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JEFFERSON CITY – The House has given initial approval to a bill that would give child abuse workers more time to complete investigations.
Currently, workers in the state Children’s Division have 30 calendar days to complete a child abuse investigation. House Bill 1092, sponsored by Rep. Bill Lant, R-Pineville, changes the deadline to 30 business days.
In some cases, the change could give investigators more than an additional week to work.
“There were several different investigators within the division that asked to extend the amount of days that they have to complete an investigation,” Lant said. “With the caseloads at an all-time high, this would simply allow for a few extra days for an investigation to be conducted. None of us want to hurry something that’s that important to the welfare of a child.”
Caseworkers are tasked with interviewing family members, reviewing a child’s testimony, examining medical paperwork, inspecting the home environment and reviewing any other evidence that needs to be collected to determine whether a child is the victim of abuse or neglect.
The Greene County Children’s Division has been short-staffed in the past. Up to 38 caseworkers are authorized for the office, but Rebecca Woelfel, spokeswoman for the Department of Social Services, has said that as of Jan. 31, 30 were on staff.
Bradley Harmon, a local union representative, said the office had been down to only nine workers on Jan. 9. Woelfel disputed that number, saying there were 26 investigators on staff on that date.
During debate Tuesday, lawmakers in both parties stressed that the bill does not affect emergency removal of children from dangerous situations.
The bill was given preliminary approval in a voice vote. The House could vote to pass the bill and send it to the Senate as early as this week.
Gov. Jay Nixon has also called for an additional $6 million in funding for Children’s Division. The governor’s budget adds 23 new positions to the Children’s Division. The funding will also be used for upgrading software and technology, a loan forgiveness program, creating a career ladder for workers and other programs.
Nixon’s requested funds are not a sure thing, however. The General Assembly must still appropriate the money when it passes a budget, a process that may be more than two months away.
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