Frederick County approves three new social-services positions after state funding increase

The Frederick County Board of Supervisors voted July 8 to add three positions to the Department of Social Services, approving an appropriation of $354,997 that combines state, federal and local funds.

County officials said the change adds an assistant director for administrative services and two family service workers to address rising child-protective caseloads and to provide administrative support. The county’s local share of the appropriation is $137,163; state and federal funds cover $217,834.

The move follows a state review of local caseloads. Tammy Green, director of Frederick County Department of Social Services, told the board that the county’s average caseload for child-protective services workers runs between 17 and 22 referrals per worker per month, compared with an expected range of 10 to 12. “When our agency receives a Child Protective referral, we look at whether or not… it meets our criteria,” Green said, explaining the investigative and family-assessment tracks and noting that some investigations require reviewing hundreds of pages of documentation.

Green said the governor’s budget included funding to add two CPS workers to Frederick County and that the county must provide a 15.5% local match on the state allocation. She told supervisors the positions would be ongoing additions to the department’s budget.

County staff explained why the request was not included in the regular budget cycle: the county was considering changing social-services human-resources arrangements and the state’s reviewer who facilitates that change had left, and two required positions became available only late in the state budget process. County staff said that, because an assistant director announced an imminent departure, bringing the positions forward sooner would allow concurrent recruitment for both openings.

Supervisor comments during the meeting emphasized the department’s high caseloads and understaffing. “They are down 12 to 13 people,” Supervisor Dunn said, commending staff for carrying heavier loads. Board members praised the department and voted by roll call; Supervisors Jewell, Dunn, Wells, Vice Chair, Lockridge, Leerro and the chair recorded aye votes and the appropriation passed.

The board’s approval authorizes the county to advertise and fill the positions and adds the ongoing local match to Frederick County’s operating budget.

The county clerk’s minutes list the appropriation as $354,997 total, with $137,163 local dollars and $217,834 state and federal funds. The board moved and approved the appropriation by roll-call vote during the meeting.

The county did not set an implementation timetable during the July 8 meeting; staff said recruitment would begin after the appropriation was authorized and that the positions would remain in the budget on an ongoing basis.