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• Providing intensive reunification services to children in foster care. <br />• Working to move cases expeditiously through the court process. <br />• Achieving permanence for children in a reasonable time frame. <br />Over the last five years the number of CPS investigations has increased from 566 in 1995 to <br />769 in 2000, an increase of about 36 percent. The number of open CPS family treatment cases <br />at the end of last fiscal year has increased from 130 in 1995 to 208 in 2000, a 60 percent <br />increase. During the same timeframe, the number of children receiving CPS services has <br />increased about 56 percent from 252 children to 393. <br />Social Services Proposed New. Positions <br />Through the receipt of State administered Federal TANF funds, Social Services has the <br />opportunity to significantly enhance Orange County's safety net for children and families by <br />establishing the following positions: <br />• Two Child Protective Services Social Workers (to be assigned to a late shift) to handle late <br />day referrals, evening contacts required to assure protection of children, and on-call duties <br />initiating investigations outside regular office hours. <br />• Five Child Protective Services Treatment Social Workers to work with families and children <br />where abuse/neglect have occurred to preserve families whenever possible, work with foster <br />children to achieve permanence, and increase the independent living services provided to <br />adolescents in Social Services custody. <br />One Child Protective Services Supervisor to provide guidance and support to the direct <br />service staff. <br />These positions would result in the following outcomes: <br />Decrease time in responding to child abuse/neglect referrals. <br />Increase safety and permanence for children. <br />Decrease the length of time a child is located in foster care. <br />• Increase the stability of child placements. <br />• Enhance the independent living program for adolescents in our custody. <br />• Reduce turnover in Child Protective Services positions by reducing extra hours worked and <br />call backs to work outside of the regular work schedule. <br />Increasing the frequency of home visits will enhance safety for children and facilitate parental <br />compliance with protection plans. If only one family receives intensive family work and Social <br />Services does not have to take custody and place the child in intensive therapeutic care,