Dept. of Child Services failing to comply with caseload mandates in 18 of 19 regions

The Department of Child Services delivered its annual report to the State Budget Committee in Lafayette on Friday. The presentation comes amid recent developments, including an announcement that the Department would hire 113 additional family case managers to meet the rising tide of abuse and neglect among Indiana’s most vulnerable children and that the agency remains out of compliance with state law mandating caseload limits in 18 of DCS’s 19 geographical regions.

FY2015 DCS Annual Budget Committee Report>>

Struggling to meet the demand

In November 2014 DCS reported that the agency was out of compliance with state law requiring family case managers to maintain caseloads of no more than 12 investigations into child abuse and neglect and 17 ongoing cases in 18 of DCS’s 19 geographical regions. Senate Democrats have maintained that higher than legally-permitted caseloads put an unneeded burden on family case managers (FCM) already grappling with difficult responsibilities.

Since then, the agency has worked closely with Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane and members of the Senate Democratic Caucus to address concerns. Those efforts included the hiring of 100 additional case managers at the end of the 2015 legislative session and ongoing face-to-face meetings with key Department staff on needed structural reforms.

Rising reports of child abuse and neglect

The agency and its case managers continue to face mounting reports of child abuse and neglect. In 2009, DCS detailed 109,489 reports of alleged child and abuse. That number rose to 187,475 in 2013, an increase of 71 percent. In 2014, DCS’s centralized hotline received 198,684 allegations of child abuse or neglect, an increase of 5.9 percent from 2013.

Indiana Dept. of Child Services 1217 Weighted Caseload Report for SFY15

CLICK for an interactive look at DCS caseloads around the state.

In their Budget Committee report, DCS officials noted that the number of investigative and ongoing cases family case managers are handling jumped dramatically. At the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, DCS had 21,891 ongoing cases compared to 17,471 at the end of FY2014, an increase of 25.2 percent.

As a result of rising caseloads and staffing shortfalls, DCS continues to fail to comply with state law in 18 of the 19 geographical regions.

Staff turnover

DCS leadership also reported an increase in negative staff turnover – the percentage of family case managers leaving the agency entirely – in FY2015. In a press conference Thursday, the Department acknowledged a negative staff turnover rate of nearly 20 percent, peaking in April 2015 at 20 percent. That’s more than an 18 percent increase in negative staff turnover from FY14 when 16.9 percent of family case managers left the Department. In exit interviews, FCMs note the top three reasons for leaving were: job pressure and work-related stress; workload (working conditions/schedule); and family circumstances.

Structural reform

To address caseloads, turnover and other structural issues raised by both Senate Democrats and confirmed in a March 2015 report from Deloitte Consulting, the Department has embarked on a number of promising reforms.

READ letter from Sen. Lanane to DCS officials requesting information on progress made toward structural reforms laid out in Deloitte report>>

For instance, DCS employees will have access to three free, confidential in-person counseling visits with a licensed therapist, per issue, per year, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Those same services will extend to members of employees’ household. The Department is moving forward with other initiatives, including more thorough supervisor and technology training, a high-level point person overseeing reforms, and forward-looking hiring processes among others.

Moving forward, Senate Democrats will continue to work with DCS staff to achieve their long-term goal of making sure Hoosier children are protected.

LANANE: DCS case worker hiring only the beginning

INDIANAPOLIS – Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) released the following statement regarding the governor’s announcement concerning the Department of Child Services (DCS).

“Today we must recognize that while this is progress, we are only now achieving the bare minimum required by law to protect children.

“Hoosiers know the minimum isn’t enough.

“There are still areas of the state where significant gaps exist, where family case managers are handling many times the number of cases legally permitted under the law.

“The unthinkable burden this circumstance places on case managers and the children and families they are charged with protecting is inexcusable.

“This is encouraging progress, but we have a long way to go.

“Ensuring that new and existing caseworkers receive the training, guidance and support they need in an environment that reduces burnout and enhances continuity is ultimately what we must achieve.

 “Senate Democrats will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with the Department of Child Services and will remain a committed legislative partner in the effort to protect our most vulnerable.

“Protecting neglected and abused children is of the highest priority. We cannot continue to pad the surplus while leaving our most vulnerable Hoosiers behind.

