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CABARRU$ COUNTY <br /> Department o[ Social Services <br /> P.O. Box 668 <br /> ~t C~v~.Y Concord. North Cato ina 28026-0668 <br /> Telephone:' (70.1) 786-7141 James F. Cook, Jr. <br /> Director <br /> <br /> September 28, 1988 <br /> <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> <br /> TO: James Lentz, Interim County Manager //~ <br /> FROM: Jim Cook, Director of Social Services~.~ ~ ' <br /> <br /> - I am writing to request tbat'the Board of Commissioners, at its October 3, 1988 <br /> meeting, authorize the reclassification of a vacant Community Social Service Assistant <br /> (Homemaker) position currently budgeted at Grade 56, Step 2 t6 an Incomm'Maintenance <br /> Caseworker II, Grade 63, Step 1 in order to help to meet a Critical overload df work <br /> we are experiencing in our Aid t6 Families with Dependent Children IAFDC) Program. <br /> <br /> The increased cost, $5,658 in salary on an asnual basis or $4,244 for October <br /> through June, can be absorbed in the existing budget. <br /> <br /> Primarily due to the provisions of the Family Assistance Act mlacted by the <br /> General Assembly in its 1987 session, the AFDC caseload has increased substantially. <br /> Between January and September, the caseload increased from 522 to 633 cases. In <br /> order to increase inceetives to AFDC recipients to secure employment, the Family <br /> Assistance Act permits many of the~ to continue to receive a portiou of their AFDC <br /> paymene for up re a year after beginning working (ie., in lower paying jobs.) As a <br /> result, we are not terminating as many cases as rapidly as in the past. <br /> <br /> This has resulted iu a very serious overload of work in the AFDC Unit. The six <br />workers who process applications and reviews there were overloaded prior to this <br />l~test increase in the caseload. Now, 3.6 additional workers would be needed to <br />bring our caseloads into line with State standards. Each of these workers is carrying <br />an average of 20 applications per month (a workload in i~self) in addition to 106 <br />review cases. <br /> <br /> As you are aware, our staff has compiled an outstanding record of accuracy and <br />compliance with legal requirements in spite of heavy caseloads. Because of this <br />overload, we are now at a point of not being able to manage the work without <br />additional help in this area. <br /> <br /> Please advise me if [ need to provide additional information. <br /> <br />cc: Blair Bennett <br /> <br /> <br />