Study finds children abused in DHS custody, DHS denies - KFOR
OKLAHOMA CITY -- A study commissioned by the watchdog group, Children's Rights, details some disturbing trends at the Department of Human Services.
"This report confirms absolutely that the DHS system is severely broken," said Paul DeMuro, Children's Rights attorney.
Children's Rights hired an independent group, the Center for the Support of Families, to put together the study.
It tracked 374 children of the more than 7,400 in state custody.
According to the findings, 12 percent of the children suffered confirmed abuse or neglect while in state custody.
The study also points out that some kids are shuffled back and forth to different foster homes.
According to DHS, the study is flawed and officials questions how the research was conducted.
"It does not come to the same conclusion that our own federal review of the information shows," Sheree Powell with DHS, said.
According to DHS, each year a review is conducted by the federal government.
In that report, DHS claims its safety rating is 99.8 percent, that's higher than the national average.
Powell says the agency is currently locked in a class action lawsuit with Children's Rights.
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