Montana Gets Alarm with Increase in Child Abuse Cases; Protection Programs, Courts Can’t Handle Everything

Montana is seeing an increase in the number of child abuse reports in the last five years. The rise of these cases is alarming the government agencies who handle them. It was reported that those agencies are very much underfunded and lack manpower.

Montana Public Radio noted that in 2014 about 15,000 reports were made and half of them need investigation. Only 30% of the halves of those 15,000 reports were properly investigated. An audit report stated that "the Department of Public Health and Human Services needs to address inconsistent documentation, limited supervisory oversight, and a lack of management information related to child abuse and neglect reports." Ali Bovingdon, Gov. Steve Bullock's deputy chief of staff, said that a meeting is going to be held to know what the state agency needs.

An example of the neglect regarding child protection cases were laid in Montana Standard. They reported that most cases that need fast action did not really get it because the staff appointed in such cases sometimes is absent or sick. The governor of Montana created Protect Montana Kids Commission last year to address the needs of child protection. However, the locals aren't satisfied with it as the same people were in it as with the Child and Family Services. Sarah Corbally is the head of CFS and according to her, the funds and her staff aren't enough and they need more funding.

She also said that they are doing everything they can to handle these cases and to solve everything. They are also improving their management and they are shortening the time needed to solve each case.

According to Billings Gazette Montana Chief Justice Mike McGrath is confused as to why these cases never decrease. He knows from experience that most of these cases stem from addicted parents that abuse their child. They are giving and doing what they can to represent each side with every case they get. There are some attorneys who even just work solely on cases about child abuse and neglect.

The government together with the judiciary department is doing everything they can. Although that is the case, the children in Montana need more protection. They need more action and a fast one. 

Tags

Montana, Child Abuse Cases, Child Protection Programs, Department of Public Health and Human Services, Protect Montana Kids Commission, Child and Family Services, child neglect, Montana Chief Justice Mike McGrath

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