Arizona’s failures with its child welfare and family services have been in the national spotlight. Numerous times. The struggles Arizona faces are complicated and multifaceted. There are many issues and many at fault for systemic failings. However, where there is darkness, there is always light. The corruption of CPS has been covered with brilliant tenacity by child welfare reporter Mary Jo Pitzl.
About Mary Jo Pitzl
Mary Jo Pitzl has been a reporter for the Arizona Republic since 1980. She began her career as a journalist by covering state politics. However, the Arizona CPS corruption scandal rocked her state in 2013. As a result, she took the chance and jumped into the action. Soon, she would become one of the most respected reporters to cover the controversy.
Mary Jo received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and French from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Later, she moved to Arizona to work as a reporter for The Arizona Republic. She started her career by covering the political landscape of the Arizona state government. To this day, she continues to cover political events in her state.
The Relentless Resolve of Mary Jo Pitzl
In 2013 Mary Jo was on the frontline of journalists covering challenges in the child welfare system. As news broke that CPS failed to report over 6,500 cases of child abuse and neglect, Mary Jo and her colleague, videographer David Wallace, released their documentary, “They Have Names”. They had spent the last year and a half interviewing and following caseworkers and families that were impacted by Arizona’s child welfare system. The documentary explored how the lack of adequate resources and gaps in accountability deeply impacted everyone caught up in the system. Both caseworkers and the families they serve.
Pitzl reported when thousands of case files of abused and neglected children were found dumped in a Phoenix alley just weeks after the story of the 6,500 unreported cases broke. Additionally, she covered the firings of top CPS employees that were implicated in the scandal. Finally, she covered the subsequent lawsuit alleging wrongful termination that was motivated by political optics.
Furthermore, Mary Jo Pitzl covered the struggles that the Governor’s emergency task force faced in investigating thousands of reports of child abuse and neglect that had been ignored for years. She documented the Governor’s decision to shut down CPS all together. She also covered the establishment of the new independent agency that would come to be known as the DCS. Pitzl continued to cover the fallout from these events and highlight individuals caught up in the child welfare system.
Mary Jo Pitzl – A Champion for the Children
By 2017 she was the official child-welfare reporter at the Arizona Republic, covering stories that affect children, parents, caregivers, and families that encounter the child welfare system, and how this impacts their lives, as well as the lives in the broader community. She feels passionate about writing about child welfare because it is fundamental to everyone.
Additionally, Mary Jo feels her writing gives her an opportunity to directly influence her readers to see more clearly the many layers of community and societal issues that contribute to problems in the child welfare system. Pitzl understands that systemic issues such as access to jobs, educational opportunities, access to housing, transportation, and affordable childcare are pieces of the puzzle that aren’t always considered when looking at child welfare issues.
Recently, Mary Jo Pitzl has been covering systemic issues that Arizona families have been facing in their encounters with DCS. In 2018 she highlighted racial disparities in families that had their children removed. She also documented how cultural clashes prevent DCS caseworkers from effectively helping families. Pitzl gives parents that feel they have experienced injustice at the hands of DCS a chance to share their stories. She also shows how overburdened caseworkers and high staff turnover creates gaps that fail to protect kids as a result.
A Real Heavyweight
Furthermore, Pitzl covered the 2020 firings of DCS workers in Prescott who were photographed wearing t-shirts that read Professional Kidnapper. This disgusting conduct on the part of DCS caseworkers was occurring against a backdrop of lawsuits brought forth by families that revealed unlawful removal of their children, and false allegations of abuse by DCS. That’s the level of insensitivity and corruption we’re dealing with. Luckily for us, Mary Jo was on the case.
In addition to exposing corruption in the child welfare system, Mary Jo Pitzl is also working to educate those that are currently in the system about the rights and resources that are available to them. She recently covered Arizona’s struggles to get covid relief funds to children in foster care and those who have aged out of the system. Another of her recent articles revealed the financial impacts of Arizona’s child welfare system failures.
The cost of lawyers, expert witnesses, and other lawsuit-related expenses defending the corruption at DCS have cost the Arizona taxpayers a staggering 16 million dollars over the past 6 years. Needless to say, it looks like there is still a lot of ground to cover when it comes to reporting on child welfare issues in Arizona, and Mary Jo Pitzl will be there.
If you’d like to learn more about Mary Jo Pitzl or reach out to her, you can visit her Linkedin page.
Help Us Fight the Good Fight
Costs to document this historical government tragedy have been excessive. However, they are far from over. Our personal expenses to fight the powers that continue to victimize our children and their families have exceeded over $1,000,000. They continue to grow by the day.
Any contribution you can make to aid our cause is most appreciated. You can donate to Saving Grace Advocates using the link provided. Please help us fight Arizona CPS corruption and bring justice to the families and children who have suffered at their hands. Thank you for your continued support and contributions.
Sincerely,
Saving Grace Advocates
References:
- https://kjzz.org/content/1300501/they-have-names-documentary-highlights-shortcomings-arizonas-child-welfare-system
- https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-child-welfare/2021/03/30/taxpayers-hook-16-m-legal-fees-over-foster-care/4767825001/
- https://prowly.com/profiles/journalists/mary-jo-pitzl
- https://www.azcentral.com/staff/2646647001/mary-jo-pitzl/?page=3
- https://pcaaz.org/arizona-republic-reporter-asks-child-abuse-prevention-conference-attendees-how-theyd-like-to-see-child-welfare-system-improved/
- https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-child-welfare/2021/07/22/arizona-foster-advocates-push-500-direct-aid-older-youth-covid-relief/7996220002/
- https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-child-welfare/2020/07/21/kidnapper-t-shirts-apparent-firings-arizona-department-child-safety/5448029002/