The beleaguered Philadelphia Department of Human Services has regained its full operating license, but state officials must remain vigilant in order to ensure that abused and neglected children are protected.
The vote of confidence by the state Department of Public Welfare last week came with a warning that DHS must continue to improve its performance. The agency was on its third consecutive provisional license. One more, and the state could have seized control.
The troubled agency has made significant changes since the horrendous 2006 death of Danieal Kelly, a 14-year-old girl who starved while her family was under the agency's supervision.
Yet there remains much work ahead under DHS Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose, who took over the agency last year and has promised to make sweeping changes.
Not only must there be immediate changes to put the DHS on the right track, but also permanent changes to prevent a repeat of the chronic problems, scandals and mismanagement that have plagued the agency.
Last summer, a scathing grand jury report blamed DHS for failing to protect Danieal from abuse. The girl weighed only 42 pounds when her emaciated and bedsore-ridden body was found. Two DHS social workers were among nine people charged criminally in the girl's death.
While DHS regained its license, the state plans to subject the agency to another licensing review in six months instead of the usual one-year period. That is a smart move, given the agency's dismal track record.
The state has recommended that DHS provide improved oversight of its social workers. It also called for better tracking of children's needs.
Ambrose agreed with the state's review and acknowledged that "there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done."
The next step must be to implement the 30 recommendations made two years ago by a blue-ribbon panel to reform the agency. Only then will the agency shed the toxic culture that has festered for years and put children at risk.
DHS began the year on a high note, with the announcement that foster-care adoptions had increased by 11 percent in 2008.
About 5,800 children remain in foster care in the city. Let's hope there is more good news this year for the well-being of all children under DHS supervision.