Help is on the way for beleaguered Guilford County social workers. An influx of state funding will allow the county to hire at least 12 new employees.
Health and Human Services director Joe Raymond says his employees have felt under siege, with social workers handling an average of about 27 cases per person. The state recommends 10 cases per worker.
But that's about to change. The News and Record of Greensboro reports the county will soon hire 12 new social workers and 3 supervisors. While research has shown high case loads across North Carolina, few counties got as big a financial boost as Guilford.
The department investigates allegations of child abuse or neglect.
Guilford County has seen an increase in the number of cases in recent years, while budget cuts have affected worker's ability to handle them.
In the past year, the county has received more than 5,600 abuse and neglect complaints.
Raymond, who was hired in August as the counties first Health and Human Services director, says the funding will put the agency in a much better position than it's been in for years.
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