Embattled DCFS director resigning in wake of blistering auditor's report

Chicago Sun-Times

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith on Wednesday announced he would step down from his high-profile post by year's end.

The resignation, announced in a call with staffers, comes a week after a blistering report from the Illinois auditor general that found 33 instances of noncompliance, including that the department did not immediately report to local states' attorneys 28% of child abuse and neglect reports involving children who had tested positive for a controlled substance.

In another instance, the agency neglected to notify directors of state agencies in a timely fashion about cases in which children were alleged to have been abused while receiving care in a hospital.

In all those cases, the reporting time ranged from 34 days to 885 days from the time the investigation was opened, the report found. The report also noted the department didn't take immediate action to take care of the children in those cases.

To read the full report, visit chicago.suntimes.com.