The directors of Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and Office of a Children’s Services (OCS) face a proposed class action lawsuit that alleges the state’s child welfare system has “long failed” those in foster care, in particular Alaska Native children.
The 90-page lawsuit alleges the OCS has long known of the issues plaguing Alaska’s “dysfunction[al]” child welfare system yet failed to make any meaningful improvements, even after establishing in 2018 a two-year “program improvement plan.” The complaint alleges the state’s problematic child welfare system has disproportionately harmed Alaska Native children, who the suit says are seven times more likely to be in foster care than non-Native children.