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Child abuse reports stack up
By RYAN DAVIS © St. Petersburg Times, published May 17, 2001 NEW PORT RICHEY -- The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is having trouble handling its new role as the first stop for families that may need help, the agency said Wednesday. Since it took over the state's job of determining whether families need social services, 2,545 allegations of child abuse have gone more than 60 days without being resolved, officials said. Some of the families in that stack of files might need counseling or parenting classes, but sheriff's officials insist that children are not in harm's way. And they say the backlog is getting better. These are not criminal cases that have been let go. These investigations comprise a role the Sheriff's Office accepted April 3, 2000, as part of a landmark social service experiment. "Typically when you look at backlogged cases, they are cases where we have not had to intervene," Capt. Alan Weinstein said. "The child is not in danger." The Sheriff's Office is one of five in Florida overseeing such investigations. The state is getting out of the business of providing social services, and the Sheriff's Office is now the front door to Pasco's foster care system. When someone alleges abuse, civilian deputies from the Sheriff's Office investigate. In about 15 percent of those cases, the child is taken from the parents, likely entering foster care. The state Department of Children and Families used to do this job. It was often criticized and the push for it to hand over its duties increased after the death of Kayla McKean, a 6-year-old Lake County girl. Her injuries were overlooked by caseworkers and in 1998 her father was charged with her murder. Pasco sheriff's officials aren't sure yet if they can provide these services more efficiently than DCF did. "The state has asked the sheriffs to take on a social service function," Lt. Col. Richard Worch said. "I think the jury's out on that." In final three months of last year, 1,152 abuse allegations were made, Weinstein said. Only 15 percent of the cases were closed. The problem got so bad earlier this year that the Sheriff's Office asked the state Office of Family Safety to review its procedure. It found that the agency did not emphasize closing cases. Sheriff's officials said that most of the cases just need to be entered into the computer or have a final interview in order to be closed. Several changes have been made since the state report. "Let me just put it this way," Sheriff Bob White said. "I think we're on the right track." The number of cases closed has drawn closer to the number of cases opened, Weinstein said. So far this month 158 cases have been opened; 138 cases have been closed. In order to make this headway, the Sheriff's Office has brought on board two DCF workers from Hillsborough County for 90-day stints. It has also added one full-time and one part-time supervisor, both higher-ups in the department. And 10 deputies have been recruited to work overtime conducting interviews needed to wrap up the cases. Even after spending the extra money for overtime and help, the program will remain under its budget of $2.4-million for this year, officials said. Part of the Sheriff's Office's problem has been learning a new job. The agency has had to do it without experienced workers. Only two investigators were hired from the DCF. The Sheriff's Office is attempting to hire more, offering them a work car they can take home and a raise. Still, workers are hard to come by. Many don't want to leave the benefits or sick time they accrued at the state. That leaves overworked investigators. Some are handling 24 new cases a month, double the agency's goal, Weinstein said. A lack of certified workers has also contributed to the backlog, he said. Certification classes keep several workers unable to handle a full caseload. Only four of the 25 investigators with the Sheriff's Office have been certified, according to paperwork Weinstein provided. One investigator hired more than 16 months ago in anticipation of the changeover still is not certified. - Ryan Davis covers higher education and social services in Pasco County. He can be reached at (800) 333-7505, ext. 3452.
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