TOGETHER.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER.

WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

>> THE PERSON WHO ADVOCATES IN COURT FOR CHILDREN WHO'VE BEEN ABUSED OR NEGLECTED, SAYS THE STATE'S DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES IS NOT ONLY FAILING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS IN ITS CARE, BUT THAT THE SITUATION IS GETTING WORSE.

JUST RECENTLY, THE CRISIS PLAGUED AGENCY GAINED A NEW LEADER AND THE COOK COUNTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN SAYS SHE HAS HER WORK CUT OUT FOR HER.

JOINING US IS CHARLES GOLDBERG, THE COOK COUNTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN.

WE SHOULD KNOW.

WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE NEW LEADER OF DCFS TO JOIN US FOR A FUTURE CONVERSATION.

CHARLES COLBERT, COLBERT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US NOW.

THANK YOU.

FIRST, GIVE US A BRIEF SENSE OF THE DUTY OF THE COOK COUNTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN.

WHEN YOU YEAH, OUR OFFICE REPRESENTS SOME 7,000 CHILDREN THEIR ABUSE NEGLECT CASES IN JUVENILE COURT HERE IN COOK COUNTY.

MOST OF THEM ARE UNDER THE CARE OF >> OKAY.

SO DCFS HAS BEEN UNDER A CONSENT DECREE FOR YEARS.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN SO LITTLE PROGRESS AND HOW THE AGENCY IS MANAGING CHILDREN IN ITS CARE YET TO HAS BEEN UNDER CONSENT DECREE FOR 32 YEARS.

32 YEARS AGO, 2 SPELLS PROMISED HAVE ALL THE PLACEMENTS LOT.

KIDS NEED ALL OF THE SERVICES, HIGH QUALITY PLACEMENTS AND SERVICES AND SO FORTH AND IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE EVERY YEAR SUPPOSE IS PLACEMENT CRISIS SHORTAGE GETS WORSE LAST YEAR ALONE, THERE WAS MORE THAN 1000 TIMES WERE TO SPOUSES, KIDS PLACED OFFICES IN EMERGENCY ROOMS IN WALKED PSYCHIATRIC WARDS IN JAILS BECAUSE THE SERVICE NO PLACE FOR THEM.

CHILDREN YOUNG AS 4 AND THOSE 5 YEARS OLD.

AND WE HAVE STATS GOING BACK SEVERAL YEARS AND GETTING WORSE AND WORSE EVERY YEAR MORE CHILDREN INVOLVED LONGER WINDS WILL STAY IN THESE HARMFUL PLACEMENTS AND THE CHILDREN KEEP GETTING YOUNGER AND YOUNGER EVERY YEAR.

I'M IN A LETTER THAT YOUR OFFICE WROTE TO THE YOU POINT TO DCFS ITS OWN ANNUAL REPORT ABOUT YOUTH IN CARE, AWAITING PLACEMENT THAT THE AVERAGE AGE OF CHILDREN WHO'VE BEEN HELD IN A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL BEYOND MEDICAL NECESSITY IS DOWN TO 12 YEARS OLD.

>> AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IS NOW 94 DAYS.

THAT WAS IN AND THAT'S A 20% INCREASE OVER 2022, AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE ARE ALSO CONCERNS ABOUT CHILDREN BEING PLACED OUT OF STATE OR SLEEPING IN OFFICES.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THIS HAVE ON CHILDREN?

OH, MY GOD, IT'S DEVASTATING.

SO IF YOU'RE STUCK IN A LOCKED PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, YOU CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL IF YOU'RE OFFER FEW MONTHS YOU COULD LOSE IS LISA MELTZER SCHOOL EVEN IN YOUR SCHOOL?

>> YOU'RE LOCKED INDOORS.

ALL IT'S ALL ALL DAY LONG.

AT SOME POINT THEY START GIVING YOU VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTS CAUSE YOU'RE NOT EXPOSED TO LISTEN YOU VERY LIMITED ABILITY TO MEET TO HAVE CONTACT WITH YOUR PARENTS.

FRIENDS.

NO EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, NO SPORTS.

AND ALSO YOU'RE SEEING OTHER KIDS GOING THROUGH PSYCHIATRIC EPISODES ALL DAY LONG.

