INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- A consultant reviewing Indiana's child welfare agency says the number of children removed from their homes and placed in state care is double the national average.
The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group was hired by Gov. Eric Holcomb to review the Department of Child Services following the resignation of former agency head Mary Beth Bonaventura. She accused Holcomb's administration of service cuts that "all but ensure children will die."
Thus far the consultant has little to report, although officials said Thursday that the state needs a better system for tracking cases of child abuse and neglect.
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The number of children placed in foster care because their drug-addict parents can't care for them has surged across the country. But it is particularly acute in Indiana.
The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group held a press conference on Thursday morning. Watch the full press conference below:
