The following resources provide State and local examples of how advocacy around caseload and workload is being done, recommendations for caseload/workload changes, and strategies that are being implemented to positively influence caseload and workload issues.
Assessment of New York City Administration for Children’s Services Safety Practice and Initiatives: Key Findings and Recommendations (PDF - 834 KB)
Greene, Chahine, & Baker (2017)
Casey Family Programs
Summarizes an assessment of a systemwide study of New York’s Administration for Children’s Services and includes recommendations for improvement. The report includes a section describing the importance of differentiating between caseload and workload for workers.
Caseload Standards for Child Protective Services (PDF - 436 KB)
Wisconsin County Human Service Association (2018)
Recommends caseload standards for Wisconsin’s child protective services (CPS) workers. Background, purpose, and further recommendations for creating a CPS workload study to inform the standards are also in the report.
Foster Care in Oregon: Chronic Management Failures and High Caseloads Jeopardize the Safety of Some of the State’s Most Vulnerable Children (PDF - 8,161 KB)
Richardson & Memmott (2018)
Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare System
Highlights key findings from the Secretary of State audit report of the Oregon child welfare system and provides recommendations. Struggling management, organizational culture, too few foster parents, and staffing challenges are mentioned, and recommendations are made based on these challenges. Caseload is specifically discussed on pages 39–59. Also available: Recommendation Follow-up Report:
DHS Has Made Important Improvements, but Extensive Work Remains to Ensure Child Safety (PDF - 928 KB)
Health Note: Caseload Reduction for Family Case Managers (PDF - 466 KB)
Lindberg (2019)
The Pew Charitable Trusts, Health Impact Project
Analyzes the impact that House Bill 1006 (which proposes maximum caseloads for family case managers) could have on the health of family case managers and outcomes for children and families in Indiana.
Idaho Child Welfare System Evaluation Report (PDF - 3,768 KB)
Idaho Legislature, Office of Performance Evaluations (2017)
Examines the problems faced by the Idaho child welfare system and addresses the system with new ongoing efforts. Special attention is given to caseload and workload on pages 50–65.
Organizational Analysis (PDF - 1,720 KB)
Mississippi Department of Human Services, Division of Children’s Services & Public Catalyst (2015)
Provides an overview of the organizational analysis completed on the child welfare system in Mississippi required by court proceedings. Of note is the section on “Caseload Measurements” on pages 19–21.
Performance Audit of the Department of Children and Family Services Investigations of Abuse and Neglect (PDF - 3,830 KB)
Mautino (2019)
State of Illinois, Office of the Auditor General
Reports on the findings of an audit of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services required by Illinois law. Of note is the section on investigator caseloads not being in compliance with the Consent Decree (PDF - 1,434 KB) standards that require caseload maximums.
Research Brief: Children’s Home Society: CaseAim Evaluation (PDF - 331 KB)
Florida Institute for Child Welfare (2018)
Provides an overview of an intervention called CaseAIM that allowed workers to carry out some case-related tasks while out in the field through mobile devices with the goal of increasing time spent with the families and children on their caseloads. Both successes and room for improvement are mentioned throughout the report.
Research Report: ChildWIN: Child Welfare Workforce Innovation (PDF - 418 KB)
Steen, Chapple, Hormell, & Sweet (2017)
Florida Institute for Child Welfare
Discusses research on an effort to improve child and workforce outcomes at a Florida-based agency through a three-tiered approach addressing career-ladder opportunities, reduced caseloads, and solution-based casework training. Also available: Research Brief - ChildWIN: Child Welfare Workforce Innovation (PDF - 178 KB)