Fasano Statement on DCF Court Oversight

Hartford – Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano (R-North Haven) released the following statement regarding revisions to the Juan F. consent decree overseeing the state’s Department of Children and Families.

“I applaud the Attorney General’s efforts to reach an agreement to implement appropriate changes to the Juan F. consent decree. This news confirms that lawmakers were prudent in not rushing to accept the Commissioner Katz’s original proposal, negotiated by her own counsel, earlier this year. This is a victory for Connecticut in that it does what the legislature advocated for: smoothing a path to exit through agency improvements without creating an unprecedented court order controlling all funding for the entire agency and removing the ability of the legislature to implement reforms. However, it is hardly a time to declare victory for the performance of DCF. In light of the ongoing chronic and systemic failures of DCF to protect our most vulnerable children, such as Matthew Tirado, we clearly have far more work ahead of us that I believe can only be achieved with new leadership. If DCF is in fact able to withdraw from federal oversight, it is clear we need stronger ongoing state oversight to ensure the implementation of effective child safety policies to protect children from suffering avoidable injury and death on DCF’s watch.”