Gov. Jan Brewer calls for special session after 5 child welfare workers fired

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said she would call a special session of the Legislature after at least five child welfare supervisors were fired following a four-month investigation.

In a statement, Brewer said the safety of Arizona children is one of her most important priorities and an issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. The report from the Arizona Department of Public Safety increased the urgency even more.

“The DPS report is comprehensive and I am grateful to the dedicated investigators,” she said. “While I continue to carefully review the report, one thing is crystal clear: it is vital that our state must continue the urgent effort to statutorily establish a new, standalone child protection agency whose core focus is safeguarding Arizona’s abused and neglected children. We must breakdown the levels of bureaucracy, change the culture that allowed this unconscionable practice to be implemented behind the scenes and provide the necessary resources to protect Arizona’s children.”

After the extent of CPS’ failure was revealed late last year, Gov. Jan Brewer called the agency “broken” and dissolved it with the intent of creating a new child welfare agency.

The DPS study came after an independent group was created by Brewer to analyze the state’s child welfare system.

The date of the special session have not been announced.