Blue Earth County seeks more children's mental health workers
Free PressJan 09, 2020
County officials say they're working caseloads almost twice as much as state guidelines recommend, even after adding another case worker last year. And children's mental health cases have significantly increased over the past five years.
That puts the county in a difficult position, as the cases often require far more effort and attention than other types of social work. For example, county officials say they often need to include the family as part of those mental health cases. And sometimes the cases involve treatment either in other parts of
Traditionally a loss leader among county governments,
The
"We're probably the only county that's saying, 'Well, we're hiring another children's mental health worker,'" said
Yet the county didn't decrease its workload, despite the extra body. Case managers deal with an average of 28 open cases at a time, according to county officials. That's almost twice as many as state guidelines, which recommend a caseload of 15 for social workers.
In 2014,
All of that shows a clear need for more workers, according to county officials.
"I think we could keep hiring, and I think you'll hear stories that show we have a community need," Blue Earth County Human Services Director
Workers have to be somewhat flexible in dealing with case crises among youth, who are already dealing with hormone changes throughout their childhoods. The county serves children as young as 3 years old and as old as 18, though teens in foster care can receive county help up to age 21.
And no case is quite the same. One worker recently took a 15-year-old to a treatment center for her fourth time to address substance abuse issues. Another is trying to help a young man in his teens suffering from severe mental health issues and suicidal tendencies. The teen has bounced around from a specialized school in
"These kids age into adulthood," she said. "Some of them don't need services into adulthood for whatever reason."
At least one county commissioner agrees.
"You pay now or you pay later," she said. "When you think about it, it could save money in corrections and the sheriff's office."
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