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By MELISSA M. JANOSKI melissaj@leader.net
Thursday, January 27, 2000 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE – A committee hand-picked by Commissioner Tom Makowski to
evaluate Luzerne County Children and Youth says the agency improved under fire
and urges the public to do more to prevent child abuse.
Makowski formed the committee on Oct. 8, the same day the public learned
that the state downgraded the agency’s license to provisional. The agency’s
full license was restored last month.
The agency has been under intense scrutiny since the February drowning of
a 2 1/2-year-old client, Dominique Thomas.
A complete list of members was not available Wednesday, but it includes
some people with ties to the agency. The chairman is Rabbi Michael Joseph of
Temple B’nai B’rith, a member of the Children and Youth Advisory Board.
The committee’s report said the agency “approaches its work with the
utmost professionalism and dedication.”
“We do not believe that the tragic death of Dominique Thomas was the
result of any shortcoming of CYS,” the report said.
Shawn Murphy, a member of the committee and an aide to state Senator
Charles Lemmond, R-Dallas, said the committee’s findings were reassuring.
“Children and Youth does a very good job protecting the children and families
of Luzerne County,” she said.
The criticism of the agency has made it a “stronger advocate of child
safety and healthy families,” according to the report.
The report summarizes charges by the state Department of Public Welfare and
says the agency made appropriate changes.
David Lee, a committee member and head of the Wyoming Valley United Way,
said he admires Children and Youth workers’ dedication to a difficult task.
“I’m a social worker by training, and I wouldn’t want to do what they do.”
The report has a sharply different tone than a court-ordered assessment by
a lawyer, Michael Shucosky. Shucosky’s report, released last week, also gave
the agency a vote of confidence but made several specific recommendations.
Makowski’s committee echoed Shucosky’s plea that Children and Youth work
more closely with civic groups and other government agencies, such as the
county Juvenile Probation and Detention Department and The Children’s
Alliance, a non-profit group.
The report appeals to the public to do more to stamp out social ills, such
as drug and alcohol abuse, poverty and domestic violence, that endanger
children. It offers no specific recommendations beyond increased support for
programs aimed at preventing child abuse.
The committee had access to confidential records. A state Department of
Public Welfare spokeswoman said the committee’s review of the records was
legal because the members had an official role in evaluating the agency.
Makowski said he kept the existence of the committee secret to prevent it
from “becoming political” in the month before the Nov. 2 election. He said
the report will be presented at a press conference within a few days.
Kara Dolphin, director of government affairs for the Pennsylvania Newspaper
Association, said the secrecy surrounding the committee is unusual but does
not appear to be illegal.
Other committee members are Sue Kluger, director of Leadership
Wilkes-Barre; Carmen Ambrosino, director of Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug
Services Inc.; Patrick McHugh, publisher of the Times Leader; Robert
Manganiello, publisher of the Citizens’ Voice; and Joe DiVizia, director of
the Children’s Service Center. A mother who had been under the supervision of
Children and Youth is also on the panel.
Call Janoski at 831-7331.