Dragon Info
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To Make a Difference December 2001 SEIU Local 535 has formed a coalition to work on reducing social worker caseloads and improving services to clients. The coalition has been meeting in Sacramento and is preparing for the 2002 state budget battle. Those attending the coalition meetings include David Williams (chair of the Local 535 Executive Board Children’s Services Committee), Local 535 staff, Richard Bermack (editor of the Dragon), Janlee Wong and Shari Twidwell of the National Association of Social Workers, Lupe Alonzo from the Children’s Advocacy Institute, Andy Shaw from Assemblywoman Dion Aroner’s office, Michelle Castro from the SEIU State Council, and Frank Mecca from the County Welfare Directors Association. The primary focus of the Sacramento meetings has been to discuss strategies for lowering social worker caseloads. Last year Assembly Bill 364 was introduced to adopt the caseload standards recommended by the SB 2030 workload study. The bill was part of a larger package for child welfare reform. Unfortunately, because of the state budget crisis, the $300 million package was reduced to $18 million and AB 364 became a two-year bill. The bill will come up for a vote in 2002. The economic recession and the fiscally conservative stance of the governor make it unlikely that the bill will pass with the necessary funding for counties to hire enough social workers to meet the SB 2030 caseload standards. There is concern that because of state deficits, not only may there be no extra money to lower caseloads, but even the core funding for social services may be cut. The coalition has a short- and a long-term strategy: The short-term strategy is to lobby for adoption of AB 364 with language stating that when funding is available, caseloads should be reduced to the SB 2030 recommendations, and until that time workers cannot be disciplined for failing to meet job requirements while their caseload exceeds those standards. The long-term strategy is to educate the legislature and the public about the value of social work through the To Make a Difference exhibit and campaign. (See “Social Work Exhibit to Be Launched March 2002.”)
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