Wednesday, January 27, 2021 by Lynn Hatter (WFSU )
Photo: Nandhu Kumar
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Of the 800 private firms contracted with the state, 12 are giving out salaries in excess of state and federal law. Nine of those are contracted with the Florida Department of Children and Families.
A state probe into pay issues at partner agencies began last year after investigations found the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence paid its leader more than $7.5 million over three years. House Ethics Chairwoman Erin Grall believes some private affiliates may still be hiding their compensation reports.
State says troubled domestic violence system âstabilized,â ready for new vendor
But efforts to take back state funds illegally spent by the defunct Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence are tied up in court.
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In this Sept. 28, 2004 photo, Tiffany Carr, executive director of Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, left, speaks at a news conference held by Gov. Jeb Bush, background right. The state says domestic violence services have now âstabilized,â nine months after the state took control of the coalition amid revelations that the agency had misused state and federal funds and paid its executive director more than $7.5 million over three years under Carr, who resigned last year. [ AP ]
State lawmakers heard from the head of the Florida Department of Children and families Tuesday morning.
The agency provided updates on the pandemic, addressing sexual abuse allegations from foster children and the ongoing fight to return millions in tax payer dollars used for excessive salaries by the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Domestic violence and child abuse calls have nearly returned to normal levels after dropping dramatically at the start of the pandemic.
DCF Secretary Chad Poppell said the agency is also seeing more over doses, mental health concerns and evictions.
“We’ve got 40,000 evictions filed around the state,” said Poppell.
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Good Wednesday morning.
The daily rundown Between Monday and Tuesday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 14,896 (1 percent), to 1,503,482; active hospitalizations went up by 71 (0.9 percent), to 7,720; deaths rose by 156 (nearly 0.7 percent), to 23,227.