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The head of Louisiana's scandal-plagued foster care system is out.
Governor John Bel Edwards announced Thursday he had accepted the resignation of Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Walters.
In a statement, Edwards acknowledged that child welfare agencies nationwide are facing staffing shortages.
Walters led a system that has been rocked by a pair of recent overdose deaths involving children, with both cases involving missed or mishandled warning signs that Edwards deemed an "absolute failure".
"While there are no quick solutions, it is urgent that we find new and effective ways of addressing the problems to make certain we provide the help our families need and deserve and to move our agency forward," said Gov. Edwards. "We have engaged a third-party expert organization to do a top-to-bottom review of DCFS and make recommendations on improvements to policies, practices, and personnel that can be made to ensure we are serving the children and families of Louisiana in the manner they deserve.”
DCFS Deputy Secretary Terri Porche Ricks will serve as acting secretary of the department.
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