Summary of Report 95-003

Report Number 95-003

The Department of Protective and Regulatory Services was created by House Bill 7, 72nd Legislature, from three programs which were part of the Department of Human Services -- Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, and Child Care Licensing. The new agency, in existence since September 1, 1992, has an estimated fiscal year 1994 budget of $452 million and over 6,300 full time equivalent employees.

Child Protective Services, the Department's largest program, protects children from abuse and neglect. The program's estimated fiscal year 1994 budget is $402 million, with over 4,900 full-time equivalent employees.

Although the Department has been in existence for almost two years, it is still developing agency-wide management systems. Defined processes for strategic planning, environmental scanning, policy-making, and performance monitoring would help the Department achieve its goals and objectives.

Department oversight functions such as the Board of Directors, the Ombudsman Office, and internal audit have not met their potential in guiding and evaluating Department operations.

Child Protective Services lacks a defined contract administration process to manage over $190 million allocated for foster care and purchased services. As a result, the program cannot provide assurances that state and federal funds are being spent as the Legislature and Federal Government intended.

Child Protective Services caseworkers are burdened with heavy caseloads which can lead to increased job stress, burnout, and high turnover. The vacancies created by caseworker turnover have resulted in increased workload for the remaining caseworkers, less experienced caseworkers assuming increased responsibilities, and higher costs to train new caseworkers.

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