LA COUNTY DCFS: “BRING DOWN OUR WORKLOAD AND CASELOAD!” 

Social workers at LA County’s Department of Children and Family Services bargained hard for an MOU that clearly specified what our caseloads should be and our timeline for achieving them. But the department has not met these goals.

On average, social workers in the Resource Family Support and Permanency Division (RFSPD) carry more than 80 case each and some are topping at 115. It’s unacceptable and we need to say so.

DCFS already was lagging, since 2018, on this issue prior to the novel Coronavirus pandemic. Now with all the budget challenges caused by COVID-19, the department is holding off on filling existing CSW and SCSW vacancies.

Meanwhile, demand for our services has not decreased. In fact, given the effects of the pandemic, it is expected to rise.

SIGN THE PETITION TO “BRING OUR WORKLOADS AND CASELOADS DOWN!”

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To the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS):

We, the undersigned, send this petition to demand immediate caseload relief and that the Department abide by its commitment on purification. 



In accordance with the provision in Appendix D of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for SEIU Bargaining Unit 723, Children’s Social Workers, the Joint Labor Management Caseload Accountability Panel (CAP) convened discussions to establish caseload goals for Resource Family Support and Permanency Division (RFSPD). The CAP subgroup was able to successfully reach consensus on targeted caseload goals, and mutual agreement to progressively work towards implementation of RFSPD caseloads goals as follows:



Resource Family Support and Permanency Division (RFSPD)

* The yardstick and CAP are eliminated effective 2019 *

Adoptive Placement (AP) — maximum caseload = 45

Matching Monitoring and Support (MMS) — maximum caseload = 45

Caregiver Maintenance and Support (CMS) — maximum caseload = 55



To date, the aforementioned caseload goals have not been met, and on average, social workers in RFSPD carry 80+ cases, which are topping at 115. With the extremely high caseloads, workers cannot service all the children and resource parents that we are tasked with protecting and supporting. 



Since 2014, caseloads have progressively increased beyond the MOU caseload yardstick, then over caseload maximum (CAP). The Division has been plagued with constant changes in Administration, poor communication and gross mismanagement which have led to grievances, lack of efficiency and use of resources, skyrocketing workloads and harm to services for children and families. 



Deputy Director Karen Richardson and then-Division Chief Daniel Svedas were both involved in the Grievance hearing in 2017 where SEIU demanded that CMS cases not be assigned until the Division complied with the MOU caseload numbers. The Division proceeded with the assignment of CMS cases despite caseloads already being in violation of the MOU CAP. 



Furthermore, after the caseload side letter agreement was ratified for the Adoptions Division (renamed RFSPD), caseloads have further continued to increase without any real caseload relief. While Jennifer Lopez tried under her tenure as Division Chief to purify caseloads, over one year has passed since the CAP mandated that the process begin and it is still not nearly complete.



The Division needs 200 additional CSW’s to be MOU compliant. Yet for the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 budget, Division Chief Rhonda David-Shirley has requested only 54 new CSW items. This is not enough. Child safety is at risk. 



Now with the budget threats imposed by the novel Coronavirus, existing vacancies are going unfilled and workers fear they will again be asked to wait and hope the Department will one day fulfill its promises and MOU commitments. 



We are in a crisis. We need caseload relief and real leadership which will make direct improvements to address safety, permanency and well-being for children and the families we serve. The work of CSWs and SCSWs in the RFSPD is meaningful, difficult and rewarding – and it positively impacts families and communities forever. 



The following are members of the RSFPD who are demanding immediate caseload purification and relief in compliance with the MOU side letter agreement signed by the LA County Chief Executive Officer on April 12, 2019.

Sincerely,


The RFSPD Labor Management Committee