SC budget proposal pays for fewer caseworkers, higher raises

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The House Ways and Means’ budget proposal pays for less than half of the additional caseworkers that the embattled Department of Social Services requested but provides higher pay raises in an effort to prevent experienced staff from leaving.

Rep. Murrell Smith said Friday that until the agency stems the revolving door of caseworkers, it won’t be able to hire enough people to reach its goal anyway.

Smith is chairman of the Ways and Means panel that writes the agency’s budget. He asked agency officials repeatedly for assurances that their plan for better protecting abused and neglected children would get the job done. He says they never did.

According to the agency, 40 percent of its child welfare staff left last year.

The plan advances to the full House.