“We, as a city, are defined by how we treat our kids. We aren’t living in a fair city when my kids come home to a safe household every night while thousands of others, in the greatest city on the planet, are living in some of the most deplorable, dangerous conditions imaginable.
“Through our audits and investigations, we have uncovered ACS has repeatedly violated its own requirements on how it investigates allegations of abuse and neglect. In even the most serious “high priority” cases, we have found that ACS hasn’t completed the necessary number of supervisor or manager reviews required by its own rules. We’ve discovered poor oversight and ineffective management. Yet, the agency has vehemently resisted calls for change.
“At ACS, tragic failures are known; major successes are not. Let there be no doubt that this is likely the toughest job in government. But report after report shows there are persistent problems at this agency. Today’s DOI investigation, once again, validates the concerns voiced by many regarding ACS. This should be — and must be — a wake-up call. It’s time to face the facts. ACS and City government must come to the realization that the agency needs a dramatic overhaul. There are systemic challenges placing children at risk, and we have a moral obligation not just as government officials, but as New Yorkers, to fix them. The stakes are simply too high.”
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