Sen. Val Stevens
Severe problems abound in the Department of Social and Health Services … again.
In 1999, The Herald investigated the Department of Social and Health Services and found that 207 convicted rapists, child molesters, drug dealers, and other criminals had been receiving state money to provide unsupervised child care. DSHS was responsible.
A few months earlier, DSHS removed Linda David from the care of her abusive husband. The husband had been receiving state payments to care for the woman. Again, DSHS was responsible.
Last year, the Legislature passed a law requiring the Department of Social and Health Services to report on employee background checks.
In reading the recent report, I was shocked to learn DSHS has employed 74 people convicted of murder, child rape, theft, indecent exposure, arson, assault and other felonies. These people are in direct, unsupervised contact with some of our most vulnerable citizens. In addition, five state employees with histories of assault, prostitution and drug charges worked at the Special Commitment Center for sex offenders.
Through negligence, the agency has created a vehicle for convicted criminals to come into contact with the most vulnerable in our communities. According to a recent news article, most of the former convicts were found in mental hospitals.
The agency has only completed one-third of the needed reviews. What will be turned up in the other two-thirds? Will DSHS find more felons who work in programs like developmental disabilities, children’s administration, juvenile rehabilitation and medical assistance? These are programs that would be more likely to attract abusers.
Our state should have no tolerance for error when it comes to hiring employees who work with vulnerable adults and helpless children. People who are unable to meet the strictest standards should be immediately removed from their current positions.
State employees, who are former convicts, need to be carefully evaluated to determine if they are a threat to vulnerable children and adults. If they are, take them off the state payroll. Prevent these felons from having access to those that would be open to attack.
What is wrong with an agency that fails to live up to its primary responsibility of protecting those who cannot protect themselves? Are they incompetent? What is to be done when an agency fails the most basic, logical tests?
The need for civil service reform has never been more obvious. Our state has been sued too many times for wrongs committed by DSHS employees. The actions of a few bad apples result in a black eye for the entire agency. Consequently, good, conscientious employees are becoming discouraged. Worst of all, harm is being done to those who are unable to protect themselves.
Today, many view the government as the last resort for help and they trust that they are in good hands. When they are not protected from those who would take advantage of their innocence, the taxpayers also suffer from this betrayal and abuse of power.
Over the last five years, the Department of Social and Health Services has been inundated with claims. From 1997 to 2001, DSHS received thousands of claims, which resulted in payments of nearly $85 million. The taxpayers of Washington deserve better than this, especially when facing a $1.6 billion budget deficit.
Let us fix the agency today, so we may save the victims and taxpayers of tomorrow.
Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, a member of the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee.
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