Kendall County Times

The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services has made headlines for its mishandling of several cases that lead to deaths.

“DCFS Director Marc Smith has been held in contempt for a 10th time this year for failing to place children in state care appropriately,” Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) wrote on Facebook. “It shouldn't take 10 contempt charges for the governor to take action and correct this crisis. The health and well-being of children in care need to be our top priority.”

Smith is being held in contempt of court for the 10th time since January, CBS News reported. This latest contempt citation concerns a young girl who has been shifted from shelters to psychiatric hospitals, rather than being appropriately placed. The girl, who suffered sexual abuse at a young age, has been struggling as a result of DCFS' failure to find a placement for her, according to statements made in court.

“In the 27 years I've been doing this work, I have never seen this happen once - let alone eight times in 11 weeks," Cook County Chief Deputy Public Guardian Alpa Patel said to CBS.

Smith’s ninth contempt citation concerned a 15-year-old boy whom the agency failed to place, instead holding him in a psychiatric facility for months longer than was deemed medically necessary, CBS News reported. Because the contempt citations are civil, rather than criminal, it is unlikely Smith will face jail time. Instead, the agency could be fined, but those fines would be paid with taxpayer dollars.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported approximately 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse or neglect in the past year in the United States.

After Smith’s eighth contempt citation, CBS News asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker how many more times Smith will be issued contempt citations before action is taken. The governor replied, “You’re ignoring all of the progress that's been made at DCFS, and so is the decision to hold the department in contempt. The head of DCFS, and I, and the judge are frustrated with the challenges that we face for our most vulnerable children.”

The DCFS 24 hour Child Abuse Hotline can be reached at 800-25-ABUSE (800-252-2873)

Pritzker appointed Smith to the position of acting director of the DCFS in April 2019. The Illinois Senate confirmed him as director in June 2021.