Governor Launches Child Safety Task Force

Governor Launches Child Safety Task Force In light of the numerous incidents of child abuse that have occurred in the state over the past six months, the Governor has decided to establish a Child Safety Task Force. When…

Governor launches Child Safety Task Force In light of numerous child abuse incidents in the state over the past six months, the Governor has decided to create a Child Safety Task Force. Authorities say dozens of children have died or been near death so far this year due to the negligence of their parents or guardians. In August, the tragedy of 6-year-old Jacob being beaten to death by his parents was deeply saddening. Before the incident, the Child Protective Services Department had a record of Jacob's abuse, but unfortunately it was not resolved in time, which led to the tragedy. "While these are a few horrific cases, they also reflect the problems," said Benson, the governor's spokesman. The Department of Economic Security's Child Protective Services Agency has submitted a report identifying key areas such as increasing staffing and reducing the backlog. It usually takes 178-203 days for the Service Department to investigate a case, but now it hopes to complete it within 40 days. The task force is made up of experts, including law enforcement and medical professionals. The task force will hold two public hearings before the end of the year and propose a specific operational plan before December 31.