Agenda

Return

C. 40

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Date:	February 7, 2023

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Add three (3) FTE Social Casework Assistant (XDVB) in the Children and Families Services Bureau of the Employment and Human Services Department.

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 02/07/2023

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Ken Carlson, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Bao Tran, (925) 608-5027

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: February 7, 2023
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26102 to add three (3) Social Casework Assistant (XDVB) (represented) positions at Salary Plan and Grade 255 1434 ($6,086 – $7,398) and cancel one (1) Eligibility Worker I (XHWA) (represented) position number 4581 at Salary Plan and Grade 255 0948 ($3,637 – $4,420), one (1) Clerk-Experienced Level (JWXB) (represented) position number 4150 at Salary Plan and Grade 3RH 0750 ($3,571– $4,431), and one (1) Children’s Clerical Specialist (J9SC) (represented) position number 3970 at Salary Plan and Grade 3R5 1092 ($4,194– $5,902) in the Children and Families Services Bureau of the Employment and Human Services Department.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Upon approval of this position there is a County cost of $2,903.38 for fiscal year FY 22-23. This position is funded with 28% Federal and 68 % State revenue, and a 4% net County cost. The annual pension cost is approximately $113,997.

BACKGROUND:

Employment and Human Services Department reviewed the classifications including job skills and abilities and job duties and recommends that a Social Casework Assistant position be added to Children and Family Services and an Eligibility Worker II position canceled.

Social Casework Assistants (SCA) perform services such as visitation supervision, parent training, home visits, transportation, relative notification, family finding, placement support; all of which are mandated services for Child Welfare to provide in order to meet the "reasonable efforts" findings in court hearings. These services are necessary to ensure the agency meets our legal obligation to assist families in meeting the needs of their children to return home or to remain home safely.

The Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) (AB 403) passed by the State Legislature is a major initiative with a significant workload impact. In order to comply with the mandates of this legislation, we will need to build an infrastructure for a robust recruitment, family finding and respite program in order to place children in a family setting and not in residential group care. SCA will perform these functions for the agency allowing social workers to focus on family service delivery and risk assessment.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If these positions are not added Children and Family Services will have insufficient staff to adequately ensure state mandated compliance requirements are met. The children will be at risk of experiencing multiple placement changes and remaining in long term foster care.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

These services are essential to the children’s ability to receive services and reunify with their families in a timely manner. Their placement options with birth families and kin providers will increase, therefore avoiding placements in stranger care and group home facilities. The children will avoid long term foster care and have more stable placements that will result in permanent situations such as legal guardianship and adoption.