State Rep. Tom Kunse on Tuesday slammed the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services after a report from Michigan’s nonpartisan Office of the Auditor General uncovered dangerous shortcomings within child protective services (CPS).

The audit report exposed a failure to conduct background checks, extended delays in beginning abuse investigations, a lack of proper safety plans for victims, and a failure to even meet with victims in some cases.

“I’m not sure if it’s incompetence or a disregard for the wellbeing of our kids, but this audit shows that leadership within MDHHS is incapable of caring for the children who need us most,” said Kunse, R-Clare. “These kids were failed by their parents. Many of them were failed by another guardian as well. Yet, when someone finally calls about the abuse, the state sits on their hands for three days before looking into it. That could be three more days without meals or three more days of abuse. All we can hope is that a failure to respond didn’t result in a child not making it three more days.”

A 2018 audit report exposed similar damning failures within child protective services. The audit report released Tuesday uncovered that those problems revealed in 2018 are still occurring today.

The audit found that MDHHS changed its internal policies to limit the number of people who require background checks, vastly limiting the requirements for which people required clearance. The policy change removed background check requirements from non-perpetrator parents, people responsible for the health and wellbeing of children involved, and all other household members in cases where domestic violence may be involved.

In the cases the OAG reviewed, auditors found that individuals still directly involved in the care of children had prior felony convictions, including a 1st-degree sexual assault, domestic violence, assault, and drug charges.

“Rather than improve safeguards to ensure that CPS isn’t allowing dangerous criminals to remain in charge of children, MDHHS moved its own goalposts to try and let themselves off the hook,” Kunse said. “They can say whatever they want about progress or solutions. I don’t care. If a child is at risk in their own home, they should never be left with an adult with a history of sexual or domestic abuse.”

MDHHS remains out of compliance with state law regarding how quickly an investigation must be initiated after an allegation of child abuse is made. State law requires investigations into abuse or neglect to begin within 24 hours. In some cases, MDHHS waits for up to 72 hours. Department policies allow for the 72-hour delay, which is in direct contrast to state law.

The department also still fails to create adequate safety plans or even conduct in-person interviews in some cases.

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