PHOENIX — A lack of structure in how the state’s child welfare agency decides whether someone is in danger leads to “poor documentation and subjective decision-making by caseworkers” on whether a child should be removed from a home, a new report says.
The study of the Department of Child Safety by the Auditor General’s Office faulted the agency for an inability to properly assess if a child is at risk or can be allowed to remain with the family. And it finds that the practices of the agency can result in ‘‘unnecessary child removals” from homes.
It also says the agency needs to do a better job of training both caseworkers and supervisors.
The report comes on the heels of DCS Director Greg McKay admitting to state lawmakers that his agency, formed more than a year ago, has made no real progress in reducing the backlog of “inactive” cases. These are open cases where no social worker or staffer has looked at the file — or looked in on the child — in at least 60 days.
In June 2014 there were 13,024 such cases. While many have been addressed, new ones keep getting added to the list.
Agency spokesman Doug Nick said the current figure stands at about 15,000.
What makes that significant is the increase comes despite the fact lawmakers gave DCS more than $23 million to deal with the problem. That is on top of another nearly $6 million in federal dollars.
McKay, testifying before a legislative committee earlier this week, said “the money was not well spent.” He said the goal is “not attainable because of the capacity of the organization,” with about a thousand caseworkers and 52,000 calls a year coming in to the agency, up from fewer than 34,000 in 2010.
Rep. Kate Brophy McGee, R-Phoenix, said the agency is going to contract with private organizations to clear up that backlog. She said that involves more than just looking at the file but instead placing “eyes on the child” to evaluate the situation.
Brophy McGee, who has taken the lead at the Capitol on matters involving DCS, said the situation cannot continue.
“If we don’t get rid of this backlog it will sink us,” she said.
She also said the report of the auditors is on point. “There’s consistently been inconsistency and a lack of training,” Brophy McGee said.
She also said there is a “lack of tools in the toolbox” to enable children to be kept in the home with additional support services, “keep the child safe and get the family back on track.”
“What I continue to see, from caseworker to caseworkers, is they’re all trying as hard as they can,” she said. “But there’s not a consistent approach.”
In the report, the Auditor General’s Office said the procedures given to caseworkers to assess the risk to any given child do not effectively tell them what information should be considered and what should be ignored. That, the report says “could lead to poor and inconsistent decision making.”
It also says staffers did not consistently document information. The auditors said the agency’s safety planning practices “may also be inadequate.”
Auditors said DCS has a team meeting, including the family, to consider the safety plans for a child, including the possibility of removal from the home. At that meeting, the report says, participants can discuss all their safety concerns.
“Although caseworkers and supervisors should come to these meeting with open minds, some indicated that they come with their decision already made regarding the child-removal decision and may not adequately engage with families during the meeting,” the report says. “This approach is counterproductive and may result in unnecessary child removals.”
In response to the report, McKay said he agreed with all of the recommendations and is moving to implement changes.
Daniel Scarpinato, press aide to Gov. Doug Ducey, said his boss is reviewing the findings and is confident that McKay is implementing reforms. Scarpinato also said the governor is committed to providing more dollars for the agency next budget year.
