Rio Blanco County delays hiring decisions after lengthy DHS staffing review; requests written justification

RIO BLANCO COUNTY, Colo. — The Rio Blanco County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 28 heard a detailed presentation from Department of Human Services (DHS) staff about strained caseworker capacity, budget overruns and options for child-support services, but took no immediate hiring action.

Carmen (DHS staff) told commissioners the department was operating with two caseworkers plus an APS worker, a supervisor and a case aide and described multiple active investigations and prevention cases. She said the office had exceeded its overtime budget: "We were budgeted for $3,000 for the year, and we've used $5,315.74," she said, citing the department’s payroll figures.

The matter drew extensive questions from commissioners about whether the frozen position is included in the 2026 budget, the department’s current caseload counts, and whether any imminent resignations would create further vacancies. Carmen said one additional caseworker was already vacant and a second vacancy was possible, and that staffing shortfalls had increased overtime and disrupted visitations and other services.

Commissioners did not vote to unfreeze the position at the meeting. Instead they directed DHS to provide a written justification that lists caseload counts, the reasons the position is needed, and confirmation of whether the vacancy appears as an authorized but frozen line in the county’s budget/vacancy list maintained by finance. Finance staff (Laura) was asked to verify whether the social caseworker 3 vacancy remains in the county’s vacancies listing.

Separately, the board considered whether to bring child-support enforcement work back in-house or continue a shared-services contract with Garfield County. Carmen and Laura reviewed contract figures and state cost-share rules. County staff said the Garfield contract costs presented for the state fiscal year were $77,615.35 and that an interim amount through Dec. 31 was $68,512.53. Staff explained the federal/state cost-share for child-support enforcement is typically paid at roughly a 66/33 split (federal/state versus county share), and that some program incentives were currently flowing to the contractor.

Commissioners discussed trade-offs: bringing the position in-house could enable face-to-face service and local control but would require recruitment, training and a budgeted FTE; keeping the service under Garfield County avoids near-term recruitment costs and leverages an established operation but may become more expensive if Garfield raises its contract rate. County finance staff estimated a 30-hour child-support technician in-house could be budgeted at roughly $77,615.35 including benefits (annualized) using current salary assumptions. Commissioners and DHS staff also discussed hybrid or training arrangements but noted the state reimbursement rules would not cover two simultaneously reimbursed technicians.

The board’s direction was to continue the county’s current contract arrangement with Garfield County through the end of the state fiscal year while the county “put out feelers” for local candidates and prepare budget documentation. Commissioners asked DHS to return with the written justification and confirmation from finance so the board can reconsider the frozen caseworker and any staffing changes early next year; several commissioners suggested revisiting the issue in March ahead of the mid-year/budget decisions.

Why it matters: DHS staffing levels affect response times for child-welfare cases, foster-care supervision and eligibility work. Reopening a frozen position without a clear budget path can increase county costs; conversely, continuing with an out-of-county contractor limits local control.

What’s next: DHS will submit a written justification and budget verification. Commissioners will revisit the hiring question early next year and watch the Garfield contract through the state fiscal-year cycle.