April 10, 2006

BOARD APPROVES DSS MANAGEMENT CHANGE THAT WILL BRING ON MORE CHILD WELFARE EXPERTS
---DSS Adopts Critical Organizational Change Sought By Former Families Committee Chair Stewart-Cousins---

Contact: Barbara Dodds, Legislative Aide
Tel: (914) 995-4429
BarbaraD@westchesterlegislators.com

Acting on a recommendation made by County Legislator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D,WF-Yonkers) to bring more child welfare experts to manage the Department of Social Services’ Child Welfare Unit, the County Board of Legislators approved legislation to create three ‘child welfare-specific’ management positions.

“After an exhaustive review of DSS, it was clear that the department lacked child welfare experts on the management level,” Stewart-Cousins said. “This change will enable the department to build up its child welfare credentials. Clearly, it’s been a missing link. Bringing in child welfare experts will enhance the department’s performance.”

Stewart-Cousins said that until the change, a DSS manager in the child welfare unit wasn’t necessarily a child welfare expert.

“In my report, I said that ‘leadership must start from the top’,” said Stewart-Cousins. “It’s simple. If you’re to effectively lead a child welfare unit, you should have an extensive background in child welfare. You can’t put a price tag on that reservoir of knowledge of best practices and solutions that comes with someone who has worked in the field. With the new child welfare management positions, we will help to ensure that our county’s safety net for our most vulnerable children is as strong as it can be.”

Stewart-Cousins, as Chair of the 2004-2005 Committee on Families, had initiated an exhaustive review of DSS that included over thirty meetings with DSS administrators, supervisors and employees, child welfare advocates, and, constituents. The former Chair issued a report, “Beyond Policy and Protocol,” this past February that cited organizational lapses that were contributing to a breakdown in a delivery of social services, especially in the child welfare unit.