Brewer delivers State of the State, signs order to abolish CPS

[alp227]

Source: The Arizona Republic

Gov. Jan Brewer announced during her State of the State address Monday that she has signed an executive order abolishing Child Protective Services, replacing it with a stand-alone, cabinet-level agency. The new agency will be steered by Charles Flanagan, who is heading up the independent CARE review team Brewer created to look into thousands of uninvestigated child abuse reports.

Flanagan, a 2011 Brewer appointee, is the director of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections.

The surprise announcement came about 20 minutes into her State of the State address, which had contained no new policy initiatives up to that point. Brewer’s prepared remarks as delivered to the media before her speech did not include the announcement.

Brewer had been expected to deliver a speech squarely focused on solidifying her legacy, painting a portrait of financial progress under her leadership and imploring lawmakers to sustain those gains by embracing proposals she says would further improve Arizona’s standing. But the governor also used her time at the pulpit to address the state's broken child-welfare system, noting it was “evident” that it had been impeded by years of structural and operational failures.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/20140113brewer-state-address-focus.html

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Al Jazeera America had a story in November about the Arizona CPS scandal.

[valerief]

1. Arizona new state motto: We throw away the baby with the bath water. nt

[Wait Wut]

5. But, first...

...we put a shark in the tub.

The Director of AZ Juv. Corrections in charge of child welfare? Nothing to see here...move on, please.

Okay, maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt and think, "He sees the final stages of child abuse every single day. Maybe he wants to head it off at the pass and give these kids a chance."

But, then I remember, this is Arizona. No one does anything here unless it's to make a buck. Your kid complaining because you beat the pulp out of him for stealing $5 out of your wallet? Well, sir, you may have overstepped your bounds, but Junior is surely in need of some type of punishment. Let me call my OTHER office.

[marmar]

2. Repugs love children ...... until they're out of the womb.

[TeamPooka]

3. Somehow Arizona will find a way to jail the children who have been victims of abuse. nt

[Wait Wut]

6. Exactly.

It's a money-making scheme and the kids are spare change.

Just another day I can regret not following my dream of becoming an attorney. I'd be standing at the doors of Juvenile Detention with a stack of business cards. Children need to have their rights defended and there just aren't enough attorneys willing to fight for them. Too many kids are falling through the cracks because no one can hear them scream.

Gov. Crypt Keeper just duct taped their mouths.

[SoapBox]

4. Solidify her legacy?

[jmowreader]

7. What happened? Did Arpaio get a great deal on used army tents and green bologna?

[Nanjing to Seoul]

8. I smell another In Re Gault case forming in the western American State of Police (formerly Arizona).