News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

September 25, 2012

Indiana’s DCS director resigns amid ethics issues

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s top child-protection official resigned Monday amid questions of whether he violated his agency’s code of conduct through his involvement in a child neglect case involving his grandchildren.

Department of Child Services Director James Payne said he was stepping down immediately after The Indianapolis Star reported Sunday that he had worked behind the scenes to discredit his own agency’s recommendations in the case.

Payne — who has led the agency since its creation in 2005 — said Monday that the disclosure of information involving his grandchildren “without regard to its impact on those children is tragic beyond belief.” He said he was resigning immediately so that his family’s personal case wouldn’t be used to distort the work of DCS employees who have been credited with improving the agency.

Gov. Mitch Daniels praised the changes at DCS under Payne, a former Marion County juvenile court judge.

“The leading national authorities are unanimous in praising Indiana’s improvements in child protection, often labeled ‘worst to first,’ during Jim Payne’s tenure,” Daniels said in a statement Monday.

Daniels said DCS Chief of Staff John Ryan will serve as interim director effective immediately. Ryan declined comment Monday.

Payne’s resignation was announced as lawmakers gathered to propose changes to a centralized child abuse and neglect hotline that has been criticized by lawmakers of both parties, police, prosecutors and advocates.

House and Senate Democrats, who have been pressing for reforms at DCS, cheered upon learning Payne had stepped down.

“It seems to be an agency in turmoil, and this is too important of an agency to be in turmoil,” said Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson. “They need to be functioning effectively.”

Foster parents and grandparents testifying Monday at a state legislative hearing about their frustrations dealing with the state. Many said Payne’s alleged abuses only further angered them.

Dennis Easley told lawmakers he and his wife have gotten nowhere in fighting the state for custody of two of their grandchildren. He said he chafed at a response from the state that his concerns were labeled “outlandish allegations.” Easley then held up a copy of the Star, and read aloud a passage about Payne’s efforts to help his son.

“’Outlandish allegations’ became real because it was his grandchildren,” he said.

Bruce Greenberg, president and CEO of the Mishawaka-based Family & Children’s Center, said he wasn’t surprised by the resignation. He characterized Payne’s leadership as “heavy handed” and said his management style created a culture of fear within the agency.

“I would say the general sentiment from the provider community is that they’re not unhappy to see him go,” Greenberg said.

Daniels said many of the attacks on Payne “have ranged from innocently ignorant to despicably political and self-interested,” but he said he respected Payne’s decision to shield his family from further criticism.

The Indianapolis Star story questioned Payne’s involvement in a case stemming from a 2009 divorce filing by Heather Payne against John Payne, the director’s son, 10 days after her husband was arrested for drunken driving. Heather Payne sought and received a protective order and custody of their four children, including two fathered by John Payne.

John Payne alleged that Heather Payne often left the children on their own for hours, and said the oldest, a 13-year-old, was responsible for watching the others.

The children were removed from their mother’s custody in 2010, after DCS was notified that the children had been left alone while their mother traveled to Ohio. A DCS case worker took the children into protective custody and placed them with Payne and his wife.

While the children were in the Paynes’ care, James Payne was the target of an investigation into whether he slapped one of his grandchildren. He was investigated and cleared by his own agency, The Star reported.

He wrote to The Star of the slapping allegation: “It never happened, never would, and the allegations were unsubstantiated by an out-of-state case manager.”

In November 2010, DCS returned the children to Heather Payne, and a Hamilton County judge approved the move. That pitted DCS staff against the director and led to his involvement in helping write a legal brief that included a stinging attack on the agency, The Star reported, citing documents it reviewed.

Ryan, in an email to The Associated Press on Sunday, noted that since the children were returned to Heather Payne, “to assert that ... Payne influenced this situation with his professional position is absolutely false.”



Associated Press writer Ken Kusmer in Indianapolis contributed to this report.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Raw: Tornadoes Spotted in Kansas Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash Obama Exhorts Good Deeds by Morehouse Graduates NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Winning Powerball Ticket Sold in Florida Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country AP CEO: Records Seizure 'Unconstitutional' Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools Today in History for May 19th Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting Raw: Texas Gov. Flies Over Tornado Damage Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House
NDN Video
Raw: Tornadoes Spotted in Kansas Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Beyonce Is Pregnant! SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion Woman tricked into taking abortion pill Emma Watson Goes Pantless IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News