Page 7 - Hobe Sound Reflection - March '22

Hobe Sound, Page 7

Spotlight

Local Child Welfare Pros That was the message during a two-week
And Foster Parents Rally In advocacy spree that began Jan. 24 with a
daylong rally, press conference and legislative
Tallahassee To Raise The Salaries reception and ended earlier this week at the close
of Children’s Week 2022.
Of Dependency Case Managers Child-welfare professionals, youth and
caregivers visited the state capital for both events
Child welfare improvements have taken Florida from to help bring awareness to the issue of case
the bottom to the top of the national pack in the past two management turnover and to garner support for
decades. a $40 million workforce development request.
In fact, Florida ranks first in all states in several key “We can’t afford to have our case workers
indicators, including time spent in the foster care system. get overwhelmed or leave the job,” said Rose
But critical turnover among case managers threatens Bailey, an adoptive mother from Port St. Lucie,
that, say child welfare professionals. In fact, Florida’s who, as a former foster parent, understands the
award-winning system of community-based care could important role a case manager plays in the life
start to go backward very quickly if state leaders don’t get of a child. “It has a rippling effect to both the From left are Rose Bailey, Caryn Toole, Elise Bailey, Rep. Dana Trabulsy
their arms around the problem. foster parent and the foster child.” and Jerra Wisecup

Bailey and her daughter, Elise, visited several
legislators with that message, along with CCKids staff
members Jerra Wisecup and Caryn Toole, and an Indian
River County resident.
“It’s a good investment,” said Dominic Calabro,
president and CEO of Florida Tax Watch, speaking at the
press conference.
“This is all about good public policy and doing what’s
right,” Calabro said. “We have a good system, but it costs
money to do it right.”
High case manager turnover is costly to the taxpayer,
he said. And it’s bad for children and families.
There are about 2,000 case management positions
statewide. More than 600 – or 30 percent – are vacant.
“Tax Watch believes that increased funding will keep
more case managers on the job and supports this $40
million ask,” Calabro said.
Department of Children and Families Secretary
Shevaun Harris said her agency supports the ask.
The department has two goals, she said: Strengthen
family preservation to avoid the removal of children and,
when that’s not possible, ensure speedy permanency.
None is possible without the proper workforce.
“We need to make sure the tremendous amount of
work that case managers are doing is appropriately
compensated,” she said, adding that Florida has been
leading the pack for its vision in child welfare.
“Other states are watching us.”

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