YOU COME IN WITH ONCE A PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIORS.

YOU LIVE WITH A WHOLE HOST OF NEW PROBLEM THE RIVERS AND ABOVE ALL THESE ARE ALREADY TRAUMATIZE KIDS AND THEY SEE OTHER KIDS COME IN AND HAVE AN ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC EPISODE.

BE TREATED AND PROMPTLY LEAVE WHEN THEY'RE READY TO BE DISCHARGED AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

BUT THEIR GUARDIAN TOSAFEST NEVER COMES FOR THEM BECAUSE THERE'S NO PLACEMENT FOR THEM.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO THINK OF A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY TO CONVEY TO A CHILD YOU DON'T MATTER.

THE KEEP THAT CHILD LOCKED UP IN A PSYCH WARD OR IN A JAIL OR IN AN OFFICE FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS BECAUSE YOUR GUARDIAN DOESN'T HAVE ANYWHERE FOR WELL, AND THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, GIVE US A SENSE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, AS YOU MENTIONED, THEY'VE GOT THEIR OWN TRAUMA, RIGHT.

AND SO SOME OF THEM, THEY ARE VERY COMPLEX CASES COMPLEX MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.

I IMAGINE THAT IS.

>> BUBBLY, PART OF WHAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO FIND PLACEMENT FOR THEM.

THAT'S IT FOR SOME OF THE KIDS SOUL.

SO AS RECENTLY AS A FEW YEARS AGO, WE'RE TALKING THESE KIDS ARE MOSTLY TEENAGERS.

AND THAT'S GROUP YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KIDS AS YOUNG AS 4, 5, YEARS OLD.

I MEAN, IT KEEPS GETTING YOUNGER AND YOUNGER IN KIDS WITH COMPLEX ISSUES.

>> BUT EVEN FOR THE KIDS WITH THE MOST COMPLEX ISSUES, WE KNOW WHAT THESE KIDS NEED.

WE HAVE PLACEMENTS FOR THEM NOW.

ACTUALLY, A LOT OF FASTEST PLACEMENTS, RESIDENTIAL THAT ACTUALLY OF EMPTY.

THAT'S RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ADEQUATELY STAFFED THE REQUIRED STAFFING RATIOS AS THERE SHOULD BE.

AND THESE PLACEMENTS CAN HIRE ENOUGH PEOPLE.

SO THERE ARE EMPTY BEDS GOOD PLACEMENTS THAT ARE INADEQUATELY STAFFED.

WELL, WE HAVE KIDS LIVING IN JAILS AND THEN LOCKED PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS.

GOVERNOR PRITZKER SPOKE RECENTLY ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AT AT A RECENT PRESS CONFERENCE.

HERE HE IS.

>> RECENT UPGRADES INCLUDE.

CREATING NEARLY 70 NEW BEDS STATEWIDE IN JUST THIS LAST YEAR ALONE.

AND WE'VE GROWN DCFS HIS STAFF TO MORE THAN 3400 THE LARGEST HEADCOUNT AND THE LOWEST CASES PER INVESTIGATOR IN MORE THAN A DECADE.

SO PEOPLE ARE GETTING BETTER CARE AND MORE PERSONALIZED CARE.

AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO BUILD ON THIS PROGRESS SHOW EVERY VULNERABLE ILLINOIS YOUTH GETS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AND DESERVE.

>> NOW THE STATE ALSO SAYS THAT DCFS IS INVESTING MORE MONEY INTO FACILITIES.

25 MILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR, 30 MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR, BUT THAT THERE IS AN ACUTE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE CRISIS NOT JUST HERE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS IS WHAT DCFS IN THE STATE ARE DOING.

IS THIS ENOUGH?

>> NO, IT'S NOT TOO.

SO IT'S ACTUALLY LOST MORE THAN 500 PLACEMENTS, 8 AND HALF YEARS AGO IS ACTUALLY A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO SUSPEND A CONSCIOUS DECISION 8 YEARS AGO TO CLOSE DOWN 500 RESIDENTIAL AND GROUP HOME BATS.

