from staff
Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Bob Butterworth has announced the formation of the Task Force on Child Protection. Circuit Court Judge David Gooding and Jacksonville Guardian Ad Litem Director Richard Komando have been appointed to the 13-member statewide task force, which will closely examine issues within the state’s child protection system that were brought to light during recent media coverage of the Courtney Clark case in the Tampa Bay area.
“Our First Coast district was the number one district in the state for the percentage of children in foster care who are visited on a monthly basis during the past fiscal year. Those monthly visits help to ensure their safety,” said Nancy Dreicer, Northeast Region Director of the Florida Department of Children and Families. “However, the Courtney Clark case in the Tampa area revealed errors in our child protection system that need to be corrected. We are committed to fixing these errors. I am confident that the extensive experience and knowledge of Judge Gooding and Richard Komando will be valuable as we improve the system. The first priority of the Department of Children and Families is and always will be the safety of all children.”
Gooding, who is known for his work in child adoptions, said the creation of the task force comes at a good time.
“Secretary Butterworth’s sense of urgency in addressing the needs of our children is exactly what is needed,” said Gooding. “He gets it. He understands that children in the foster care system are not ‘those children,’ they are ‘our children.’”
Komando agreed.
“Florida is fortunate to have the leadership of people like Secretary Butterworth who are committed to taking corrective action to address problems,” said Komando. “The biggest issue facing the child protection system is the need for better communication among agencies, child advocates, and law enforcement. The reorganization of the Department of Children and Families is a great step in improving communication. By aligning the Department’s circuits with the state’s judicial circuits, it will be easier for key players to establish communication.”
The task force has been directed to identify concerns and make recommendations, including suggestions regarding legislative enhancements, to improve coordination, communication, current policies and procedures, and training efforts for all parties involved in protecting and locating children in the system to protect children in the state’s care.
Butterworth has asked that the task force provide him with a preliminary report by Oct. 1.
Gooding has been credited with developing innovative procedures that have significantly reduced the amount of time needed for children to find permanent homes with families they can call their own. He was a winner of a 2005 Adoption Excellence Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Komando has been honored with the Daniel P. Dawson Award from the state’s guardian ad litem program for his leadership in child advocacy. His past experience includes several years representing children’s issues while working as an attorney in private practice in Ft. Lauderdale.
In addition to the Task Force, the Department of Children and Families is taking more action to ensure the safety of children in the state’s care include the establishment of five regional child location specialists and a director of criminal justice services. The regional child location specialists will be based in offices throughout the state, including Jacksonville and primarily responsible for enhancing the coordination and communication on missing children issues within the state’s criminal justice system, particularly at the local level, in concert with Florida’s community-based care providers. The director of criminal justice services will serve as the lead contact for the Department in matters relating to law enforcement, corrections, juvenile justice and the courts.