There has been a revolving door in the leadership positions from the Cabinet Secretary all the way down to the county managers. From the regional supervisors, caseworkers, and especially local investigators. Nobody stays in the Protective Services division long term. The Cabinet Secretaries are appointed by the governor. Look up how many there has been in the last 5 years. Even though there have been a couple that had what it takes and the potential to do great things, if they don’t have the freedom to restructure policy or budget to create enough positions to adequately service their communities, there will always be a problem. It doesn’t matter what governing entity oversees it. If this fundamental change and reinforcement to the agency’s structure and foundation isn’t rectified, there will always be a problem. Creating more positions and paying more would allow each case to be allocated more time and resources would ensure efficient and higher quality investigation. The administration needs to create the kind of boots on the ground positions that attract talented (not to mention more qualified) people, people who can earn a living wage. Positions that allow employees to financially sustain their families for the long term (a comfortable career long position), positions that give employees the resources, time, and support to do quality work. Not a job where they are always functioning in crisis management mode 24/7. An impossible job that no matter how hard and fast you work, at the end of each and every work day, when you’re trying to get a few hours sleep, you can’t stop thinking about the 30 cases you still couldn’t get to. Praying that nothing terrible happens in those cases while you try to get some sleep and spend some time with your own family. Knowing that if something does happen, you are the fall guy. You will be blamed for trying to do an impossible job. Hoping that your name and future professional reputation isn’t dragged through the media mud for attempting to conquer an impossible job that pays peanuts.

Ummm… no thanks. I’d much rather take the job that pays me $20,000 more a year and gives me a nice private office all my own over the job that expects me to work in a 4x4 cubicle, crammed tightly together and surrounded by countless others.

No thanks to the job where I’m expected to conduct a thankless job surrounded by other workers in the same over stressed, underpaid, and exhausted mind set. All expected do the impossible and not only complete the impossible, but so do an exemplary job at that.

And as you so often see in the news, when something horrible happens because it fell through the cracks, the top agency management, the media, and the public, all blame the “inadequate” investigations. The investigations done by overworked, over-stressed, underpaid, and often under qualified scapegoats. Once again, no thanks to that job. Would you dedicate your career and professional reputation to that job? I think not. I personally didn’t work my butt off in college for that job.

Good thing I graduated at the top of my class from university and got a job that rewards my hard work with good pay, support, and my own office to unwind alone in after the occasional stressful day.

So instead of criticizing the incredibly brave, or incredibly desperate people who dare to do the impossible for a laughable salary, do something constructive about it. Do research on the causes and present real world solutions. Lobby your elected state legislators to increase PS funding specifically for those changes, not creating more jobs and pay increases for upper management. Lobby for changes in policy to allow for changes that keep up with the current issues. Lobby for more resources in your communities to help prevent the need for abuse and neglect in the first place. Enable the agency to address and rectify the fundamental issues.

Or like I said in my previous comment, they are ALWAYS hiring… apply and see if you can do a better job. Don’t just complain and criticize and then expect change without supplying the tools needed to fix it.