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HHS board approves converting vacant early intervention educator job into CLTS/Birth‑to‑3 case manager
Summary
The board approved eliminating a long‑vacant early intervention special educator position and creating a 40‑hour children's long‑term support (CLTS) / Birth‑to‑3 case manager role, funded through billable Medicaid/CLTS and CCS revenue streams, to reduce caseloads.
The Richland County Health and Human Services Board approved April 14 a staffing change to address high caseloads in Birth‑to‑3 and children’s long‑term support services: the board voted to eliminate an early intervention special educator position and replace it with a 40‑hour per week CLTS/Birth‑to‑3 case manager position.
Miranda (program staff) told the board Birth‑to‑3 and CLTS caseloads are higher than state averages and that converting a position that has not been filled for about 10 years would reduce average caseloads from roughly 45–49 clients per worker to about 32 clients per worker for the new case manager position. The change would increase an existing 35‑hour position to 40 hours and create billable activities that the county can reimburse through CLTS case‑management waiver funding, Children’s Community Options, Medicaid Birth‑to‑3 case management and CCS funding, Miranda said.
A department staff member added that the conversion allows the county to capture additional revenue because the new position’s activities are billable in ways the educator role was not, and that local school districts or CESAs can provide educator services to meet the educator need through contracts if required.
Board member Timothy Gotchell moved approval; Cindy Chicker seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.
Thorson said the position was not included in the 2022 budget but staff provided a narrative showing funding sources that would fully fund the new position through billable reimbursements.
The board approved the personnel change and directed staff to proceed with recruitment and billing setup consistent with the identified funding streams.
