Elk County board approves doubling on-call pay for children and youth caseworkers

ELK COUNTY — The Elk County Salary Board voted Oct. 2 to increase on-call pay for Elk County Children and Youth caseworkers and supervisors from $250 to $500 per week, citing frequent overnight calls, rising case complexity and staffing pressures.

Nancy Baker, director of Elk County Children and Youth, told the board the unit operates 24/7 and staff are often summoned on short notice, including nights and holidays. "Elk County Children and Youth is a 24/7 operation, and we are called out in the middle of the night, holidays," Baker said, describing situations that sometimes require taking custody of children or remaining at scenes for extended periods.

Baker said the proposed stipend would be largely state-funded, with the county responsible for about 20% of the increase. She gave county-year cost estimates: roughly $2,600 for the caseworker portion and about $5,200 for supervisors on an annual basis, and asked that the increase take effect with the pay period beginning Sept. 28, 2025. Baker said the state has approved the change.

Board members and participants emphasized the workload and retention pressures that on-call duties create. One commissioner noted the county has not raised the on-call rate in more than a decade, and speakers described increased court involvement and greater case complexity compared with earlier years.

After discussion, a motion to approve the increase was made and the board approved it by voice vote; the chair declared the motion carried. The board also approved routine agenda items and minutes from July meetings earlier in the session.

The meeting closed with scheduling notes: the board said its next regular meetings will be set in 2026.

Sources: Transcript of the Elk County Salary Board meeting, Oct. 2, 2025.