AND THEY PROMISED THEN IN RETURN, THEY WOULD EXPAND THERAPEUTIC FOSTER CARE, WHICH IS GREAT IDEA OF THE IDEAS YOU BRING THE SERVICES INTO A HOME-LIKE SETTING IN THE FOSTER CARE TYPE SETTING.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES DON'T EXIST.

GOVERNOR PRITZKER WAS JUST TRUMPETING PLACEMENTS.

THAT'S GREAT.

THAT'S A GREAT START.

I APPLAUD THAT.

PUT.

THEY HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MORE PLACEMENTS TO GO.

>> THE STATE IS IN AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE IT WAS UP HOUSE BECAUSE THE STATE IS FUNDING THIS TRANSITIONAL FACILITY FOR YOUNG WOMEN.

IT OPENED LAST MONTH.

IT IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, MENTORS, DORM STYLE LIVING THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE CENTER.

AND AS YOU SAID, CREATE ABOUT 70 BEDS.

THE STATE'S INVESTING ABOUT 3 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR ROOM BOARD PROGRAM THESE.

BUT YOU HAD YOU HAD SOME CONCERNS WITH THIS WITH FACILITY, BUT YOU SAY THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSED.

TELL US ABOUT THOSE HIGH SOCIAL DISTANCE, OPENNESS TO GREAT FANFARE.

BIG CROSS-CONFERENCE LEE ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS A WHOLE YEAR IN THE MAKING IS GOING TO BE THE LARGEST NEW RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENT.

>> IN YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

BUT THEY NEVER TOLD OUR OFFICE ABOUT IT.

THEY A LOT OF ADVOCATES AND STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT IT.

I WAS PRETTY SURPRISED.

I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT IT FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM THE PRESS RELEASE.

AND SO MY STAFF DECIDED TO GO ONLINE AND DO SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND ONLINE THAT THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR THIS PLACEMENT.

RESIDENTS MUST ATTEND CHURCH SERVICES ONCE A WEEK HAS A CONDITION OF RECEIVING SERVICES AND SO RACED OUT IN A FILING WITH THE COURT AND IN A MEETING WITH SURF.

ALLISON, ALSO REPRESENTATIONS TO COURT TO THAT THAT'S A DIFFERENT PROGRAM, A PROGRAM NO LONGER EXISTS THAT THE WEBSITE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED.

BUT THAT'S OUT OF DATE.

I CONSIDER MY CONCERNS ADDRESSED.

I MEAN, THE MONITOR THE SITUATION, BUT IT REALLY GOES TO THE NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY IN WORKING WITH YOUR PARTNERS WITH OTHER ADVOCATES STAKEHOLDERS.

>> DCFS HAS A NEW DIRECTOR AT THE HELM, HEIDI MILLER, WHO COMES FROM JUVENILE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIG CHALLENGES HE'S FACING?

>> EXPANDING EXPANDING WE WERE TOLD IN COURT YESTERDAY THAT IN THE MONTH THE SERVICE IS GOING TO FILE A MOTION FOR YET ANOTHER EXTENSION TO THE INVESTIGATOR VACANCY RATE DOWN TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

3 YEARS AGO.

THEY ASKED FOR A 3 I MEAN, IT'S A 30 YEAR-OLD CAN 3, 3, YEARS ASKED FOR ANOTHER 3 YEARS.

THEY ANNOUNCED LAST MONTH THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR YET ANOTHER EXTENSION.

SO OUT PLACEMENTS SERVICES, BASED SERVICES, EMPLACEMENTS, ALL TYPES.

HOW DO YOU PLAN ON WORKING WITH THE AS A PARTNER TO TO HELP, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS?

WELL, WE MET WITH DIRECTOR MUELLER YESTERDAY AND WE MET WITH HER TEAM.

>> AND SO I KNOW DOCTOR MILLER BY REPUTATIONS AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION, HAS EXCELLENT MANAGER REFORM MINDED, TRANSPARENT ORIENTED SO I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HER APPOINTMENT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING REGULARLY.

INC ALSO SERVICE THAT I'M NOT A BIG PLACEMENT OPENING WITHOUT STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

OKAY.

LOOK FORWARD TO