AUGUSTA, Maine — State leaders got a clear insight into how to better child welfare systems during a quarterly discussion held in Augusta on Thursday.
"Only through strong collaboration can we come together to address the current needs of children in the state,” acting Director of the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) Bobbi Johnson said.
During a presentation given for the joint Committee on Health and Human Services, Johnson touched on what concerns are currently being focused on and what still needs to be addressed.
Topics included investments towards resource families and increased training to better serve families and the challenges they’re facing.
"This includes the ever-evolving substance use epidemic, economic insecurity, persistent mental health challenges amongst children and families, and significant domestic violence,” Johnson added.
With eighty vacancies within OCFS, leaders are also reviewing how to better serve case workers when it comes to the workloads they're carrying.
"Our case workers, they're overburdened immensely, the work that they have to do far outweighs the resources they have to do the work,” Mark Moran said, during his presentation for the Child Death and Serious Injury Review Panel.
Recommendations were also given by the Maine Child Welfare Advisory Panel and the Justice for Children Task Force aimed at bettering child welfare systems.
Discussions touched on several topics, including how to better prevent child deaths and bolstering the quality of legal representation, and services for parents and children.
Committee member Representative Kathy Javner said she believes the quarterly discussions throughout 2023 have been productive; in terms of making sure accountability is taken and barriers are being addressed.
"There is a lot that we have put into play already, that we are waiting to see the outcomes even as you hear today,” Javner said. "We have to be willing to pivot, at those very very important junctures so that we can see success."