HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09191989 - S.6 S. 6
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on September 19, 1989 by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, Schroder, McPeak, and Torlakson
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
SUBJECT: Social Worker Caseload Concerns
Chairman Torlakson noted the presence of a number of the
County' s Social Workers in the audience and requested Phil Batchelor,
the County Administrator, to comment on some of the issues relating to
the Social Workers ' caseload concerns.
The County Administrator acknowledged the Social Workers '
concerns with the caseload numbers, and declared that in comparing the
dedication and care and quality of service with other County' s, the
employees of this County are doing an exceptionally fine job. He
commented that there is a need to see that things don' t get worse, a
need to control the increasing numbers of people requesting help. He
noted that a symptom of society is that the cases are more severe and
complex than they were 10 or 20 years ago and that one of the concerns
is that it takes more time for each case.
The County Administrator noted that the Social Workers were
requesting the Board to put a cap on the number of cases in their
caseloads, but that that is not within the Board' s power because of
State and Federal regulations and the lack of adequate funding.
The County Administrator offered suggestions that he felt
may help alleviate the concerns and made the following
recommendations:
1. That an aggressive outreach program be initiated to try
to hire people more quickly, to make sure that the positions allocated
and appropriated have been filled as quickly as possible; and to work
with the State to develop a system to anticipate projected caseload
increases and to provide State funding for the 'staff necessary to
handle such caseloads.
2. That the hiring of the first installment of additional
eligibility workers be placed on the agenda for next week, and
additional eligibility workers be sought as State funding is
determined.
3. That representatives of Local 535 be invited to attend a
meeting between the Director of the State Department of Social
Services and County Management.
4. That representatives of Local 535 also meet with the
County and its legislative delegation to ask the legislature for help.
That the Lobbyist from Local 535 be requested to join with the
County' s Lobbyist to help introduce legislation that would recognize a
cap in terms of numbers; give some credit for the intensity or
severity of each case; and assure State funding levels which will
permit staffing sufficient to meet the individual caseload limits so
established.
Chairman Torlakson commented that the Board agreed with the
County Administrator' s recommendations, and noted that in terms of
actual process, it has been the long-standing policy of this Board to
have its negotiating team, through a standard identified process, work
with the labor organizations, and noted that the County' s negotiating
team is ready and available to meet with Local 535 to discuss its
concerns.
Supervisor Powers noted that he would move the adoption of
the County Administrator' s report, and support for the Chair' s
statement. The motion was seconded by Supervisor McPeak, and passed
unanimously.
I hereby Certify that this is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Super,4SOP 9.
on the date shown.
ATTESTED: .caJ--.+�-��•�•
PHIL BATCH OR,Clerk of the Board
of Supervisoro and County Administrator
By .Deputy
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cc: County Administrator
Director of Social Services
County Counsel
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