The same day Oklahomans received news that a national child advocacy organization was filing a class action lawsuit against the state of Oklahoma’s child welfare system, Senator Patrick Anderson’s SB 1525 was heard before the Senate Subcommittee on Human Services.
SB 1525, which mandates that child welfare caseloads not exceed the national standard, would require that an additional 197 workers are hired at a cost of $16.27 million.
Anderson referred to DHS Field Operations Division Director Larry Johnson, when asked about the effect of the bill.
“More staff would mean more visits, which would allow us to watch children more closely,” said Johnson. “The Child Welfare League of America establishes caseload standards based on the work that needs to be done.”
Senator Nancy Riley asked Janis Hendryx, Director of the Commission of Children and Youth, about the need for a caseload standard.
“I believe there are pockets where the caseloads are too high,” said Hendryx. “Child welfare needs to be a job that people can do well.”
“It is hard to keep up,” said Senator Judy Eason-McIntyre, a former child welfare worker. “If you miss one visit, you pray that nothing happens.”
“Workers come and go because the job is so challenging,” she concluded. “If anything goes wrong newspapers focus on the worker.”
The bill passed the committee with one dissenting vote, Senator John Ford.
“I have trouble with a national organization telling us what our caseloads should be,” said Ford.
Posted on
Friday, February 15, 2008
by Bud Elder