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<br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: John Day, County Manager <br />FROM: Jim Cook, DSS Director <br />DATE: 8-28-05 <br />SUBJECT: CPS Staffing Request for 9-1-05 BOC Work Session <br /> <br />I am asking that you arrange for me to bring a request to the BOC work <br />session scheduled for Thursday, September 1. The State has allocated <br />Cabarrus County funding for additional Child Protective Services (CPS) staff, and <br />is requesting a response as to our intent to use this funding by 9-9-05. I have <br />attached the materials which will be submitted for consideration at the Board's 9- <br />19-05 meeting. <br /> <br />BackQround <br /> <br />Last year, the General Assembly appropriated $5 million in recurring funds <br />to assist counties in meeting State CPS case load standards. We added three <br />Social Workers and one Supervisor for our CPS program last September from <br />the funds allocated to Cabarrus. The General Assembly has again made an <br />appropriation, this time $2 million, to enable those counties still below an average <br />caseload of 10 cases per worker, to add CPS Social Workers so that a new <br />program called the Multiple Response System (MRS) can be implemented <br />statewide. <br />The Multiple Response System improves the current CPS program by <br />dividing cases we work with into two categories: those families where children <br />are at relatively lower risk, and where parents can be helped through services <br />that are more preventive, supportive, and comprehensive than we have been <br />able to provide through traditional CPS services; and, those families where <br />children have been harmed or are at relatively higher risk, and where more the <br />traditional, directive, non-voluntary, CPS services are needed. Both service <br />approaches are designed to help families come to care for children well, to <br />involve extended family more, and to protect children more effectively. <br />Over half of North Carolina's counties now use the MRS model. Cabarrus <br />is scheduled for implementation this coming January. Implementation of MRS is <br />desirable and it is required. <br />Cabarrus County is one of 18 counties receiving funding from the new <br />State appropriation to add staff to bring caseloads down to the 10 case per <br />Social Worker average used in MRS. (See the enclosed Excel document from <br />the State entitled "Staffing Survey".) Cabarrus is allocated $232,555 annually for <br /> <br />Cabarrus County DSS 1303 South Canna!, Blvd Kannapolis, North Carolina 28083 <br />Telephone Number: 704-920-1400 FAX Number: 704-920-1401 <br /> <br />~-CJ <br />