Resolve, To Review Case Loads for Child Welfare Caseworkers

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  child welfare caseworkers need sufficient time to focus on each child welfare case to ensure timely and thorough investigations of abuse and neglect and to keep children safe; and

Whereas,  the Department of Health and Human Services must begin a review of child welfare case loads immediately; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Department of Health and Human Services to review case load standards. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall review case load standards for child welfare caseworkers and develop standard case load recommendations with input from child welfare caseworkers and the Public Consulting Group contracted by the department under contract number CBH-19-9000. The department shall submit an initial report with its findings and recommendations on staffing in the department's child welfare program in relation to the standard case load recommendations no later than October 1, 2019 and subsequent annual reports by January 31st of each year beginning in 2020 and ending in 2030 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and the joint legislative committee established to oversee program evaluation and government accountability matters.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this resolve takes effect when approved.