Safeguarding (some) vulnerable children

When tragedies befall children, communities rally and elected officials offer their thoughts and prayers. Sometimes it’s all anyone can do. But when tragedies hit children while under the care of state programs or services, thoughts and prayers should take a back seat to investigation and decisive action.

Heartbreaking reports in recent years have shaken our faith in the ability of our the Commonwealth to safeguard children.

HEADLINE: Beaten, Then Silenced. (Abused children at Glen Mills Schools.)
HEADLINE: Two Years After Wordsworth Teen’s Death, More Details Released But No Charges. HEADLINE: Grace Packer ‘Didn’t Have to Die’ (Rape and murder of teen by her adoptive parents.)

Gov. Wolf recently announced new protections for the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable children with an executive order, acknowledging shortcomings in the systems that provide programs and services meant to serve them, and creating a new Office of Advocacy and Reform. The executive order also establishes a Child Advocate to work on children’s safety and legal protections, and a 25-member Council on Reform that will report back with key recommendations by Nov. 1.

“Our systems have been built to prioritize the institution over the human being,” said Gov. Wolf. “This executive order reimagines our responsibility and shifts our outlook.”

Kudos to the Governor for focusing on systems and not just symptoms.

Some advocates are concerned about yet another report that could gather dust along with other reports and studies in the past. Wolf vows that his executive order signals change.

“Critical recommendations have emerged from many of these reports,” he said, “but they were often laid aside as the crisis faded into history. People forgot. No more.”

While PCCY will continue to push for greater accountability and system change in support of vulnerable kids, we are optimistic about this crucial step forward lead by the Governor’s Office.

But we’re very concerned about a significant blind spot of the executive order that must be addressed:

Five state-run youth detention centers may be excluded from the Governor’s reform process. The executive order is explicit when it comes to licensed, privately-run facilities, but language regarding the detention centers directly overseen by the state is conspicuously absent.  

On Tuesday, less than two weeks after Gov. Wolf’s announcement, KYW reported that one such state-run detention center in Poconos failed to report a major plumbing issue that deprived children of running water for two weeks during the dog days of summer.

Thankfully no children were harmed and portable toilets and bottled water were used while repairs were underway, but that the conditions would have violated regulations for a private provider only proves the need for the same regulations to govern state-run institutions. Sadly, there are far more serious reminders.

This spring, in response to alleged widespread abuse of differently abled youth while under the care of Youth Development Centers run by the Commonwealth, including injurious use of restraints, Disability Rights Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit against the PA Department of Human Services.

Let’s hope Governor Wolf amends his order to include state-run facilities, so that they may abide by the same health and safety standards as privately-run facilities. Considering the Governor’s earnestness in reforming child-serving systems and services, the omission of state-run facilities could leave Governor Wolf open to accusations of hypocrisy.  

Thoughts and prayers for these kids is simply unacceptable.