Gregoire demands changes at child protection

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire, responding to recent criticism of Child Protective Services in a child abuse case, on Wednesday directed the state agency to step up efforts to protect youngsters from abusive caregivers.

The governor, reacting to an outcry over the alleged abuse of a 12-year-old Puyallup boy, said such cases are tragic and can’t always be prevented.

But she told a news conference she has directed the agency to come up with better plans for working with local law enforcement anytime a child is being returned to a home where abuse was alleged.

Pierce County sheriff’s officers criticized the state’s handling of that case, including the agency’s decision to return the boy to live in an outdoor travel trailer at the home of his grandfather and his grandfather’s wife, who have been charged with child assault. They have pleaded not guilty.

Gregoire wants the new plan ready in 30 days.

The governor also said she’s asking prosecutors to look at the state’s sex-abuse laws to see if improvements are needed. That follows the abduction and murder of a 12-year-old Tacoma girl.

Terapon Adhahn, a convicted sex offender, has pleaded not guilty to murder, rape and kidnapping charges in the case. Authorities say Adhahn directed detectives to the girl’s body in rural Pierce County.

Some Republican lawmakers have urged the Democratic chief executive to call a special legislative session next month to pass tougher penalties.

Gregoire didn’t rule it out, but said she wants to hear back from the prosecutors’ study group before deciding what, if anything, needs approval by the Legislature before the regularly scheduled session in January.

Gregoire said she wants prosecutors and law enforcement professionals, “not the politicians,” to drive the discussion.

She said the CPS system is improving, but definitely needs work; the sex-crime issue needs immediate study; and the prison system needs to do a better job of combating repeat crime by ex-cons.

Gregoire said her administration has made “huge progress” in speeding up the response to child-abuse allegations. But she also said caseworkers can never stop trying to improve their handling of abuse cases.

Gregoire said she has directed the agency to devise a plan for working with law enforcement when caseworkers want to place a child back in the home, rather than making that decision unilaterally, if the police were part of the original decision to remove the child.

She also directed the agency to work with law enforcement on broader sharing of information on pending cases.

Gregoire noted she has signed 18 pieces of legislation dealing with sex crimes, but welcomes further study of the latest case by prosecutors and their views on whether gaps remain.

Asked if she could support removing children’s services from the umbrella Department of Social and Health Services, Gregoire said she’s on record favoring that, but wouldn’t want a precipitous switch while DSHS is immersed in fixing CPS problems.

Senate Republicans’ leader on child-abuse issues, Val Stevens of Arlington, said she has tried without success to interest Gregoire in revamping child welfare programs, creating a Department of Family and Children’s Services, and providing better training for CPS workers.