CARE Team Working Through Uninvestigated CPS Cases

Published: Tuesday, January 7, 2014 - 3:34pm
Updated: Tuesday, January 7, 2014 - 3:43pm
(Photo by Stina Sieg-KJZZ)
Charles Flanagan, leader of the CARE team, at a press conference in December 2013.

The team created to oversee the investigations of reports of child abuse and neglect that Arizona Child Protective Services did not investigate said it is on track to get all 6,500 cases assigned by the end of the month.

Gov. Jan Brewer created the CARE team on Dec. 2, after Department of Economic Security Director Clarence Carter revealed the uninvestigated cases the previous month. The team’s leader, Department of Juvenile Corrections Director Charles Flanagan, said his staff and CPS workers have now launched investigations into virtually all the cases that were ignored over the past two years.

The panel is made up of state lawmakers, children’s advocates and law enforcement officials, among other people. It reports directly to the governor.