Florida Implementing New Initiative To Respond To Child Deaths

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is implementing a new initiative to respond to and streamline incident reporting regarding deaths of children, including those involved with the child welfare system. On May 5, 2014, DCF Interim Secretary Mike Carroll issued a memo directing DCF to create a new position within the Office of Child Welfare to oversee reporting, data gathering, and response to child deaths. The DCF initiative came three days after the Florida legislature passed a measure, Senate Bill 1666 Regarding Child Abuse and Child Welfare Services, directing DCF to conduct immediate investigations of deaths and other . . .