Riverside County Department of Social Services Children's Service Division Child Protective Services, Blythe

Blythe CPS Office does not have reasonable access to community services and county support systems that are required to implement the vision and missions of the Children’s Service Division. Although money has been appropriated in the budget, the following services and support systems are not available in the Blythe Community: (cid:131) Foster Care Facility (cid:131) Temporary Shelter (cid:131) Sufficient number of staff (cid:131) Necessary Mental Health Department Support

The CPS, Blythe Office, does not have security-warning devices installed nor does it utilize an on-site security officer to provide protection for the staff. In more than one instance, angry parents or family members have threatened social workers.

Children who are removed from their home during late evening or early morning hours due to neglect or abuse are held in the CPS Office due to the unavailability of temporary shelters or Foster Care Facilities. A staff member must remain awake to ensure the child’s safety and well-being.

In Blythe there are no temporary shelters or Foster Care Facilities for child placement. Children who are removed from a home in Blythe, are transported by CPS staff members to Indio or more distance locations within Riverside County; i.e. Moreno Valley, Corona and Riverside. These trips can take up to 6-8 hours.

Blythe CPS staff, which transport children (mid-day to late evening) to cities in Western Riverside County, are expected to work their normal work schedule the following day without sufficient rest. 3

In 2003, Blythe CPS staff recorded 228 trips out of Blythe. Approximately seventy percent (70%) of these trips were made to seven (7) cities in Riverside County including Indio (85), Moreno Valley (17), Corona (12), Cathedral City (12), Desert Hot Springs (11), Rancho Mirage (10), and Riverside (11). The purpose of the trips were for: (cid:131) Family Visits (cid:131) Child Placement (cid:131) Court Appearances (cid:131) Staff Training

Children, who are removed from their home in Blythe due to neglect or abuse, linger in the Foster Care System while their parents enter Department of Mental Health programs for counseling to become more responsible parents, as required by the courts.

Blythe CPS staff were using vehicles later to be found defective to transport children to placement locations in Riverside County. On two (2) separate occasions while transporting children and family members CPS staff experienced major mechanical problems, including brake malfunction and parts falling off the vehicle.

Blythe CPS teleconferencing system, which is utilized for training and would reduce traveling to Indio, has been inoperative for approximately two years.

The Blythe CPS Office budgeted position and actual staffing are shown in the chart below: Positions Title Budgeted Actual Social Worker 5 3 Office Assistant 1 1 Receptionist 1 0 Social Service Assistant 1 1 Total 8 5 4