500 New Caseworkers for Family and Children Services

GBI Crime Lab Receives Funds to Reduce Backlog

ATLANTA, GA – Governor Sonny Perdue spoke today to the annual Eggs and Issues breakfast sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and announced two major components of his upcoming budget.

Governor Perdue is recommending $5,399,000 to fund 500 caseworkers for the Department of Human Resources, Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS).

“Protecting children is a top priority for my administration. We cannot stand by while another child suffers abuse or neglect under the state’s supervision,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Reducing the load on our caseworkers will allow them to better protect Georgia’s greatest resource – our children.”

Adding 500 new frontline caseworkers will help protect children and strengthen families under DFCS supervision by reducing caseloads and staff turnover. The state funding, for salary and benefits, will draw a federal match of $6,876,000. These funds will cover the first six months of the fiscal year with the remaining six months addressed in the FY06 amended budget.

Governor Perdue also announced that he is recommending more than $4.4 million to reduce the backlog at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) crime lab – $1,425,654 for 20 new analyst positions in the FY06 budget and $3 million in the FY05 amended budget for outsourcing existing casework to private labs. This is the second consecutive budget recommendation from the Governor that has included additional funding for new staff positions at the crime lab. Last year’s budget recommendations (FY05) included $715,694 for 15 new analyst positions.

“The GBI is working overtime to reduce the backlog at the state crime lab and I’m pleased that more help is on the way,” said Governor Perdue. “The addition of these 20 analysts and outsourcing funds will help reduce the current backlog and give comfort to many victims of crime waiting on important evidence.”