March 1, 2009

An Audit Report on Staffing and Caseloads at the Department of Family and Protective Services

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (Department) has implemented legislatively mandated reforms and strategies to its Child Protective Services (CPS) division that were intended to improve its service delivery to children by increasing caseworker staffing levels and decreasing caseloads. Staffing levels, as measured by the average number of caseworkers statewide, increased from 3,139 employees in fiscal year 2004 to 4,104 employees in fiscal year 2007, a 31 percent increase. Caseloads for CPS caseworkers who perform investigations significantly decreased from a daily average of 42.8 cases per investigator in fiscal year 2005 to a daily average of 25.3 cases per investigator in fiscal year 2007.The average base salary for a CPS caseworker increased 3 percent from $32,803 in fiscal year 2004 to $33,815 in fiscal year 2007. However, this does not include an additional stipend that was authorized by the Legislature to help retain staff. Beginning in fiscal year 2005, the Department began offering eligible CPS caseworkers a $3,000 retention bonus in addition to their base pay. The 79th Legislature authorized an annual stipend of $5,000 to eligible CPS caseworkers and supervisors, and the 80th Legislature reauthorized the $5,000 stipend. The Department pays the stipend in monthly increments. In fiscal year 2007, the Department spent more than $10 million on these stipends. Even as the Department increased hiring and decreased caseloads, it did not experience significant improvement in CPS caseworker turnover rates or total overtime paid. Specifically:- CPS caseworker turnover rates increased from 23.0 percent in fiscal year 2004 to 34.1 percent in fiscal year 2007.- Total overtime paid to CPS caseworkers increased 298 percent from $1,754,474 in fiscal year 2004 to $6,982,650 in fiscal year 2007.Caseworkers leaving the Department from fiscal year 2004 to fiscal year 2008 consistently cited poor working conditions, supervisory issues, and better pay/benefits offered elsewhere as the top reasons for leaving.