Lawmakers Probe Illinois Youth Centers In Wake Of Newspaper Series

The head of the agency that oversees children who are wards of the state told state lawmakers Wednesday that a revolving door at the top is partly to blame for abuses that have plagued the department for decades.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services acting director Bobbie Gregg said claims of brutality, sexual assaults, and other abuse at state-run youth centers are “appalling” and “unacceptable,” but are far from a new problem.

Testifying at a hearing held by members of six House and Senate panels in Chicago, she said part of the problem is perpetual changes in leadership at DCFS.
“I have been serving in this capacity since March 1st of 2014. I am the seventh director of the department in three years, and I was the third director within four months,” she said.

The revolving door will spin once again in a couple weeks, after Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner takes office.

“I have been that my tenure will not be extended beyond January 19th,” she said. Read the rest of the story by John Cody on CBS Chicago.