Is any one else worried about the pendulum swing which cycles between shifting client services between FSS workers and Social Workers? Social Workers' time with the client is where the focus is around positive redirection of a client's life. Now, with the incredible downshift of social worker positions and the constricted time spent with clients-the threat seems even more real.
Idaho cut GAU and WorkFirst programs. How and what can we tell management that will show them how the budget can be positively shifted and clients' can still get the services they need to go on to lead healthier lives.
Are there stories that you can share with the rest of us that show what GAU and Workfirst can do-and what could happen if the funding is gone?
What can we do to make a positive change in the budget and still work with our clients?
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5 comments:
You have seen the writing on the walls. How many of you went to the budget hearinging in the past. Cutting the GA program has been on the board for a long time. We keep winning that battle. The war is not over and more battles are on the way stand up give us your ideas if you can testify, let WFSE know so that can help you with that. Now the leadership team needs your help, give us your ideas and solutions lets see if making our jobs better and easier will help keep the program alive.
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How many of you as Social Workers are issueing EBT cards in your office. Let me know what office you are form and how many hours/days a week you are doing this. I know that it is taking you away from the job that you were hired on to do. I have let management know that you are doing it. It would sure be nice to be able to give management some hard numbers when we meet again later this month.
I am from the Chehalis CSO and we have been issuing EBT cards for years. We started out as back up to the two CSS's assigned the full time duty. No big deal, as it was rare when both were gone at the same time. Within the past 2-3 years we have lost both CSS positions and SW's are doing EBT full time most of the time. We have a FSS1 who has not completed her training and she has helped out tremendously, but in March her training will be finished and she can no longer issue. Our CSOA has clearance to do EBT but her time in the office is limited. We have one SW position vacant and do not know yet if it can be filled. We have 2 GAU SW's with a total caseload of 600 cases + and 2 WF SW's working with 7 WorkFirst Case Managers. We do EBT daily anywhere from 1-4 hours a day depending upon who is there or not there that day. We have been told we can do our regular paperwork when we are stationed at the front counter! Not much gets done as clients are constantly coming up to the counter with questions not related to EBT. We also have to answer the switchboard phone and direct 0 out calls. Some mail duties have also been assigned to us while we are stationed at the EBT counter.
It makes for a very frustrating day as work is not getting done with our caseloads etc. The newest possible plan is to have a SW spend one day a week doing EBT all day.
Oh, also, we no longer have a SW Supervisor. His position has been reverted to an FSS position!
Cathie Hunziker, SW 2
Excellent comments, Cathie. I'm going to start a separate thread for EBT S/W issues. These are the kind of local office stories that we need to take to management on the 24th.
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