Social Worker Caseloads*

Conclusions 1

• CL1
  C-1. Average caseloads as defined by HSA are a moving target with no relationship from one month to the next. For instance, a social worker could have what is considered a reasonable number of 17 cases one month and have the same 17 cases considered excessive the next month. Using monthly averages as the basis of determining excessive caseloads is often misleading. A social worker could have a caseload not exceeding the monthly average by 10% yet still significantly exceed HSA's ideal caseload standards. (FA-06, FA-08, FA-12, FA-14) RESPONSE: Partially Disagree HSA disagrees that average caseloads as defined by HSA have no relationship from one month to the next and are misleading. Rather than automatically determining that a caseload above a particular number is "excessive," HSA supervisors and managers continuously monitor whether social worker caseloads are "manageable" (see Council on Accreditation's definition of a "manageable workload"), and take action if needed. For example, HSA may assign additional resources to assist with referrals or cases, and may offer overtime hours when possible and necessary to manage spikes in workload. In this regard, there is a relationship between average caseloads from one month to the next, since HSA strives to reduce higher caseloads – at times through the use of interns or non-case-carrying social workers who are not officially counted in ER and Ongoing FTE staff counts. C-2. Monthly caseload averages for ER social workers for 2016 exceeded standards suggested by the Council on Accreditation as manageable workloads. (FA-01, FA-02, FA- 05, FA-06) RESPONSE: Partially Disagree HSA disagrees with the conclusion that monthly caseload averages for ER social workers for 2016 exceeded standards suggested by the Council on Accreditation as manageable workloads, without consideration of the Council's full position on workload standards. In its Child Protective Services Personnel Standard 14.05, the Council emphasizes that caseloads may vary depending on social workers' exact duties, and places primary focus on ensuring workloads that are manageable given the particular environment: Interpretation: Case complexity can take into account: intensity of child and family needs, size of the family, and the goal of the case. Generally, investigative workers should manage no more than 12 active investigations at a time including no more than 8 new investigations per month. Ongoing and preventive services workers should be working with no more than 15-18 families (cases) at a time, with no more than 10 children that are in an out-of-home placement. However, there are circumstances under which caseloads may exceed these limits. For example, caseload size may vary depending upon the volume of administrative case functions (e.g., entering notes, filing, etc.) assigned to the worker (emphasis added). Caseloads may also be higher when organizations are faced with temporary vacancies on staff. New personnel should not carry independent caseloads prior to the completion of training. Note: The evaluation of this standard will focus on whether the assigned workload is manageable for staff, taking into account the factors cited in the standard and interpretation. The specific caseload sizes stated in the interpretation are only a suggestion of what might be appropriate. Each organization should determine what caseload size is appropriate (emphasis added), and reviewers will evaluate: (1) whether the organization's designated caseload size reflects a manageable workload, and (2) whether the organization maintains caseloads of the size it deemed appropriate. C-3. For all but two months of 2016, caseloads for ER social workers exceeded ideal caseloads as determined by HSA. In four months, caseloads were over the ideal by 30% or more. (FA-03, FA-07) RESPONSE: Agree The 2016-2019 MOA suggests caseloads in excess of 10% of the average monthly C-4. caseload are excessive. In six months of 2016, 25% or more of ER social workers had caseloads exceeding the average monthly caseload by 10%. (FA-04, FA-06, FA-08, FA-09, FA-10) C-01. RESPONSE: Agree C-5. Monthly caseload averages for Ongoing social workers for 2016 exceeded standards suggested by the Council on Accreditation as manageable workloads. (FA-01, FA-02, FA- 11, FA-12) RESPONSE: Partially Disagree HSA disagrees with the conclusion that monthly caseload averages for Ongoing social workers for 2016 exceeded standards suggested by the Council on Accreditation as manageable workloads, without consideration of the Council's full position on workload standards, for the same reasons cited above in HSA's response to C-02. C-6. For all 12 months of 2016, caseloads for Ongoing social workers exceeded ideal caseloads as determined by HSA. (FA-03, FA-13) RESPONSE: Agree . . The 2016-2019 MOA suggests caseloads in excess of 10% of the average monthly C-7. caseload are excessive. In two months of 2016, Ongoing social workers had caseloads exceeding the average monthly caseload by 10%. Some social workers carried caseloads 20% and even 30% higher than the average monthly caseload. (FA-04, FA-12, FA-14, FA- 15, FA-16) RESPONSE: Agree C-8. It is unclear investments in social worker staffing between 2014 and 2016 have resulted in HSA managing reasonable caseloads. Despite an increase in the number of ER social workers and a seven year decline in the number of cases, average caseloads in 2016 significantly exceeded standards suggested by the Council on Accreditation as well as those determined by HSA. (FA-07, FA-13, FA-17, FA-18, FA-19) RESPONSE: Partially Disagree HSA disagrees that average caseloads in 2016 significantly exceeded standards suggested by the Council on Accreditation as well as those determined by HSA. Over time, as the County has invested in additional social worker staff, the average caseloads for ER and Ongoing have dropped by 20% (from 19.4 in 2011 to 15.6 in 2016 for ER, and from 25.7 in 2011 to 20.5 in 2016 for Ongoing). These significant reductions have resulted in more manageable workloads for social workers. Both the Council on Accreditation and HSA place primary emphasis on ensuring manageable workloads, while using figures such as 12 or 13 referrals for ER social workers and 15-18 cases for Ongoing social workers as points of reference for monitoring purposes.