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Bredesen Announces DCS Accreditation

Released on Tue, Feb 02, 2010 - 9:11 am under
Children's Services Becomes the Seventh Accredited State-Administered Public Agency
 
NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen in his State of the State Address Monday announced the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services has received accreditation from the Council on Accreditation, an international, independent, not-for-profit, child- and family-service and behavioral health care accrediting organization.
 
Tennessee’s Department of Children Services is the seventh state-administered agency to receive COA accreditation. State-administered agencies in Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri and West Virginia are currently accredited by the organization.
 
“This is a real achievement for the Department of Children’s Services and speaks to the tremendous progress that’s been made under the leadership of Viola Miller,” said Bredesen. “The people of Tennessee can take both pride and comfort in knowing the people responsible for managing the cases of abused and neglected children have met these high standards.”

Haitian Orphan Program Questions Best Directed to U.S. State Department

Released on Wed, Jan 20, 2010 - 2:43 pm under
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a new program designed to help children have been orphaned by the earthquake in Haiti:

Federal Court Denies Challenge to State's Over-commitment Law

Released on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 - 11:43 am under
NASHVILLE -- U.S. District Court Judge Todd J. Campbell today denied a request for a restraining order that would have kept the state from enforcing Tennessee's new over-commitment law.
 
The statute requires counties to share the cost of state care if their juvenile judges commit children at a rate more than three times the statewide average.

Nashville Infant and Siblings No Longer in State Custody

Released on Tue, Oct 06, 2009 - 11:06 am under
Update on case involving the newborn abducted in Nashville
 
NASHVILLE - October 6, 2009 - The infant and the other three children are no longer in DCS custody. DCS has confirmed with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department that they are releasing a statement at this time which sets forth their position with regard to this investigation. The MPD, working in conjunction with the FBI and TBI, advised the Department of Children's Services that the parents have now been ruled out as persons of interest in this investigation at this time.

October 5, 2009 update on case involving the newborn abducted in Nashville

Released on Mon, Oct 05, 2009 - 12:47 pm under

Monday, October 5, 2009 -- While everyone, including the Department of Children's Services, is celebrating the Friday-night rescue of the infant, the department still has a large amount of work to do in this case.

DCS Statement Regarding Children's Rights' Challenge of Over-Commitment Law

Released on Thu, Sep 10, 2009 - 8:34 am under

NASHVILLE - Today, Children’s Rights, Inc. filed a motion seeking to stop the State from implementing a new law regarding the over-commitment of children into State custody by juvenile judges. The Department of Children’s Services has made great progress in recent years in improving the care and services we provide to Tennessee’s children. The Department has also corrected many of the issues that were at the heart of the Brian A. lawsuit. It appears the issues raised by the plaintiffs are less about the existing lawsuit and more about their objection to a law passed this year by the General Assembly.

DCS Open Records Requests: A Primer

Released on Fri, Jan 16, 2009 - 11:53 am under

Tennessee law enables state residents to have access to government records. And while in most cases, child- and case-specific DCS information must remain confidential under state law, the department is committed to being as open and responsive as it possibly can. In some instances, there are even ways for certain interested parties to gain access to child and family information.

Tips For Leaving Your Child In Another's Care

Released on Fri, Jan 16, 2009 - 11:47 am under

Make Sure the Baby-sitter Knows the Basics about Your Baby

NASHVILLE -- Across Tennessee, young parents often entrust their babies' care to a friend or relative. While the Department of Children's Services would always hope that a parent would make the best choices for child care, we often hear of instances in which a mother asks a friend to keep an eye on her baby while she has to leave home for a few hours.

Monitor's Report Notes Broad Improvement at DCS

Released on Mon, Dec 15, 2008 - 11:42 am under

Spells Out Remaining Challenges for Tennessee's Public Child Welfare Agency

NASHVILLE -- Federal court monitors cited across-the-board improvements at the Tennessee Department of Children's Services, where an ambitious reform effort is underway on behalf of those in state foster care. The reform work is not complete, however, as Tennessee still has several benchmarks to meet before it can exit federal court oversight under the terms of the Brian A. consent decree.

DCS Open Records Requests: A Primer

Released on Fri, Nov 14, 2008 - 3:01 pm under

NASHVILLE - Tennessee law enables state residents to have access to government records. And while in most cases, child- and case-specific DCS information must remain confidential under state law, the department is committed to being as open and responsive as it possibly can. In some instances, there are even ways for certain interested parties to gain access to child and family information.

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