BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Gov. Charlie Baker says the findings in the State Auditor's scathing report on the Department of Children and Families released last week are not true and way out of date.
The report found that hundreds of injuries to children continue to go undetected.
But Gov. Baker told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones that the audit covers the years 2014 and 2015, when DCF deficiencies were coming to light--and when his new administration was taking steps to add social workers and update policies.
"Much of the information that was collected and published in the auditor's report predated the work that these people have done--social workers, clinical staff, and others--over the course of the past several years to improve the performance of that agency," Gov. Baker said.
Baker said that it was irresponsible to suggest that victimization of children in DCF's care continues to go unnoticed.
The governor said all the incidents cited in the audit were reported--and notes significant new investment in the agency, including hundreds of social workers.
He wrote to the department to express his outrage over the report, saying the findings were "simply not true."
"I felt that it was important to send a message to the folks at DCF that we admire and respect the work that they have done over the past couple of years," he said. "We always have more to do. And that I appreciate, and that our administration appreciates, the level of effort and the improvements that they've made."
Auditor Suzanne Bump stands by her report, and calls the governor's letter a political statement.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports