County adds dozens to staff for serving needy

Stating a staffing shortage puts the county at risk of failing to provide vital services for the low income, the head of the Social Services Department on Tuesday won approval from the Board of Supervisors to hire 28 new employees at an annual cost of nearly $1.9 million.

The vote in support of the request was unanimous.

The funds will come from the state Medi- Cal program with no cost to the county budget, agency Director Veronica E. Rodriguez told the board. The “caseload has jumped” since the state has wound down aid funded through COVID-19 programs, she said.

“It is imperative for our county to meet state mandates of processing Medi- Cal (healthcare)/ CalFresh (food stamps) applications. … Failure to process applications in a timely manner may result in discontinued benefits and/or incorrect issuance of benefits,” Rodriguez stated in a report to the board.

“These positions will reduce caseloads, improve morale, improve customer service and reduce re-applications,” Rodriguez explained to the board.

Explaining the needs, the report adds Medi- Cal/ CalFresh helps its clients “avoid food insecurity and promotes the health and well-being of our community. These services allow individuals to seek necessary medical care and avoid unnecessary health emergencies due to lack of health coverage.”

The funds will allow Social Services to create two new units and reduce the staff-member caseloads, which averaged 806 in March. The target caseload is 475-500 per eligibility worker.

While recruiting will begin in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, the positions will not be filled until 2022-23, the report states.