FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 17, 2002
Nationwide recruitment for DFYS Director underway
DHSS committed to finding best leadership for Alaska’s child protection workers.
Commissioner Joel Gilbertson announced today a nationwide search for a new Director of the DHSS Division of Family and Youth Services (DFYS). “Alaska’s high rate of child abuse and neglect is unacceptable,” he said. “The federal report on Alaska’s child protection system issued last September sent us a message: rethink the way we protect Alaska’s children.”
The Division of Family and Youth Services is the lead agency in the state’s child protection system. DFYS Social Workers investigate reports of abuse and neglect, work with troubled families to keep children safely in their homes whenever possible, and place children in foster care or other appropriate settings when they cannot remain safely at home. DFYS has approx. 387 workers in 30 offices throughout the state.
“I have tremendous respect for our child protection professionals and the work they do,” Gilbertson said. “They get up every morning and go to work to protect Alaska’s children. As Commissioner, my commitment is to ensuring that our workers have the very best leadership possible.”
“I believe we need the benefit of a new perspective,” he said. “By bringing in a well-qualified professional to head DFYS, we can jump start our initiatives to improve Alaska’s child protection system.”
In response to the federal review, Alaska has been preparing a “Program Improvement Plan” (PIP) that was due to the federal government on December 18, 2002. DHSS requested a 90-day extension to submit the plan in order to get the new DFYS Director on board. “We expect the new DFYS Director to fully implement the program improvement plan,” Gilbertson said. “It’s critical that we have the benefit of that person’s input before we submit the plan. Alaska’s families and children deserve our best thinking and the best plan possible.”
Online information
Alaska Dept. of Health & Social Services recruitment notice [PDF]
DHSS Div. of Family& Youth Services
Alaska
Child and Family Services Review, Final Report, Sept. 2002 [PDF 421 KB]
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For more information, please contact
Sherry Hill, Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Communications
(907) 465-1611Or
Ross Soboleff
Public Information Officer III
(907) 465-1611
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