By Bob Katzen

The Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities held a hearing on a proposal that would require the Department of Children and Families (DCF),

when considering a child’s removal from his or her family, to establish a case review team that produces summaries that do not include demographic and identifying information such as gender, race, ethnicity, disability, geographic location and socioeconomic status.

Sponsor Rep. Joan Meschino (D-Hull) said the bill is designed to prevent discrimination in the child removal processes. “The goal is for DCF to provide a bias-free summary of a child’s situation that takes into account safety and risk factors, the family’s strengths and opportunities for supportive interventions before removing a child from their home,” said Meschino.