KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Child welfare advocates are worried job cuts within the Missouri Department of Social Services Children's Division will negatively affect abused and neglected children.
The DSS announced it will cut 96 positions, 80 of which are filled, effective Aug. 3.
The cuts are due to budget shortfalls in the state of Missouri because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The list of positions include:
- Account Clerk II (1 vacant)
- Administrative Office Support Assistant (1 filled, 1 vacant)
- Children's Services Program Manager (20 filled, 3 vacant)
- Children's Services Specialist (20 filled, 3 vacant)
- Children's Services Supervisor (15 filled, 2 vacant)
- Legal Counsel (5 filled)
- Office Support Assistant (9 filled, 1 vacant)
- Program Development Specialist (2 filled, 2 vacant)
- Social Services Manager (3 filled)
- Special Assistant Professional (1 filled)
- Senior Office Support Assistant (4 filled, 3 vacant)
Jackson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) CEO Angie Blumel said the cuts could not have come at a worse time.
"This is particularly alarming because in the Spring we learned that the number of calls to the statewide child abuse and neglect hotline decreased by 50 percent or more," Blumel said.
Blumel said it's important to keep in mind that the decrease in reports is not necessarily because less abuse and neglect is happening in the community but mostly likely because children and families are much more isolated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The fear is that as we come back together as a community, and kids are out in the community more, we may see an increase in the number of child abuse and neglect cases," Blumel said. "Yet we will have a department that has less staff dedicated to serving kids in foster care."
Blumel said the positions within the Children's Division being eliminated are mostly supervisor and program director positions, and she worries that means less support for frontline workers.
"That could really have a very negative effect on our kids, caseloads may get bigger, we may see more kids spending time in foster care," Blumel said.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said the cuts remind him of the devastating death of Kansas City, Kansas 3-year-old Oliva Jansen.
"Which I think in no small part relates to a failure of their Division of Children and Family services in the state of Kansas, and for us in Missouri to be looking like we're going down the exact same path is something that I think is exceedingly troubling," Lucas said.
Lucas went on to express concerns about the cuts being a threat to public safety, child welfare and the people of Missouri and said he hopes lawmakers will re-consider.
41 Action News reached out to the Missouri Department of Social Services to inquire about the number of positions being cut in Jackson County. The department said that information is not yet available.
The DSS sent 41 Action News a letter that was shared this week with Children's Division staff, the Office of Administration and the General Assembly.
The letter outlined a list of positions being eliminated due to budget shortfalls and said employees will receive formal written notification at least 15 days before Aug. 3.
The letter also said the Children's Division reviewed positions and identified those that could be eliminated based on assigned duties and responsibilities, performance, documented disciplinary or corrective actions and tenure.
Employees affected will be offered the option to transfer or demote to available vacant positions they have previously held or are qualified for that are vacant or occupied by a team member on an original probationary period.
The DSS told 41 Action News 70 of the 80 employees affected have already received job offers within the Children's Division, and the agency is working on finding employment for the remaining employees in another DSS division.
