WHEREAS
, And according to various articles in
The Philadelphia Inquirer
, the issue of child abuse deaths has been a difficult and ongoing concern; and
WHEREAS
, The issue of child abuse deaths is a multiple faceted concern and various parties and agencies including but not limited to the City’s Department of Human Services (“DHS”) and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare are responsible for identifying remedies and solutions to this problem; and
WHEREAS
, To address this problem, DHS has a goal to ensure that the City’s child welfare system is flexible and effective at preventing child maltreatment while supporting children and families and assisting them in achieving nurturing home environments; and
WHEREAS
, DHS, through internal discussions, national research, and external consultants has begun a reform process to improve its ability to achieve its goal and address problems such as the City’s child abuse death rate; and
WHEREAS
, And in response to
The Philadelphia Inquirer
articles, the Administration has replaced the DHS Commissioner and created a review panel to investigate the City’s child abuse deaths; and
WHEREAS
, And as Philadelphia’s principal oversight body, City Council has a duty to investigate the total scope and nature of this problem and review how the City has addressed child abuse deaths, how reforms have been proposed or implemented, and how new ideas are being initiated and developed; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
, That the Committee on Public Health and Human Services is authorized to hold hearings regarding child abuse deaths in the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED
, That the Committee on Public Health and Human Services is authorized to issue subpoenas as may be necessary to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
End