Gov. Tina Kotek fired the longtime director of the Oregon Youth Authority as the agency came under scrutiny for a backlog of mishandled abuse reports.
Joe O’Leary was fired on Wednesday, shortly before the Oregon Youth Authority revealed abuse complaints from kids placed in the agency’s care were mishandled or ignored for years. O’Leary’s firing and the abuse reports were first reported by The Oregon/Oregonlive.
“Joe O’Leary has been removed from his leave status and terminated,” Roxy Mayer, the governor’s spokeswoman confirmed in an email.
Jana McLellan will serve as interim director while the governor’s office leads a search for a permanent director. In an email to staff Thursday, McLellan told staff that O’Leary passionately advocated to improve Oregon’s juvenile justice system even before he joined the youth authority in 2013.
“OYA is better for the care and dedication Joe brought, and I’m personally grateful for his many valuable contributions,” McLellan wrote.
O’Leary initiated an investigation into the backlog of complaints two months ago, the governor’s office confirmed.
In the midst of this investigation, the agency’s head investigator overseeing the complaints, Raymond Byrd, resigned.
The youth authority is part of the state’s juvenile justice system. It oversees and operates five youth correctional facilities and four transitional facilities, including MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn.
The agency has come under fire recently and is facing several lawsuits accusing staff members of abuse and supervisors of failing to report abuse.
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