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Joette Katz on Challenges and Changes at DCF

Chion Wolf
Joette Katz

  Our guest this hour, DCF Commissioner Joette Katz, was at the center of a public hearing this week at the state capitol in the wake of two reports critical of the state’s juvenile detention facilities.

Last month, the state child advocate joined Where We Liveto talk about her report, saying that among other things, children in DCF’s care were being unlawfully restrained and put in solitary confinement.

The second report, by a national juvenile justice expert, and paid for by DCF, highlighted some successes of the state program, but raised questions about the adequacy of mental health services.

In response, DCF has put out their own action plan for reforms, including better suicide prevention practices, banning certain restraints, and better mental health treatment.

GUEST: 

  • Joette Katz - Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families 
  • Robert Kinscherff - Senior Associate at the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice and a former official in Massachusetts' juvenile court system and mental health agency. Consultant for DCF. 

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Catie Talarski is Senior Director of Storytelling and Radio Programming at Connecticut Public.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.