ASSEMBLY, No. 2385

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 26, 1996

By Assemblyman GUSCIORA and Assemblywoman TURNER

An Act concerning Division of Youth and Family Services caseworker staffing level ratios and making an appropriation therefor.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. a. The Commissioner of Human Services shall establish the following staffing level ratios for Division of Youth and Family

Services caseworkers:

    (1) The ratio of cases to caseworker in a division district office shall not exceed 27.2 to one.

    (2) The ratio of cases to caseworker in a division adoption resource center shall not exceed 15.5 to one.

    b. If the staffing level ratios established pursuant to subsection a. are exceeded by 10% for two or more consecutive quarters, the division shall hire additional caseworkers to maintain those ratios, notwithstanding any hiring freeze imposed by the State on Department of Human Services or division personnel.

    2. In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L. 1968, c. 410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Human Services shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this act.

    3. There is appropriated $12,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services to effectuate the purposes of this act.

    4. This act shall take effect one year after enactment.

STATEMENT

    This bill directs the Commissioner of Human Services to establish

certain staffing level ratios for Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) caseworkers. Each DYFS district office would be required to maintain a ratio of 27.2 cases to one caseworker and each DYFS adoption resource center would be required to maintain a ratio of 15.5 cases to one caseworker. When these staffing level ratios exceed 10% for two consecutive quarters, the division would be required to hire additional caseworkers, irrespective of any hiring freeze imposed by the State on Department of Human Services or DYFS personnel.

    The bill also appropriates $12,000,000 to the Department of Human Services to hire the 400 additional caseworkers needed by DYFS to meet the staffing level ratios proposed by the provisions of the bill.

Directs the Commissioner of Human Services to establish staffing level ratios for DYFS caseworkers; appropriates $12,000,000.