Regier's report card is mixed (Jeb's rightwinger DFC appointee)

Posted on Thu, Jul. 24, 2003

Regier's report card is mixed
DCF makes gains; some goals lag
BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER
cmarbin@herald.com


REGIER

One year into his tenure at the helm of Florida's perennially troubled social service agency, Jerry Regier has made some progress in reforming a child welfare system that he declared was governed by poor ''philosophy'' and beset by ``bad management.''

But an internal report card shared with high-ranking administrators Wednesday shows that the Department of Children & Families secretary has failed, so far, to deliver on some of the goals he set forth.

There are still almost as many children in state care as a year ago, despite a pledge by Regier to reduce the number of children taken from their parents.

And far fewer children are being adopted than Regier had hoped, further hindering his effort to provide permanent homes more quickly to children in foster care.

The report card suggests that two of Regier's most important stated goals -- speeding up the shift to private management of foster care, and reducing the number of foster children -- may be on a collision course. (snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/6370534.htm