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The new director of the Oregon Department of Human Services has fired two top officials who knew about neglected children and serious financial problems at Portland foster care provider Give Us This Day—and did nothing for nearly 19 months.
New DHS director Clyde Saiki this morning announced he has fired Jerry Waybrant, chief operating officer for self-sufficiency and child welfare programs, and Lois Day, child welfare director.
Both officials were responsible for regulating Give Us This Day, a foster care agency that kept children in filthy conditions while its director spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on herself.
WW revealed those allegations in a cover story last year, then reported that top DHS officials ignored warning signs of neglect and abuse.
Saiki, whom Gov. Kate Brown placed at the top of DHS earlier this month, said this morning he's cleaning house after the failure to monitor foster care.
"When the Governor asked me to serve as the Director of DHS, she made it very clear that one of my top priorities was the safety of children entrusted to our care. She had serious concerns about some of the incidents that came to light over the past year, and I share those concerns, too," Saiki said in a statement.
"I need to have leaders who can help DHS move in the direction we need to go. I am making changes today, and in the coming months I will make additional personnel changes, as needed."
Waybrant was previously removed from his role as acting DHS director by Gov. Kate Brown.
Willamette Week
