State Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) | Chris Bos
State Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) | Chris Bos
Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) is blaming Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services' (DCFS) mismanagement of cases.
“Children are dying,” Bos said at an April 6 press conference. “Kids who have experienced severe trauma are being held in psych wards for months beyond their discharge dates ... further suffering is brought on because of that. For those who are not aware or familiar with my background and my career prior to joining the General Assembly, I've spent numerous years working and advocating for kids and youth.”
Since the beginning of 2022, DCFS Director Marc Smith has been held in contempt of court eight times, CBS Chicago reported. CBS Chicago asked the governor how many more times Smith will be issued contempt citations before action is taken, to which the governor replied, “You’re ignoring all of the progress that’s been made at DCFS, and so is the decision to hold the department in contempt. The head of the DCFS and I and the judge are frustrated with the challenges that we face for our most vulnerable children.”
Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont) called out Pritzker over performance of the DCFS.
“It was bad enough to DCFS had to receive prior court orders in connection with many of these children who are being held in impossible situations, but a contempt citation means that court orders were ignored repeatedly, chronically,” Mazzochi said. “That the court believes that there was no other choice to get these kids some relief and that is not acceptable. Three years into the Pritzker Administration and his silence is deafening.”
Pritzker appointed Smith to the position of acting director of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in April 2019. The Illinois Senate confirmed Smith as director in June 2021.
Rep. Tom Weber (R-Fox Lake) wrote on his website he and others are working to reform the department.
Five children who had some contact with the DCFS have died since December, Capitol News reported. Those children are Damari Perry, 6, of North Chicago; Sophia Faye Davis, 1, of Dawson; Zaraz Walker, 1, of Bloomington; and Tamsin Miracle Sauer, 3, of Nelson.
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