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Memorandum to Mike Ruffle, County Manager Page -2- 211 cases. The average caseload of 42 cases far exceeds the State standard of 16 cases (based on time and methods studies). Time these workers have available for investigations and treatment is further limited by the requirements that they provide 24-hour, seven day, on call service and backup for intake staff. An additional pressing problem is that the supervisor for this service currently supervises a total of nine social workers, several of whom work in other program areas. These same State standards recommend that a supervisor not be responsible for more than five Protective Services workers. Close supervision and support is required in this area of service. As a result of the tremendous increase in the caseload, the Department is unable to assure that it can protect children adequately and meet all legal requirements. It is imperative that measures be taken to strengthen the Department's capacity to provide Child Protective Services. It should be noted that the sharp increase in our caseload occurred after County budget requests for 89-90 were completed. Also, the problem is of such severity and importance that we feel it cannot wait until the next budget cycle. A careful ~ssessment has been done to determine how the recent State appropriation can be best used to help alleviate this problem. The following proposal has been developed: The services intake function will be radesigned for greater efficiency permitting a Grade 66-Step 2 Social Worker II position from a service area other than Protective Services to be reallocated to a Grade 69-Step 1 Social Worker Supervisor II. This will permit reorganization of the Services Division so that the Protective Services supervisor will have only 6.5 workers to supervise. This will cost a total of $1,521 for the period 12-15.-89 to 6-30-90. The annual cost for 90-91 would be $2,620. (Attached are organization diagrams depicting current and proposed structures.) 2) A new permanent full-time Grade 68-Step 1 Social Worker III position will be created and added to the Protective Services Unit to do investigations and treatment services. The 12-15-89 through 6-30-90 cost for this position will be $15~305. The annual cost for 90-91 would be $28,255. 3) A new Grade 66-Step I, part-time temporary Social Worker II position will be created and added to the Protective Services Unit to work 20 hours per week taking, assessing and documenting Protective Services reports. The 12-15-89 to 6-30-90 cost o~ this position would be $6,099. The annual cost of the position for 90-91 (should the County continue the position) would be $11,850. This proposal would utilize $22,925 of the $23,127 available to the County for the current year. It would make the best possible use of this available resource in responding to the critical need. For 90-91, the State funds available under this appropriation are pro~ected to be sufficient to cover the total additional cost of the supervisor position and the permanent full-time social worker position ($30,875