DHS | Department of Human Services

Mayor Nutter, Deputy Mayor Schwarz, Commissioner Ambrose Announce More Changes At DHS

Philadelphia, August 4 — Today Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Deputy Mayor Schwarz and Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose announced more changes in response to the Grand Jury findings in relation to the death of Danieal Kelly in 2006. Two City workers under indictment have already been suspended with intent to dismiss and one named in the Grand Jury report has already resigned.

Seven more City workers named in the District Attorney’s report will be suspended effective immediately, pending further investigation. The Commissioner’s Office, in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General and the Chief Integrity Officer, will determine what, if any, further action should be taken.

“The actions taken today are a continuation of changes started two years ago,” said Mayor Nutter. “Great strides have been made in reforming DHS but there is still more work to be done. I fully believe that under Commissioner Ambrose’s leadership every child under the City’s supervision will be treated with the love and care they deserve.”

The assessment showed that a great deal of progress has been achieved in a number of areas:

The mission of the Department has been reformulated to establish child safety as its core function.
A new procedure has been put in place whereby a case worker must visit within two hours any child under five where there is a credible report of abuse or neglect.
All children in our care now receive monthly visits by social workers.
Random telephone calls are made to families to establish whether providers and case workers are actually making the visits that they say they are making – strengthening accountability and oversight.
The Commissioner’s Action Response Office was established to receive and track complaints.
A new evidence based safety assessment tool has been developed which provides a much more accurate and standardized system to assess a child’s safety.
The Community Oversight Board was reconstituted and strengthened. The new Board is charged with monitoring the Department’s ongoing progress and it also has the power to review fatalities of children and to make additional recommendations for reform.

“This case highlights many failings of DHS, but we must never forget our heroes,” said Mayor Nutter. “People who are working day in day out with the toughest issues imaginable. People such as Trina Jenkins, Catherine Mondi, John Dougherty and Philip Coppola – public servants who took action above and beyond the call of duty in the pursuit of safety and justice for children. I want to thank them for their service.”