DCFS reports rising maltreatment contacts, staffing strains and Garrett’s Law newborn‑exposure data

Tiffany Wright, director of the Division of Children and Family Services, briefed the Senate Children and Youth Committee on multiple DCFS reports including the annual report card, an overturned‑investigations report (Act 1025), and Garrett’s Law newborn‑exposure summaries.

Key figures and performance: Wright said there were 34,162 maltreatment reports accepted in state fiscal year 2023, with 27,877 assigned to DCFS. DCFS reported that 4,023 children were in foster care at the end of the fiscal year and that discharges to permanency (2,795) exceeded entries, which the director characterized as progress toward permanency. Required monthly visit compliance in home‑services cases was reported at about 72–77% across measurement points; caseworker contact with children in foster care was reported at 88%.

Timeliness and staffing pressures: Multiple members raised concern about investigation timeliness and overdue cases. Wright attributed delays primarily to workforce turnover and vacancies, noting that at one point the agency had about 500 overdue investigations and that leadership turnover affected area offices (Area 6/Pulaski County and others). She said DCFS is working to clean backlogs, that some area director roles are newly filled or being filled, and that the agency authorized overtime pay for supervisors covering caseloads as one immediate mitigation.

Appeals and overturned findings: Wright summarized the Act 1025 overturned‑investigations report with county‑level breakdowns. Using Benton County as an example, she cited 4,957 hotline calls, 2,227 accepted reports, 396 true findings, 35 appeals and three appeals overturned (an 8.6% overturn rate of appealed investigations and 0.8% of true investigations overturned).

Garrett’s Law newborn exposure: For state fiscal year 2023, Wright said DCFS accepted 1,525 Garrett’s Law reports. Marijuana was the most commonly cited substance (~78% of reports); amphetamines/methamphetamines were cited about 23% (often with marijuana), benzodiazepines 4% and cocaine 2%. DCFS opened a protective‑services case in about 84% of Garrett’s Law reports; newborn removals were about 11% of reported cases, and 19% of children removed from a substantiated report were returned home or discharged to a relative within 12 months.

What members asked: Committee members requested county‑specific breakdowns, vacancy counts by area and updates on a previously authorized pilot to add field positions. Members also queried whether the Garrett’s Law data distinguish delta‑8 vs. delta‑9 THC or medical marijuana vs. illicit use; Wright said DCFS does not currently track delta variants or reliably distinguish medical‑card holders in the reporting but will explore whether the CCWIS data system can be modified to capture such distinctions.

Services and triggers: Wright explained Garrett’s Law triggers: hospital drug screening at birth typically initiates a report and DCFS works with hospital teams to assess and deliver services, which can include safe‑care programs, intensive in‑home services, WIC referrals and referrals for drug assessments. She emphasized that services and follow‑up vary by family need and case status (in‑home service vs. foster care).

Next steps: Wright agreed to provide vacancy counts by area and follow up on the status of pilot positions and comparative data from states that legalized recreational marijuana, at the committee’s request. The committee took no formal action during the presentation.