Gregg calls for changes at child services dept.
By TOM LoBIANCO Associated Press July 9, 2012 12:30PM
INDIANAPOLIS — Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg says he would promote more adoptions and restore mental health services cut from Indiana’s Department of Child Services if elected in November.
Gregg also called for a new office to coordinate responses between state agencies during a news conference Monday.
Gov. Mitch Daniels included DCS in a round of deep budget cuts across all state agencies the last few years. Gregg says he would use some of the money the agency returned to the state to help adoptive parents obtain counseling, medical equipment and other services.
DCS has been criticized for not doing more to protect children from abuse and neglect.
Agency spokeswoman Stephanie McFarland says the criticism ignores improvements that include a centralized child abuse hotline and better worker training.
