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Rutherford County DSS board warns staffing shortfalls as foster caseloads reach about 200 children
Summary
Acting Director Dodd told the board the agency is handling roughly 200 children in care and has 13 TPR cases ready to move toward adoption; members raised concerns about inaccurate caseload reporting, low starting pay, reliance on contractors and the agency’s ability to recruit and retain workers.
Acting Director Dodd told the Rutherford County Department of Social Services board on April 15 that the agency is managing about 200 children in care and is making progress on adoptions, but staffing shortages and reporting gaps are straining operations.
"Right now, we're at 200 kids in care," Dodd said, citing recent placement and legal activities. She said the agency had 13 parental-termination (TPR) cases ready to move toward adoption and reported seven adoptions recently, putting the office close to its year goal for adoptions.
Board members pressed for clearer caseload metrics and a better public-facing report format. One board member said the current tables make it hard to see who is assigned what and whether high caseload numbers reflect assignment or reporting errors. Dodd acknowledged discrepancies in the county data warehouse and…
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