WASHINGTON, April 25 — Federal investigators have found widespread problems in child welfare programs intended to protect children from abuse and neglect, and no state has received passing grades from the Bush administration in reviews conducted over the last three years. As a result, states face tens of millions of dollars in penalties. State officials said the penalties could make it more difficult for them to pay for the needed improvements.
About 900,000 children were victims of abuse or neglect in 2002, and 1,400 of them died, according to the most recent state data, compiled and reported this month by the Department of Health and Human Services. No state fully complies with standards established by the federal government to assess performance in protecting children and finding safe, permanent homes for those who have suffered abuse or neglect. Some states, including New Jersey and Florida, have received national attention because of scandals in their child welfare programs. But the federal report suggests that most states have similar problems.
Seven of the 14 federal standards focus on the safety and well-being of children, including the incidence of abuse and neglect, the time they spend in foster care and the stability of their living arrangements.
Federal officials said 16 states did not meet any of the seven standards. These states were Alaska, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/26/politics/26CHIL.html
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