Lillian Koller, Director of S.C. Department of Social Services, has resigned from her post leading the state’s child-welfare agency, Gov. Nikki Haley’s office announced Monday.
Amber Gillum, Deputy State Director for Economic Services, will serve as interim director until Haley makes a permanent appointment to the Cabinet post….
It’s interesting that this member of the Haley administration is echoing the language of the Obama administration (Obama insisted that Shinseki had done a great job, but had decided he was a “distraction”).
So will this be seen as a solution? Or will this be understood as the beginning of a solution? And most of all, can anyone solve the problem, and keep kids safe?
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One thing seems sure: Democrats aren’t going to cease hammering Haley over the issue. This was House Democratic Leader Todd Rutherford’s reaction today:
Will Governor Sheheen resign if one child dies while under the care of DSS? Or is there an acceptable number of deaths he will not be responsible for? What has Sheheen done in all his years in office to prevent these deaths?
Haley’s team continues to parry every weak thrust from the Sheheen “brain” trust.
It’s over.
I don’t really get the “buck stops here” idea that heads must roll at the top. I mean, DSS’s issues, like those at the VA or the ACA website rollout, are seated way lower than the head’s pay grade. Why not figure out who screwed up truly and deal with them?
I agree with Katherine, to a point. Ms. Koller has a Deputy Director in charge of Child Protection, with whom I’ve had some interaction. I am less than impressed with this person, even concerned why someone with her limited background in front-line child protective services would even have this job.
Why this individual was hired, I have no clue. I’d feel more confident needed changes will be made, especially in Richland County (where I have been appointed by Governor Haley to serve on a Foster Care Review Board), if this Deputy Director was the person resigning.