CSEA continues to mobilize support for signing into law a bill that would limit caseloads for child protective services workers.
Our union, along with a bipartisan group of state lawmakers and community partners, is calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign the Child Protective Services Safety Act, stating that the legislation would improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families by limiting child protective services workers’ active caseloads. The state Assembly and Senate passed the bill earlier this year, but as The Work Force went to press, it has not been delivered to the governor for action.
State lawmakers, including Assembly bill sponsors Donna Lupardo (D-Binghamton), James Skoufis (D-Woodbury) and Frank Skartados (D-Newburgh), recently joined CSEA at news conferences in Binghamton and Newburgh where workers and union leaders said caseload limits would allow more time with children in crisis. State Sens. William Larkin (R-Cornwall-on-Hudson) and Sue Serino (R-Hyde Park), who voted for the bill in the Senate, joined the Newburgh event to voice their support.
CSEA continues to mobilize support for the bill through advertising, media outreach and internal member organizing. CSEA President Danny Donohue wrote an op-ed featured in City & State Magazine. Capital Region President Ron Briggs, a former CPS worker, discussed the legislation on WCNY’s The Capitol Pressroom.
— Jessica Ladlee
