Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf is ordering new oversight of the state’s juvenile residential programs in light of violence reported against children at the Glen Mills School, writes Lisa Gartner for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

By executive order, Wolf created an Office of Advocacy and Reform, with a new Child Advocate position that will act as an ombudsman for youth in the state’s facilities. The order also establishes a Council on Reform to provide recommendations for further action.

The governor directed state agencies to reduce the number of children in institutional placements; strengthen oversight; and increase accountability.

“Today, we are being honest that the decades-in-making, outdated, rigid, convoluted system is not working for too many Pennsylvanians,” Wolf said.

A recent Inquirer investigation exposed decades of violence by staff against students at Glen Mills.

In April, the state Department of Human Services (DHS) announced it was revoking Glen Mills’ licenses.

Wolf said he was directing DHS to procure a “state-of-the-art” licensing system to make sure “suspicious activities” don’t go undetected between state departments and bureaus.

A Glen Mills spokesperson said school leadership supports the executive order and “looks forward to cooperating fully” with the new office and systems.

Read more about the overhauls here.

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