Mandeville Senator Patrick McMath has met with Governor Landry about revamping the state’s child welfare system. McMath introduced legislation last week that would dismantle the Department of Children and Family Services, moving most of its functions within the Louisiana Department of Health and having State Police run the child abuse hotline.
“I think that this should be a function of law enforcement, so it makes sense to put law enforcement as the first point of contact. That doesn’t exist now,” McMath said.
McMath is also proposing that the attorney general’s office would handle child support enforcement.
“What function can that office, as prosecutors, what role can they play, when it comes to investigating and prosecuting instances of child abuse and neglect?” McMath asked.
McMath, Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow and other state lawmakers have been critical of DCFS for not taking the proper steps in preventing deaths of several toddlers, despite receiving calls from the public about their safety before they died.
Governor Landry expressed frustration last week about not being informed about McMath’s proposal before he presented it to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. McMath says since then, he’s had a good meeting with Landry and DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris, and the plan is to pass legislation that dramatically changes how the state handles child welfare problems.
“I’m sick of trying to put Band-Aids on things, and so, I think real structural change is necessary,” McMath said.
Senate Health and Welfare meets tomorrow, and it’s possible it will vote on McMath’s bill at that time, or it could wait until next week.
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