Contact: Colleen Roche(212) 788-2958
Leonora Wiener, ACS (212) 266-2255
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Administration for Children's Services (ACS) Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta today announced the creation of two new civil service positions for ACS caseworkers and their supervisors.
Mayor Giuliani said, "This compensation and promotion package is another crucial step in this administration's continuing effort to reform the child welfare system. By basing promotions and pay increases on outstanding performance and educational achievement we will insure that ACS has the most professional, best-educated, and best-trained cadre of front line staff possible to protect the children of the City of New York."
The new positions, which carry substantially higher salaries, will require that newly hired caseworkers meet tougher eligibility standards; will award merit increases based on performance; and will require caseworkers to earn at least 30 credits towards a Master of Social Work, or an equivalent degree, before being promoted to Supervisor.
Under the new plan, pay raises for caseworkers and supervisors will be based on compliance with mandated policies and procedures as well as performance evaluations that will be reviewed by a Promotion Panel established by ACS. The agency will also enable up to 200 qualified ACS employees each year to pursue a Masters of Social Work degree through a full scholarship at one of the seven metropolitan- area graduate schools of Social Work.
The newly established positions- Child Protective Specialist (CPS) and Child Welfare Specialist (CWS) --- are the first ever created by the City specifically for child welfare caseworkers. Currently, 360 ACS Child Protective caseworkers earn $28,576 annually; another 820 are paid $30,441. Under the new positions, most of these caseworkers' salaries will rise to $32,230 and $34,369 respectively, an immediate 13 percent raise. Child Protective first-level supervisors earning $37,528 will now earn $39,404, a 5 percent increase; second-level supervisors earning $43,727 will now earn $50,341, a 15 percent increase.
Child Welfare caseworkers whose salaries range from $27,406 to $29,271 will receive salaries ranging from $30,405 to $32,503, an immediate 11 percent increase. Child Welfare first-level supervisors earning $35,807 will earn $39,404, a 10 percent increase; second-level supervisors earning $41,812 will now earn $47,435, a 13 percent increase.
Caseworkers will also be eligible for merit raises, up to a maximum of $48,729 for Child Protection caseworkers and $46,569 for Child Welfare caseworkers. In total, 3,600 ACS caseworkers and supervisors will be eligible for the new positions.
Commissioner Scoppetta said, "We have worked hard to increase accountability at ACS. This new salary plan will reward those who perform their duties in a superior manner and those who demonstrate the initiative and commitment to go on to graduate school. The Masters of Social Work Scholarship Program will be of great assistance in helping caseworkers earn graduate degrees and to qualify for promotion. I can think of no better way to achieve institutional reform than to reward those employees who strive for excellence."
Child Protective Specialists are responsible for investigating reports of abuse and neglect, and, where the evidence supports these reports, to remove children from danger. Child Welfare Specialists are responsible for developing and implementing service plans so those children will achieve permanency as quickly and safely as possible. They work with birth, foster and adoptive families to reunify children with their families when it is safe to do so, to facilitate adoptions and to help children who are not adopted achieve independence.
New applicants for the position of Child Protective Specialist or Child Welfare Specialist must pass a competitive civil service examination. To be eligible, applicants must have a college degree with a minimum of 24 credits in an appropriate major such as, sociology, psychology or social work. They must also pass an English-language proficiency examination. After six months and successful completion of an enhanced classroom-training program and supervised field instruction, a Child Protective Specialist or Child Welfare Specialist will move to Level II.
All current ACS caseworkers and supervisors will have the opportunity to apply for the new positions, upon the recommendation of their managers. Recommendations will be based on measurable criteria and performance evaluations.
The new positions require toughened eligibility standards for promotion. In order to advance to the first supervisory level, a CPS or CWS must have at least 18 months experience. A candidate must pass an additional competitive civil service examination and must have completed at least 30 credits towards a Masters of Social Work (MSW) or a graduate degree in a related field.
Promotions to the next supervisory level will be based entirely on merit, demonstrated ability, additional educational achievements, and at least 30 months of experience at ACS. To aid those caseworkers interested in pursuing a supervisory career path, ACS will provide financial aid.
The Masters of Social Work Scholarship Program, funded by Mayor Giuliani this summer, will award 100 new graduate school scholarships each academic year. Through this program, ACS caseworkers will receive full tuition as well as release time from work to attend any of the two-year MSW programs offered by seven graduate schools of social work in the metropolitan area. This represents a commitment of over $3 million in City funds each fiscal year.
The creation of a new more highly qualified and better-trained workforce is a cornerstone of the ACS Reform Plan. Implementation of this major initiative, along with the introduction of neighborhood-based services, record numbers of adoptions, stricter oversight of contract agencies and heightened standards and toughened enforcement of accountability represents a significant fulfillment of Reform Plan objectives.