HCSO says DOJ no longer seeking to extend monitoring period

I reported this weekend on a DOJ lawsuit against Humboldt County DHHS and it specifically named DHHS Director Connie Beck and Sheriff William Honsal in the lawsuit and proposed settlement.

HCSO issued a press release this morning. I saw Sheriff Honsal after this post. After the December DOJ press release, HCSO filed an opposition. Based on that DOJ is no longer seeking to extend the monitoring period for HCSO.

Press Release:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that due to the careful implementation of new data tracking, due diligence and continued compliance with the requirements of the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Stipulated Judgment dated Feb. 14, 2018, the DOJ is no longer seeking to extend the Stipulated Judgment’s monitoring period for the Sheriff’s Office.

“I am confident this is the correct decision by the Attorney General,” Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said. “The Department of Justice recognizes the diligent work our team has accomplished in the past three years. We have built strong relationships with Child Welfare Services (CWS) and community partners to make reporting and investigating child abuse more accurate and efficient, and to ensure that no child is left behind.”

Following entry of the Stipulated Judgment, the Sheriff’s Office immediately implemented the required improvements, including:

Revised Child Abuse and Domestic Violence procedures to reflect Child Abuse and Neglect Act (CANRA) requirements, ensuring all staff complete training and remain up-to-date on current requirements;Established a CANRA Coordinator who conducts weekly audits of CWS cross reports and serves as a liaison with CWS, ensuring compliance with CANRA and timely cross reporting;Created an electronic system to document and track CWS cross reporting and referrals, ensuring accurate records and clear communication between the Sheriff’s Office and DHHS;Collaborated with CWS to create, and continues to participate in, a Community Task Force consisting of internal and external stakeholders, working together to identify areas of improvement.

While the DOJ is seeking to extend the monitoring period for Humboldt County CWS, it has agreed to release the Sheriff’s Office from court-ordered monitoring. Nevertheless, the Sheriff’s Office has agreed to continue participating in the Community Task Force meetings with CWS and to maintain the improvements resulting from the Stipulated Judgment. Like all other Countywide law enforcement agencies, the Sheriff’s Office will still be required to meet the mandates outlined by California law and will work to continue improving our services while ensuring full compliance with State law.  

The Sheriff’s Office is committed to working together with CWS to improve outcomes regarding the abuse and neglect of children and families within the Child Welfare System and looks forward to continuing to improve communication and efficiency between the agencies.

Previous post:

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2021/01/so-is-county-going-to-settle-as-usual.html?m=1