Report explores solutions for DHHS child protection problems

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, the Windham-based non-profit organization “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” released its report entitled “Unsupported: Key Lessons for Improving Maine’s Child Welfare System by Supporting All Stakeholders.”

Bill Diamond of Windham is the founder of Walk A Mile
In Their Shoes, a nonprofit which has released the findings
of a report about how the Maine Department of Health and
Human Services can better protect children in the state's care.
COURTESY PHOTO  

The report finds that caseworkers, foster parents, children, and other stakeholders are left without adequate backing by the Department of Health and Human Services and examines areas of concern, who is impacted, straightforward solutions, and what success looks like. The report is the culmination of listening sessions and meetings with concerned citizens across Maine interested in providing better and safer outcomes for children in Maine’s care.

The report can be downloaded by visiting: https://walkamilemaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/unsupported_wamits_report_121223.pdf

Diamond said it’s now up to DHHS to make the necessary changes in their own internal policies and procedures which have been failing children for years.

“This report offers specific solutions to the problems that we all recognize as serious threats to children in state care,” he said.

According to Diamond, the Walk a Mile in Their Shoes organization plans on continuing interviews with stakeholders across Maine to monitor progress on DHHS's efforts to improve a system that many recognize as flawed and sometimes needlessly puts children in danger.

“This report is only the beginning of what needs to be an intensive and determined effort to fix our broken state child protection system,” said Diamond.

Diamond who lives in Windham, is the founder of Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, and said he will now focus on initiating in-depth research on child welfare, holding public forums to promote wide-ranging discussions by experts in the field of child protection, and creating public awareness pertaining to the ongoing problems within the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) under the jurisdiction of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

He said the nonprofit will reach out to all interested people and groups who want to join us in our efforts to protect vulnerable children in Maine.

“We seek advice and support from all; especially those who are subject to State rules and regulations and work directly with OCFS on a regular basis such as foster care parents, childcare professionals, adopters, and others,” Diamond said. “We acknowledge that within the OFCS there are many sincere people who have and continue to dedicate themselves to the well- being of children under their care and jurisdiction. However, we also are fully aware of the serious ongoing problems within the management at OCFS, including their obvious struggle in making appropriate decisions to keep children safe as was illustrated by the record number of child deaths in 2021.” <