Fenty Announces New Child Services Director

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced his nomination of Roque Gerald as permanent director of the Child and Family Services Agency at a news conference today on reforms at the embattled child welfare agency a little more than a year after the Banita Jacks case.

Gerald "will be able to continue reform and solidify personnel decisions as well as make additional ones," Fenty said. "I think it's a shot in the arm for the agency having someone [take lead] who's been there a while."

Fenty appointed Gerald as interim director in July. Gerald will become acting director until a confirmation hearing before the D.C. Council and a vote on his nomination.

"For me this is a confirmation of deep reform in the agency," Gerald said. "The pace has been fast since July, and we're not slowing down."

After Jacks was found living with the decaying corpses of her four daughters last year, CFSA was flooded with reports of abuse and neglect. Hundreds of cases piled up, social workers were crushed by huge caseloads and almost a quarter of the frustrated workforce walked out.