Department of Child Services Town Hall Meeting

DCS TOWN HALL IN EVANSVILLE SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 15
INDIANAPOLIS – A town hall scheduled to take place in Evansville on October 15 will give residents a chance to air their concerns about the operations of the state’s Department of Child Services (DCS) and offer solutions to improve those services.
          The meeting – scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. October 15 in Room HP 1027 of the Health Professions Center on the campus of the University of Southern Indiana (USI) – will be sponsored by State Rep. Gail Riecken (D-Evansville).
          The town hall is designed to supplement the work presently being done by a legislative study committee examining the current level of services offered to at-risk children in Indiana.
          “It is very difficult for many people to take time away from work to travel to Indianapolis to attend the study committee meetings, which are being conducted exclusively at the Statehouse,” Riecken said. “But we feel that they deserve the opportunity to be heard, and we want to make sure their testimony is part of the deliberations as we attempt to find solutions to the problems that caused this committee to be formed.
          “We have to give area people who have been affected by this issue – including parents, health care givers, local law enforcement and other advocates – every chance to tell their stories,” she continued.
          “Since they are the people who deal with this system first-hand, we also believe they should get the chance to offer ideas that can help DCS respond more quickly and thoroughly to keep our kids safe,” Riecken said. “Their participation is important to have in hand before the committee wraps up its work at the end of October.”