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After David Almond’s death, Massachusetts House, Senate disagree on how to advance DCF reforms
Updated May 06, 2021;
Massachusetts lawmakers reaffirmed this week their commitment to enact child welfare reforms in the wake of 14-year-old David Almond’s death in October.
But they disagree on how to advance those reforms: either fast-track it through a House bill backed by Speaker Ron Mariano or send a similar Senate bill for review in the Joint Committee for Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, the traditional route for legislation about the state Department of Children and Families.
“With Senate version hopefully we can find a way to be able to hear the bill in our committee, and we can come together with a bill that makes sense between both of those bills,” said Sen. Adam Gomez, the committee’s Senate chair.
David Almond oversight hearing: Massachusetts officials still don’t know why boys were reunited with father
Updated May 04, 2021;
Lawmakers probing the events leading up to 14-year-old David Almond’s death after alleged neglect and abuse found a major question unresolved: Why did the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families allow David and his brother Michael to move back in with their father?
John Almond and his girlfriend, Jaclyn Marie Coleman, are now indicted on charges related to his son’s Oct. 21 death, and a legislative committee sought answers Tuesday on why DCF employees allowed David and his brothers, all children with autism, to be reunited with their father when he hadn’t proven he could adequately care for the teenage boys and particularly those with disabilities.