Governor Tom Vilsack says Iowans can’t expect “perfection” from the Department of Human Services, and cases like that of 18-year-old Reggie Kelsey will happen. Kelsey was severely retarded and when he turned 18, he was no longer eligible for foster care. He was placed in an independent living program in Des Moines. He was found, dead, in the Des Moines River in May, an apparent suicide. He says the state has high expectations for D-H-S given the limited resources the department is provided. Vilsack says it’s a tragic case, but the state can’t guarantee 100 percent success with every tough case.Vilsack says one failure shouldn’t be an indictment of the entire state child protection system when they’re serving thousands of Iowans successfully.Vilsack says the D-H-S is being asked to do more with less, and it’s stretched to the max.
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