CWA Fighting Social Service Cuts In Missouri

The News-Leader:

 Lawmakers, caseworkers and children’s advocates agree that a measure called Gavin’s Law is a positive step for improving child abuse investigations.

But some of those same people worry that, due to years of budget cuts, the Department of Social Services may not have enough staff to properly handle the law’s new requirements.

Gov. Jay Nixon is reviewing the proposed legislation, which was approved on the final day of the 2012 legislative session. It is named for 18-month-old Gavin Jordan, a Greene County toddler who was killed by his mother’s boyfriend in 2005.

The fiscal 2013 state budget will cut 46 full-time positions from the Department of Social Services. Many of those are currently vacant positions.

Additionally, the Department of Social Services will have more than 700 fewer staff members overall in the fiscal 2013 budget — 7,219 full-time staff — compared to staffing levels in fiscal 2010 — 7,982 employees.

Seth Bundy, a Social Services Department spokesman, declined to comment on the impact of the budget cuts.

“We are still reviewing the budget and its impacts,” Bundy said in an emailed statement to the News-Leader.

Bundy also declined to comment on the effect of Gavin’s Bill on the department, because Nixon has not signed the bill into law yet.

The additional duties of Gavin’s Law will be something caseworkers will “have to adapt to,” said Bradley Harmon, the president of the Communications Workers Local 6355, which represents Social Services workers.

But Harmon also said he’s worried that the division is still short-staffed due to cuts and frequent turnover. In Greene County, for example, there are just 11 available caseworkers to handle hotline calls. The county is supposed to have 35 people, Harmon said.

Harmon said lawmakers should consider boosting department funding whenever they add new requirements.