PHOENIX — A new state audit says the Arizona Department of Child Safety needs to improve how it investigates non-criminal allegations of abuse and neglect.
The vast majority of DCS reports are characterized as non-criminal allegations. These include claims such as verbal threats, unsafe living conditions and medical needs not being met.
An audit by the Arizona Auditor General found DCS took more than the 45 days required by state law to make investigative findings in more than half the non-criminal cases reviewed by auditors. By law, investigators must either propose to substantiate the allegations, unsubstantiate the allegations or determine the family is unable to be found.
The audit also said DCS failed to always document investigative steps and did not always inform people being investigated of their rights in writing.
The audit says timely and complete investigations are critical to child safety, and delays can interfere with future investigations.
On a positive note, auditors noted DCS had 75% fewer open reports than a decade ago and a 97% compliance rate for initial contact with alleged child victims.
DCS is the state agency responsible for investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect.
The audit, covering fiscal 2024, is the first of two reports to examine how well the agency performs its most important function: protecting the state’s most vulnerable children. A second audit, scheduled for release a year from now, is examining how the department conducts investigations of criminal allegations.
DCS has been under scrutiny after the high-profile murders of three girls known to the agency: Emily Pike, Rebekah Baptiste and Zariah Dodd. Their deaths have raised questions about how DCS handles hotline calls, investigates reports of abuse, coordinates with police, and responds when foster kids run away.
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Arizona Senator Carine Werner, who has direct oversight of DCS, earlier this year announced a probe into the department.
“It’s absolutely tragic what happened to these three children, and we want change, and I’ll make sure that we do get change,” Werner told ABC in a previous interview.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has called for a deliberate approach in reforming the agency.
In a statement to ABC15 about the latest audit, DCS Director Kathryn Ptak said:
“The Department is dedicated to protecting children while respecting the rights of families. We are committed to continuous improvement, and this report provides valuable guidance to help us better serve Arizona’s children and families.”
She said DCS plans to implement - or implement in a modified manner - all the audit’s recommendations.
“We take the Auditor General’s recommendations seriously. While many recommendations describe continuous obligations that will never be considered finished, we remain committed to ensuring these practices are carried out consistently in every investigation,” she.
DCS is one of the most heavily audited state agencies. ABC15 reported earlier this month about a 2023 audit that found DCS failed to fix dozens of problems over the last decade.
Email ABC15 Investigator Anne Ryman at: anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook.
