MAC:
THE
MISSISSIPPI
DEPARTMENT OF
CHILD
PROTECTIVE
SERVICES COULD
BE ON THE BRINK
OF A FEDERAL
TAKEOVER....
THIS COMES
AFTER A REPORT
SHOWED THE
STATE'S FOSTER
CARE SYSTEM IS
FAILING TO MEET
STANDARDS IN A
COURT ORDER....
WJTV 12'S
GERALD HARRIS
JOINS US WITH
DETAILS ....
GERALD:
THE REPORT BY A
COURT MONITOR
FOUND
MISSISSIPPI MET
ONLY 37 OF THE
113 STANDARDS,
WHILE IT WASN'T
COMPLYING WITH
35.
GERALD
THE MONITOR
COULDN'T
DETERMINE IF THE
STATE WAS
MEETING 31
OTHER
STANDARDS,
OFTEN BECAUSE
DATA ISN'T
AVAILABLE IN THE
STATE'S
COMPUTER
SYSTEM OR
BECAUSE
DEPARTMENT
EMPLOYEES
DIDN'T
CORRECTLY
ENTER DATA.
MARCIA ROBINSON
LOWRY IS THE
LAWYER WHO HAS
BEEN SUING THE
STATE FOR 15
YEARS ON BEHALF
OF A GIRL KNOWN
ONLY AS OLIVIA Y,
SHE SAYS SHE IS
PLANING TO ASK
FOR A FEDERAL
JUDGE TO PUT IN
PLACE A
RECEIVERSHIP-
AN AMENDMENT
TO A PREVIOUS
CONTENT MOTION
SPEAKER:
Marcia Robinson
Lowery
Founder and
Executive Director of
A Better Childhood.
Suing Mississippi
"They never comply
and this has been
going on for 10 years
and the kids in this
system do not have
the protections to
which they are
entitled which the
state promised them
more than 10 years
ago so we will seek
a receivership at this
point."
GERALD
U.S.
DISTRICT JUDGE
TOM LEE IS
HEARING THIS
CASE.
THOSE AT CPS
SAY THEY ARE
MAKING
PROGRESS AND
HAVE RECEIVED
HELP FROM THE
STATE IN THE
AMOUNT OF $15
MILLION DOLLARS
WITH A 10
MILLION DOLLAR
FEDERAL MATCH
TO HELP SOLVE
PROBLEMS BY
2020.
GERALD:
THE REPORT
ALSO INDICATED
95 OF ABOUT 8,000
CHILDREN WERE
MISTREATED
WE WILL HEAR
FROM
CPS COMING