“This is only the beginning. The true test of the governor’s commitment comes now, over the weeks and months it will take to make the structural changes required.”

Lanane updates media regarding DCS caseworker shortage

Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) held an media availability in response to the governor’s request to hire 100 new Department of Child Services (DCS) caseworkers bringing the state into compliance with current caseload standards. Sen. Lanane initially raised concerns after a November budget meeting showed DCS was out of compliance with state law. Since then, he has led the effort to ensure appropriate caseload standards are met.

Statehouse Update: DCS understaffing and caseload management

The Department of Child Services (DCS) was established in January 2005 by an executive order of Governor Mitch Daniels to provide more direct attention and oversight in two critical areas: protection of children and child support enforcement.

That same year, the legislature approved funding for the new agency in the state’s budget and enacted best practices for caseload management of family case managers. Family case managers are tasked with investigating and serving abused and neglected children and their families.

A legislative working group determined that the Child Welfare League of America’s (CWLA) recommendations for caseload management would be adopted to ensure that every child and family in need of services is properly cared for. Those standards state that each case manager shall have no more than 12 active cases relating to initial assessments of child abuse and neglect cases, and 17 children monitored and supervised in ongoing cases. These caseload standards are commonly referred to as the 12/17 caseload standards. DCS has experienced staffing problems in the past and has had difficulty meeting these standards.

At a December Budget Agency hearing, DCS officials stated that only 1 of the state’s 19 regions were currently in compliance with the state law mandating the 12/17 caseload standards. They went on to say that DCS would need an additional 77 family case managers across the state in order to meet the requirement. However, the agency did not request any additional funding to hire the case managers needed to be comply with the law, and instead suggested a study of the standards.

DCS testified that reports to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline rose 71 percent in 6 years and Hotline staff fielded nearly 190,000 reports in 2013. The Hotline received an average of 539 calls per weekday in 2013. From 2013 to 2014, the number of Children in Need of Services (CHINS) cases rose nearly 8 percent from 13,684 to 14,763. The state of Indiana defines a Child in Need of Services as a minor who has experienced abuse, neglect, sexual abuse or other negative conditions. A full definition is available here, In their presentation, DCS officials also noted the agency was wrestling with negative turnover among its family case managers. More than 1 in 6 family case managers left the agency altogether in 2013. The top reasons cited for leaving DCS were job pressure/work-related stress and workload.

Senate Democrat Leader Tim Lanane wrote a letter to the governor raising concern with DCS’s refusal to meet standards enacted to protect children. Senator Lanane wrote a letter to DCS Director Bonaventura requesting more information regarding the agency’s 12/17 compliance in advance of their meeting to discuss issues surrounding DCS. The meeting is scheduled for December 16.

Indiana counties’ compliance with the 12/17 caseload standards and how many family case managers are needed to meet the standards.

Lanane, Senate Democrats continue push for DCS funding

On Monday, Senate Democrat Leader Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) called on Governor Mike Pence to hire more Department of Child Services caseworkers. In a press conference, Lanane pushed the governor to meet caseload standards mandated by state law.

Lanane to governor: Commit to protecting children, hiring DCS caseworkers

On Monday, Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) called on Governor Mike Pence to hire more Department of Child Services caseworkers. In a press conference, Lanane pushed the governor to meet caseload standards mandated by state law.

“The governor has an opportunity during the State of the State to make clear his commitment to protecting Hoosier children,” said Lanane. “It’s time to do the right thing and give DCS the resources it needs to hire the 77 caseworkers and comply with the law.”

During a November State Budget Committee hearing, the Department of Child Services admitted the agency was out of compliance with state statute limiting family case manager caseloads. Even after correspondence with the governor highlighting the issue and a meeting with DCS Director Mary Beth Bonaventura in December, the governor still omitted additional case manager funding in his recently-announced state budget proposal. For additional background information regarding DCS under-staffing and caseload management, follow this link>>

“Senate Democrats are open to taking a look at caseload standards,” said Lanane. “But in the meantime, the law is the law and we must do what it takes to ensure the safety of children.”

The Governor will give his State of the State address Tuesday at 7 P.M. from the Indiana Statehouse.

Below you can find audio and video of Sen. Lanane’s press conference: