Oversight Committees from the Iowa House and Senate have launched their public review of the state’s foster care system and how allegations of child abuse are handled. The move comes after two teenage girls who’d been adopted by foster parents died in their new parents’ homes. Vern Armstrong, head of field operations for the department, testified before lawmakers.
Armstrong’s agency announced as the hearing began that a consultant had been hired to conduct “a broad review of the state’s child welfare system.” Wendy Rickman is head of the Adult, Children and Family Services in the Department of Human Services. She told lawmakers screening questions for foster parents will be carefully examined to — hopefully — provide a better way of identifying “red flags.”
During her weekly news conference, Governor Kim Reynolds said the number of “child protective workers” has increased since 2012. Agency administrators told lawmakers there’s been “status quo” staffing for child abuse investigations and follow-up monitoring in the homes where abuse is alleged.
