Santa Clara County’s child welfare agency has taken exception to findings in a critical Civil Grand Jury report that the county lacks urgency in improving care for high-needs foster teens.

Not only is the agency actively working on a state-ordered 5-year improvement plan — brought on by the fentanyl overdose death of baby Phoenix Castro — it is also partnering with other county departments to get it done, child welfare officials said in their response this week to the Grand Jury report made public earlier this month.

The county’s Department of Family and Children’s Services has been under intense scrutiny since baby Phoenix died after being sent home with her drug abusing father two years ago despite warnings from social workers she could be in danger there. Investigations by the Mercury

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