NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Tennessee lawmaker has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice against the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services following years of disturbing allegations and lawsuits against the state agency.
Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) told News 2 that for months, she has been collecting hundreds of stories from Tennessee families directly affected by DCS alleging the department unjustly drags out cases, houses children in unsafe living conditions and “segregates” children with disabilities.
“Our office decided to file this complaint to elevate to the federal government that there is a pattern of negligence, noncompliance, and systemic failures that are delivering serious, I mean serious harm to children,” Behn said.
Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom
News 2 has extensively covered the history of problems within DCS, including multiplelawsuits filed by families and disability rights groups that lay out multiple allegations of physical and psychological abuse…