Santa Cruz County Child Protective Services (CPS) has come under fire from the Santa Cruz County Grand Jury, which released a report on June 17 criticizing the agency for prioritizing the reunification of children with their birth parents, often at the expense of sensitive and respectful treatment of families. This marks the first CPS review by the Grand Jury since the 2002-03 period.
Over the past year, the Grand Jury received numerous complaints from Resource Families, who alleged that Santa Cruz County CPS was excessively focused on reuniting children with their birth parents “at all costs.” These complaints prompted a thorough examination by the Grand Jury, which highlighted several significant issues.
One of the primary concerns is the concept of a “bypass” within CPS, which refers to administrative or legal decisions that prevent reunification with parents. CPS offers various programs to help birth families retain eligibility for reunification, yet the Grand Jury questioned the effectiveness of these measures.
Follow-ups after a child reunites with their birth family currently last up to 18 months. The Grand Jury expressed concerns that this timeframe may be insufficient to ensure a stable and appropriate living situation for the children involved.
The confidentiality of CPS proceedings and documents, protected by privacy laws, limits the Grand Jury’s ability to investigate individual complaints. Instead, the Grand Jury analyzed long-term trends based on data collected over the past decade. They conducted interviews with CPS staff to identify potential patterns of systematic bias.
The report underscored the need for better guidance for interviews with CPS staff and noted that the CPS website lacks an organized information chart regarding the outcomes of their services. One interviewee acknowledged the absence of such a chart on the website and promised to address this issue soon.
Additionally, the report criticized the complaint process for its lack of transparency. The Grand Jury found “no formal complaint process” and described the existing pathway as “ineffective,” resulting in a lack of accountability or follow-up on complaints. Furthermore, CPS does not provide data on the number of complaints received annually or their resolution status.
In light of these findings, the Grand Jury recommended that CPS publish an organizational chart by October 31, 2024. The report also suggested that the lack of perception regarding the complaint process might deter Resource Homes from applying, which is crucial for the protection of neglected and abused children in Santa Cruz County.
In response to the report, Human Services Department spokesman Adam Spickler released a statement: “The Grand Jury’s report found no evidence to support the false claims made about our agency’s role in reunifying children with their birth families.” Spickler emphasized that Human Services Department staff cooperated fully with the Grand Jury investigation, despite being constrained by strict confidentiality laws. He noted that these laws “will also prevent the county from taking some of the actions suggested by the Grand Jury.”
Spickler added that the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has 90 days to respond to the report. Any subsequent changes will be publicly announced on the Board of Supervisors agenda.