C &Y reports higher caseload because of drugs

Carbon County is seeing an increase in child placements this year as a result of the growing drug and alcohol abuse problem, as well as mental health issues, officials report.

On Thursday, Sallianne Newton, administrator for Carbon County Children and Youth Services, reported that they have 70 children in placement, up 15 from this time last year.

The reasons, she said, include more parents and children using drugs and alcohol, resulting in more babies being born already addicted to drugs; homelessness and mental health issues in the community.

She said that her office wants to keep children with their families, but sometimes that cannot happen.

Newton also said that the number of abuse and neglect reports remains high at 287 abuse reports investigated so far this year.

Because of this, the annual budget for the department is increasing $326,000 to $5,103,557. The additional funding will help create two new caseworker positions to work on the growing caseloads. Currently, the department is a caseworker staff of 11 and each position has maxed out or is close to maxing out on the families to caseworker ratio that the state has set.

“We are focused on increased funding to complete our mission of protecting, providing and promoting the safety and well-being of our children and families of Carbon County,” Newton said.

Commissioner William O’Gurek equated the growing issue of higher reports to a runaway freight train and the problems today’s society are facing.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein pointed out that the problem isn’t decreasing. In a two-hour period one day, the department received 11 reports of abuse or neglect.

Newton said the daily average for reports filed is 10. Each report must then be investigated, which can take anywhere from hours to nearly a week to complete.

One problem the office is facing with staffing is the state civil service list, which is in the middle of changeovers and is not certifying people often.