The Maine Department of Health and Human Services has hired a new director to oversee its troubled child welfare division.
The newly appointed director Bobbi Johnson will also supervise a possible restructuring of the agency.
Johnson, a 20-year veteran of the agency, has been the acting director since Todd Landry abruptly resigned last year amid withering criticism of child and family services.
The agency has been the focus of close scrutiny by the Legislature's Government Oversight Committee, which has questioned the handling of child welfare cases and the recent deaths of children under its supervision.
At the same time, caseworkers have complained about workloads, leadership and the agency's organizational structure amid high turnover and vacant positions.
DHHS also announced that it's performing an organizational audit of child and family services, while also moving the child behavioral division to the Office of Behavioral Health.
The announcement comes as lawmakers explore legislation that would entirely decouple child family services from DHHS.
