letter to sen crowe re dcs

[email protected] LOWE FINNEY SENATOR 27 TH SENATE DISTRICT 312 WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37243 (615) 741-1810 (615) 253-0179 fax DISTRICT ADDRESS: 312 EAST LAFAYETTE STREET JACKSON, TE NNESSEE 38301 (731) 424-0461 (731) 424-0562 fax Tennessee tate enate NASHVILLE DOUGLAS HENRY SENATOR 21 st SENATE DISTRICT 321 WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37243 (615) 741-3291 DISTRICT ADDRESS: 226 CAPITOL BOULEVARD NASHVILLE, TN 37219 June 4, 2013 Senator Rusty Crowe Chairman of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee Dear Chairman Crowe: As you recall, our committee heard from now-Commissioner Jim Henry of the Department of Children’s Services several times throughout the legislative session on his efforts t o bring the necessary corrective actions to a very troub led department. Commissioner Henry was kind enough to share an abundance of information with us and offered to make himself available to the committee, which we accepted until we adjourned a few weeks ago. Since session ended, new details continue to emerge about the performance of the Department of Children’s Services over the last three years. We are confident that you share with us a great concern for the children of Tennessee who are in the state’s custody and subject to the care and direction of the department. We are also confident that you also share with us a sense of relief that Commissi oner Henry is filling the interim role. He promised the legislature and our constituents that he would not simply be a placeholder but that he would work to make the necessary improvements within the department before a permanent commissioner could be named by Governor Haslam. Having said all of that, we think that it is appropriate that we ask Commissioner Henry to join a special called meeting of the Health & General Welfare Committee to update the committee members on the improvements that have taken place and any new issues that have arisen since his last appearance before the committee. Please consider this letter a formal request that you convene the Senate Health & General Welfare Committee for a special call ed meeting to hear fr om Commissioner Henry. We know that the summer months are very busy for us, and we do not want to otherwise disrupt the work of your committee staff . Likewise, we know that the Commissioner is making several stops around the state to discuss various issues with DCS stakeholders, and we do not want to interrupt his schedule or his mission in finding ways to improve the department. However, we think a meeting, perhaps sometime after August 1 st , would be appropriate,

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7/27/2019 Letter to Sen Crowe Re DCS

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[email protected]

LOWE FINNEYSENATOR

27TH SENATE DISTRICT

312 WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37243

(615) 741-1810

(615) 253-0179 fax

DISTRICT ADDRESS:

312 EAST LAFAYETTE STREET

JACKSON, TENNESSEE 38301

(731) 424-0461

(731) 424-0562 fax

Tennessee State Senate NASHVILLE

DOUGLAS HENRYSENATOR

21st SENATE DISTRICT

321 WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37243

(615) 741-3291

DISTRICT ADDRESS:

226 CAPITOL

BOULEVARD

NASHVILLE, TN 37219

June 4, 2013

Senator Rusty CroweChairman of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee

Dear Chairman Crowe:

As you recall, our committee heard from now-Commissioner Jim Henry of the Department

of Children’s Services several times throughout the legislative session on his efforts to

bring the necessary corrective actions to a very troubled department. Commissioner Henrywas kind enough to share an abundance of information with us and offered to make himself

available to the committee, which we accepted until we adjourned a few weeks ago.

Since session ended, new details continue to emerge about the performance of the

Department of Children’s Services over the last three years. We are confident that you

share with us a great concern for the children of Tennessee who are in the stat e’s custodyand subject to the care and direction of the department. We are also confident that you alsoshare with us a sense of relief that Commissioner Henry is filling the interim role. He

promised the legislature and our constituents that he would not simply be a placeholder but

that he would work to make the necessary improvements within the department before a permanent commissioner could be named by Governor Haslam.

Having said all of that, we think that it is appropriate that we ask Commissioner Henry to

join a special called meeting of the Health & General Welfare Committee to update thecommittee members on the improvements that have taken place and any new issues that

have arisen since his last appearance before the committee.

Please consider this letter a formal request that you convene the Senate Health & GeneralWelfare Committee for a special called meeting to hear from Commissioner Henry. We

know that the summer months are very busy for us, and we do not want to otherwise disrupt

the work of your committee staff. Likewise, we know that the Commissioner is makingseveral stops around the state to discuss various issues with DCS stakeholders, and we do

not want to interrupt his schedule or his mission in finding ways to improve the department.

However, we think a meeting, perhaps sometime after August 1st, would be appropriate,