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Clay County approves replacement hire for child protection social worker
Summary
The board approved filling a vacant case-management social worker position in Child Protection Services. Social services staff described high turnover and secondary trauma in the field and said the position is fully budgeted as grade 18, step 3, with an expected new hire at step 1 yielding estimated salary savings of $6,899.
The Clay County Board of Commissioners voted July 8 to authorize hiring a replacement social worker in the Child Protection Services case-management unit after a staff resignation.
Quinn (Clay County Social Services) told the board the role handles case management that ensures child safety, court-related activities, mandated timelines and coordination with community partners. Quinn said child protection social workers face "high levels of secondary trauma" and administrative burdens that contribute to burnout; the average tenure for a county CPS worker, Quinn said, is 1.8 years and the departing staffer had served about 1.96 years.
Quinn provided wage information and said the position is budgeted as grade 18, step 3; a new hire would likely begin at step 1, "creating an approximate savings of $6,899," Quinn said. Quinn requested a backfill if possible to avoid additional strain on remaining staff.
Commissioner Abinger moved to approve the hiring and backfill; Commissioner Crabbinoff seconded. The chair called the vote and the motion carried.
Board members thanked CPS staff for difficult work and discussed supportive options such as reflective supervision and outside therapist resources to address secondary trauma. No specific peer-support program was adopted at the meeting.
The position was authorized to be filled, and social services will carry out recruitment under the existing budget and wage-step guidance.
