PIERRE - State Corrections Secretary Tim Reisch is reviewing his department's foster care program in the wake of rape charges against a former legislator whose wife held a state contract for their Corson County home.

Reisch's scrutiny is in addition to a review by the state juvenile corrections monitor, John Ellis. Ellis is contacting each foster child in the corrections program as well as past participants.

The reviews stem from the arrest earlier this month of former state Rep. Ted Klaudt of Walker on rape charges and other crimes allegedly involving foster daughters who were, in some instances, legislative pages.

State lawmakers will begin an initial review of the legislative page program next week.

Klaudt has been charged with eight counts of second-degree rape, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of sexual contact with a child younger than 16, two counts of witness tampering and one count of stalking.

The girls told law officers that Klaudt touched their breasts and vaginal areas during what he called exams for a purported scheme to have them donate their eggs to make money, Attorney General Larry Long said in court documents.

The Corrections Department said Reisch is reviewing all policies and operational procedures involved in the program.

"Specific attention is being given toward developing any changes that would enhance our ability to monitor the living conditions and care rendered in each of these homes, as well as creating the continual opportunities for our kids to report any activity that may be inappropriate," said Dan Winder, DOC spokesman.

Ellis, the juvenile monitor, had interviewed all but "two or three of the kids currently in DOC foster care. I believe he plans on speaking with a sampling of kids that were formerly in foster care, also," Winder said.

State Rep. Jason Gant, R-Sioux Falls, said it will be interesting to find out whether the DOC or the Department of Social Services, which licenses foster homes, have recommendations for changes.

"I don't think the DOC did anything wrong in its program," Gant said.

"You can't guarantee there will never be problems like those reported. What we have to do is get as close to that guarantee as possible."

Sen. Bill Napoli, R-Rapid City, has called for an someone separate from all state agencies to review such situations. Still, the foster care program is important, he said.

"It's easy to forget that for every bad problem we have, there are 50 or 100 foster families out there doing everything they can to make sure these kids have a good, safe home," Napoli said.

Winder said the DOC is not considering eliminating the foster program.

"It serves as a valuable secondary placement option for certain kids, who for one reason or another cannot return home following their successful completion of a DOC or private program," he said.

Last week, the department reported 18 active contracted foster homes in 16 South Dakota communities. Twenty-three boys and nine girls are in the program.