BOSTON (AP) — Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is pushing back against an audit that claimed the state’s child welfare agency failed to detect or report hundreds of injuries to children in its care.
In a letter Monday to employees of the Department of Children and Families, Baker says it was “irresponsible” for Democratic Auditor Suzanne Bump to rely on data that was 2-3 years old and discuss the findings as if they reflected current circumstances.
Baker says the report ignored great strides made by the agency in recent years, including the hiring of 350 new social workers.
The governor was also skeptical of the auditor’s recommendation that DCF monitor Medicaid claims data to identify potential abuse of children, though he said the administration would look into using it as a “secondary information tool.”
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)