Update: THE GOVERNOR HEARD YOU!!
On December 1, 2000 a group of 37 child advocates at a Child Advocacy Planning Retreat delivered a letter (see below) to Governor Roy Barnes in support of several key child welfare provisions in the FY2002 Department of Human Resources budget request. The letter was posted here and within 45 days it had collected an additional 671 signatures from child advocates all around the state of Georgia. We stopped taking signatures on the letter on January 14, 2001.
On January 11, 2001 this follow-up message went out on the Barton Clinic's CPS mailing list:
Dear Child Advocates,At 11 AM today, Governor Barnes delivered his budget request to the legislature.
In the Governor's speech outlining his recommendations for the FY2002 budget, he stated "We must make wise choices as to how we invest in the future." After acknowledging that "children are our greatest asset", and our future, Barnes outlined the most generous budget package addressing Georgia's child welfare system in this state's recent history.
Barnes stated that he is recommending $32 million new dollars to improve the Child Protective Services (CPS) system and to give the workers the resources they need. When the federal match for these dollars is included, the total package for CPS comes to $42 million.
Included in this package is funding to implement a salary scale in DFCS with graduated salaries based on the level of experience and education of workers. This salary scale will include starting salaries between 6% and 18% higher than current starting salaries, depending on the job duties and education levels of the workers. In addition, current workers will receive a 5% salary adjustment for all social services case managers who perform child protection investigations and placement activities, and a 10% salary adjustment for social services case managers with a Masters Degree in social work. Governor Barnes also recommends adding 100 additional caseworker positions.
The Governor recommends a raise in Special Assistant Attorney General (SAAG) hourly rates, from $45.00/hour to $60.00/hour.
The Governor recommends $5.2 million to raise foster care per diems, including a graduated per diem based on the child's age. The new rates will be $12.75/day for birth - age 5, $13.50/day for ages 6-12, and $14.25 for ages 13-18. He also recommends a 4% increase in institutional foster care rates, adding 134 MATCH slots for children, increasing MATCH provider rates by 4% and adding a variety of additional placements for children, as well as respite care for foster families.
The Governor included recommendations for the creation of 12 specially trained staff to investigate child fatalities and cases of alleged abuse in foster homes. He also recommends 4 additional staff positions for training and support of caseworkers.
Other items he mentioned specifically in his budget address include $100,000.00 for CASA and $250,000.00 to evaluate strategies to prevent child abuse by offering in-home visitor services to at-risk families.
Please check back here at ChildWelfare.net soon for a summary of child welfare provisions in the Governor's FY2002 budget proposal.
Original Letter of Support from
Child Advocacy Planning Retreat Participants
to Governor Roy Barnes
Honorable Roy Barnes
Governor, State of Georgia
State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30303
Dear Governor Barnes:
We, as stakeholders in the child protection system, recognize your leadership and initiatives for change. We join you in your concern for our children and advocate for immediate action and resources to remedy the crisis and collapse of our system.
You have a budget request from DHR on your desk to improve and strengthen the child protective system. During our meeting on December 1, 2000, we agreed that the following items are critical to the welfare of our children.
- Increase and fund the number of positions for social services case management staff to move Georgia toward compliance with the caseload standards adopted by the Child Welfare League of America. We support the DHR budget request to add 196 social services case management staff for 2001, with the goal of adding 588 social services case management staff over the next 3 years. Estimated cost: $7.9 million.
- Increase salaries of our social services case management staff. Estimated cost: $11.5 million.
- Increase the hourly rates for Special Assistant Attorney Generals to $60 per hour. Estimated cost: $1.14 million.
- Increase resources to allow the development of appropriate levels of care within foster placement (MATCH rate and slots, institutionally supervised family foster care, emergency foster care and in home services, foster care per diem, institutional rate, adoption assistance, additional support to foster children based on child's age, respite care). Estimated cost: $11.3 million.
- Invest at least $2.9 million as requested for training and education of our social services case management staff.
We know you understand these are only first steps for change in Georgia. We will advocate and monitor the progress of our system toward achieving these goals. We urge your continued support and invite you to participate in this dialogue as we strive to bring excellence to our child protection system.
cc: Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor, Sen. Terrell Starr, House Speaker Tom Murphy, Rep. Terry Coleman, Sen. George Hooks, Rep. Larry Walker, Sen. Charles Walker, Rep. Tom Buck
Original Signatories:
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The Final Tally: 671 Child Advocates from across Georgia signed on to this letter with us!
The sign-off closed on January 14, 2001.The original letter with the web signatures has been preserved here.
Thank you for all of your support.
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Emory University School of Law, Gambrell Hall, Atlanta, GA 30322, (404) 727-6664.