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Board hears caseload rise in child welfare, staffing additions and space concerns for Cass County zone
Summary
Board was told CPS assessments stand at 338 open cases this week and the zone is on track for about a 10% increase in case assignments year over year; members discussed hiring trainers, placement coordinators, transporters and seeking additional FTEs to handle rising workloads and future space needs tied to projected county growth.
Board leadership presented child‑welfare and operations data showing rising workload pressure and described steps the zone is taking to respond.
The chair told members that the zone had 338 open CPS assessment cases at the start of the week and that an internal analysis prepared by manager Carissa suggested the zone is on track for roughly a 10% increase in case assignments from 2024 to 2025. The chair also recited year‑end 2024 totals: 1,890 cases, 873 additional reports and 1,674 cases closed. Through November of the current reporting year the zone had recorded 1,882 new cases.
To cope with demand, the zone has added trainers and placement coordinators, a new case manager started this week, and a transporter position will begin Dec. 8; the zone increased transporter positions from two to three to reduce case managers’ travel burden. The chair said these hires are intended to stabilize response capacity during surges and to free case managers to focus on assessments and casework.
Board members discussed sharing staff across zones (multi‑zone workers) as a surge strategy but noted hiring challenges in smaller counties and the logistical limits of moving staff between jurisdictions. The directors association passed a motion supporting Burley and the CAS zone in petitioning for additional FTEs; the chair clarified that any new positions must go to the FTE committee for approval.
The chair also raised facilities concerns: engagement with designer JLG and county staff on annex space shows current plans may not accommodate projected growth. The chair cited a roughly 20% Cass County population projection by 2040, which could require additional workspace and staff over time. The chair emphasized that federal tax information (FTI) safeguards require restricted areas for economic assistance work and that space planning must address those requirements.
