Social services staff reports 528 active eligibility cases; child protection caseload small

Melinda, identified by a commissioner as the social services staff presenting the update, told the board the department is managing 528 total cases across eligibility programs including adult financial assistance, Colorado Works, Medicaid and food assistance.

"We have 528 total cases for our eligibility programs which includes adult financial, Colorado works, Medicaid, etc.," Melinda said. She also reported 40 child support cases and "94 leak cases that we have reviewed this year," and noted the office closed one adult protection case in February while three child protection cases remain open.

Melinda said overall caseloads are lower than last year, attributing the drop in part to milder weather and reduced advertising. "It's lower than last year. I think that part of that is we just haven't had the cold," she said, and added the department made an executive decision to move off the child-care wait list to preserve flexibility for future cases.

The update included a brief summary of finance pages that staff provided for posting: cleared checks, year-to-date expenditures and ending balances. The clerk told the board expenditures were "pretty normal" but flagged that adult protective services, child welfare and county administration reflect higher personnel costs this period.

The board did not take a separate vote on the caseload report; the numbers and the department's procedural changes were entered into the record for follow-up.