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<br />CASSCOUNlY <br />GOVERNMENT <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />Social Services <br /> <br />Kathy Hogan <br />Executive Director <br /> <br />Adult Services <br />701-241-5747 <br /> <br />Fax 701-239-6821 <br /> <br />Family & Children Services <br />701-241-5765 <br /> <br />Fax 701-241-5775 <br /> <br />P.O. Box 3106 <br />Fargo, ND 58108 <br /> <br />. . . <br /> <br />Administration <br />701-241-5761 <br /> <br />Economic Assistance <br />701-241-5761 <br /> <br />Fax 701-239-6820 <br /> <br />P.O. Box 2986 <br />Fargo, ND 58108 <br /> <br />Agenda item #5.a. <br /> <br />To: <br />From: <br />Re: <br />Date: <br /> <br />Cass County Social Service Board <br />Kathy Hogan <br />Emergency coverage <br />June 23, 2007 <br /> <br />The Family Based Service Unit (foster care case management staff) has a serious <br />staffing problem because of three long term absences. The family based units have a <br />total of 16 FTE's. National caseload standards for each position are 12-15 children in <br />foster care for each worker. On June 18, 2007 the average caseload size for each <br />worker was 18. The week of June 18th - 14 children were placed in foster care- <br />resulting in an increase of almost one child per worker. <br /> <br />In addition to the routine challenges of large caseloads, the federal and state <br />governments are revising the basic standards of practice related to the Federal <br />Children and Family Service Review which will be conducted in Cass County in April <br />2008. Many of the new policy requirements are very staff intensive. For example, <br />new visitation requirements were finalized in June. These requirements will mean <br />significantly more staff travel and additional documentation. The new standards have <br />additional relative search requirements. These activities are also very staff intensive <br />and complex. <br /> <br />The anticipated staff absences are as follows: <br /> <br />Employee 1 <br />Employee 2 <br />Employee 3 (.5 FTE) <br /> <br />July 1- October 1 <br />August 1 - September 1 <br />September 1 - December 1 <br /> <br />After reviewing the various options with the Family Service Division supervisors, we <br />are recommending the following steps to assure minimum case management activities <br />are provided. <br /> <br />1. <br /> <br />Assign a summer intern five cases - July 1 through August 10th <br />Supervisory staff will pick up coverage from August 10th-Oct 1. <br />Hire temporary emergency social worker for up to 380 hours. The <br />emergency hire from last winter is child welfare certified so she <br />meets the state standards but she will require some additional <br />training. This position will be assigned 15 cases. This will cost $8,300. <br />Remaining staff may be assigned some cases for coverage. <br />Hopefully, the 60+ children in the custody of the Department of Human <br />Services will be transferred by October 1, 2007 providing some relief. <br /> <br />2. <br /> <br />3. <br />4. <br /> <br />One of the positions that Mr. Ammerman has requested for 2008 is a back-up position <br />to provide coverage during extended absences. This is the third time in 18 months the <br />family service unit has faced this type of situation with multiple absences in a work <br />unit. <br /> <br />TDD 701-239-6784 Proposed motion: <br />Move to approve the hiring ofa temporary social worker for up to 380 hours from July <br />CassCountyGovemmentAnnex 1,2007 to October 1, 2007. This will modify the budget by a $8,300 in the <br />1010 _ 2nd Avenue South temporary salary line item. <br />Fargo, North Dakota 58103 <br />