By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Several measures that passed during this year’s legislative session should improve the state’s ability to combat child abuse, Department of Human Services spokeswoman Julie Munsell said Wednesday.
Perhaps the most important bill to pass during the session, as far as DHS was concerned, was an appropriation bill increasing funding for the Division of Children and Family Services by $15.5 million.
“It came with new funding for things like equipment, infrastructure, caseworkers,” Munsell said. “We are hiring 113 new positions. I think that’ll give us a lot more one-on-one time.”
Munsell spoke to reporters following a news conference at the Capitol announcing that Wednesday was Child Abuse Awareness Day in Arkansas.
Also this session, the General Assembly passed a law requiring the state to place a notice on its Web site whenever a report of the death or near death of a child is received by the state’s child abuse hotline. The notice must be posted within three days of receipt of the report.
A companion law makes certain information about the death or near death of a child in state custody public information, including the child’s age, race and gender, the date of the incident, the allegations or cause of death and the county where the incident occurred.
“That just ensures that we have a little more transparency in the process,” Munsell said.
Another measure signed into law requires that a young person coming out of state care have a transition plan.
“They have to not only have a plan of what happens next in their lives, the next step, but they also have to be involved in that plan by law, so it gives them a leg up in coming out of the system,” Munsell said.
Some of the revenue from the 56-cents-per-pack cigarette tax increase that the General Assembly approved is expected to fund substance abuse treatment for pregnant women and children, Munsell said.
“That will affect children in foster care,” she said. “It will affect children who are at risk of coming into foster care. It will affect kids in the juvenile justice system too.”
Cecile Blucker, director of the Division of Children and Family Services, read a proclamation by Beebe on Child Abuse Awareness Day. The proclamation noted that in the past year, 6,288 complaints of abuse involving 8,834 Arkansas children were found to be valid.
Andre McGowan, 21, of Russellville, who entered state care at age 14 and left when he turned 21, said DHS caseworkers are more than just state employees.
“I have 15 moms, basically,” he said.
