Social Services gains 23 positions By ERIC GALVAN, Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 11:46 PM PST
TODD KRAININ PHOTO
Trainer Allison Daugherty (standing) talks Gudelia Rodriguez (left) and Carolina Garcia through a technical question about the computer system at the Imperial County Department of Social Services in El Centro on Tuesday.
There are more than 27,000 Medi-Cal cases in the Imperial County and less than 40 case workers to handle them all.
On Tuesday, the Imperial County Board of Supervisors authorized the addition of 23 new permanent positions within the department. The addition of the positions will take the case load down from 700 per worker to 500, the median average for counties in the state.
“Ultimately, it will help process cases faster,” Jim Semmes, director of social services, said. “And by lowering the case loads, they will be processed more accurately.”
The total cost, including the addition of 23 work stations and computer terminals and health care costs, would be $713,000.
Semmes said because the Medi-Cal program is funded 100 percent through the state and because the Medi-Cal budget is a separate non-general fund account, there would be no additional cost to the county.
“In actuality, since the Medi-Cal program will be assuming a larger share of our overall departmental overhead costs,” Semmes said, “the net county cost will actually be reduced slightly from current budgeted amounts.
“This results in a win/win proposal of being able to address expanded service demands of the Medi-Cal program while actually reducing net county costs for our entire department’s operation,” Semmes said.
The positions to be added are:
One administrative manager
One program manager
Three staff services analyst IIs
One eligibility tech. supervisor
Two eligibility technician IIIs
Seven eligibility technician Is
One office assistant supervisor I
Two office technicians
One office assistant IIIs
Two screeners
One account clerk IIs
One office assistant IIs
“The Medi-Cal program is important at many levels in the community,” County Executive Officer Robertta Burns said. “The case load has grown and we need to do a good job with this program Because it is important for those that do not have medical coverage and are eligible for this when it is needed,” Burns said.
" If you know of anyone getting benefits by fraudulent means REPORT THEM. I think working for Social Services is a stressful job--I have my bachelor's in Social Science and I would not work there. I don't blame the social service personnel...but I do believe that there are people getting benefits via fradulent means. A decade or so ago there was a newspaper article in the LA area detailing how easy it was for ANYONE with a fake SS card and ID to apply for benefits...even under multiple names. I hope it's harder now...especially after 9/11 "
localmotion13 wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:59 PM:
" based on the article the actual job openings that will take on caseloads are only NINE new medical workers the rest are management positions. why does social services need so many staff analysts they wont handle a caseload just talk about what to do with one LOOKS LIKE SOCIAL SERVICES IS TRYING TO GIVE THEMSELVES ANOTHER RAISE. "
localmotion13 wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:51 PM:
" by getting more money for more workers means more workers not just more money for the social service coffers. by having more workers they shouldn't be backlogged meaning that ew's can now do a better job of reviewing all the applications.
i hope the money is used wisely and more actual workers are hired not just open more supervisor and management positions. "
yuhaman35 wrote on Feb 13, 2008 8:30 PM:
" Right you are, Royalcan. More clients means more clerks means more supervisors means more adminstrators means more from our paychecks to the government bureacracies. "
royalcan wrote on Feb 13, 2008 7:47 PM:
" Of course, social services workers are going to want more clients at whatever the cost to the taxpayers. It is called job security for the social service workers. "
juan de recho wrote on Feb 13, 2008 5:36 PM:
" Coach77....Free language lesson. The word is 'voila'. "
cinoreah wrote on Feb 13, 2008 5:05 PM:
" Anybody who thinks illegals are not getting benefits that is having pipe dreams. If the Lupe Fernandez who responded to me is the one I know, she works for Social Services and is trying to cover for them.
A blind termite knows illegals are getting benefits. We taxpayers are NOT stupid!
And did you know that if anybody at Social Services knows someone there is illegal they cannot report them? The Border Patrol is not allowed on county property to nab them. Isn't that nice to know? Can you say sanctuary? "
ricocafe99 wrote on Feb 13, 2008 3:57 PM:
" I want to know where I can get these fake documents so I can apply for benefits. "
Coach77 wrote on Feb 13, 2008 3:27 PM:
" I strongly agree with "irmamck", I know of this couple...the wife has a child just when its time to send her to work or training with Cal Works.....and who pays for the pregnancy, hospital and child....yeah we the tax payers! Let me add its just not Social Services providing for them its also other agencies like Clinicas that provides the program WIC etc.....and all the free bee's coupons for formula for their new born, milk cheese and dairy products....When in all this does the strong Father step in and pay for any of the child's expenses??? The answer is probably NEVER!!! Yes it makes me very ill to see this because both my spouse and I are tax payers raising a family of our own we get up every morning to go to work and bring food to our table at the end of the day and to see this happen, its upsetting!! Its up setting to see people taking advantage of the "SYSTEM" illegals taking away benefits that belong to US citizens! "
irmamck wrote on Feb 13, 2008 3:01 PM:
" I don't deny anyone that is in dire need for welfare to get it but i'm so very tired of the lazy people that sit on their butts and don't even try to get off. Many of the people that get welfare should not be getting it anyway. If the department would hire some investigators to seek out welfare fraud they'd save enough money to hire extra workers. "
trickbean wrote on Feb 13, 2008 2:10 PM:
" Unless you work in a Social Service Agency, most of us would not know this but illegal aliens can receive benefits but only for restricted services as deemed by a physician or hospital. Just because you reside in California legally, it does not mean that you are entitled to any benefits. Medi-cal services are based on need. First you must be either elderly(65 years +), disabled or have minor children. Secondly you must qualify financially (below 200% federal poverty level). Thirdly you must meet federally set resource limits. Finally, you must prove residency. If you don't verify all of the components mentioned above, you don't qualify! We hear it all the time--so many people receive aid and they live in Mexicali. If no one reports these people, how are we going to put a stop to it? Surely you don't expect us to follow them around and snoop in their trash cans and make sure they truly do live at the address they are using. "
VIVIA wrote on Feb 13, 2008 1:54 PM:
" If you try to try to park your car in front of Social Services, you will find a lot of cars with Mexican License Plates. Why is that?
It makes me wonder if they live in Mexicali or In the Imperial County. "
Coach77 wrote on Feb 13, 2008 12:59 PM:
" The vast majority of people that do receive cash aid, foodstamps and medical are born and do reside in Mexico and everyone that works for Imp Co Social Services knows it! What the Illigal does is jott down a relatives address that does already live in the Valley and wala....that's their residency! Fake social security cards and ID's to show proof that they do have the right to receive all these benefits that are given to them! ....The State and Federal departments should have more laws and undercover Agents to crack down on illegals that do committ these fraud crimes!...Let me just add, that my elderly inlaws that are both US citizens, born and raised in the valley once applied for medical and they turned them down flat on the spot! Dont know why either if they both dont own property or 35,000.00 dollar vehicles! I do not blame "cinoreah" for expressing her thoughts!! "
Lupe P. Fernandez wrote on Feb 13, 2008 8:05 AM:
" Cinoreah,
Undocumented aliens do not receive regular Medi-Cal. The caseloads they are referencing are for individuals having legal residency: single mothers, disabled individuals, individuals on welfare, etc. Before making such statements, you should have attended the BOS meeting and questioned what is the ratio of citizens, naturalized, permanent aliens and undocumented aliens receiving Medi-Cal. "
cinoreah wrote on Feb 13, 2008 12:54 AM:
" How many more illegal aliens are they going to add to the rolls of Medi-Cal? This must be why they need so many more workers. "
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thegarz wrote on Feb 18, 2008 9:48 PM: