BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- In her first television interview since she was appointed DCF commissioner, our Sharman Sacchetti talked with Linda Spears about her plan to get the agency back on track, how DCF may not meet a deadline and if she thinks a case like Jeremiah Oliver could ever happen again.
It was a case that shook the system to its core, a 5-year-old boy under DCF care was found dead in a suitcase by the side of the road, months after he was seen alive. The outrage went all the way to the governor's office, forced the call for an independent investigation, and ended with the resignation of DCF Commissioner Olga Roche.
When asked if children in DCF care are better off today than they were a year ago, DCF Commissioner Linda Spears said, "I hope so."
Spears tells Sacchetti she's not making promises, but is working hard to turn around an agency from the brink.
She says morale is "okay," adding it's better.
Spears went on to say, "It is better than it was but it is not yet where I would like it to be."
Spears is an outspoken former child advocate, and was named commissioner in January by the governor after leading an independent review of DCF. When asked about the report, which cited DCF for inadequate staffing, outdated technology and grossly out of date policies, Spears says "quite a bit has changed," under her leadership.
She says social workers are getting all new technology and there's more staff. But the union says things are worse than ever, and they need more people to get to the recommended 15 caseloads per worker.
When asked if she has enough money to do the job, Spears said it was a challenging opportunity, and when pressed, said, "It's always a question about whether or not it's enough but I don't really think that all the things we need to do are simply a matter of adding resources. We have to learn to manage differently."
Spears is working on a 3-year plan to fix the agency.
Right now she won't make guarantees.
"Can you say another situation like Jeremiah Oliver wont happen again?" Sacchetti asked.
"I'd love to be able to make that guarantee but I don't think anyone in America can make that kind of a guarantee," she said.
She went on to say the agency relies on people in the community to help prevent child abuse and neglect, and report what they see. When questioned about the Oliver case, she agreed the social worker made a "grave and serious error."
She said the agency has hired more management staff to provide more oversight, and wants more quality assurance.
So what's next?
By July, the law says all social workers and investigators must be licensed. DCF says almost 2,000 have them, but more than 700 are still working to get them. Spears may end up having to ask for waivers.
