Evening star., 1954-12-13
Welfare Aid
Hampered by
gCaseIoa!d
Project Indicates
Benefits if Burden on
Worker Is Lighter

children benefit from smaller
caseloads per welfare worker. ac-
cording to results Of a 14-months
demonstration project made pub
Iic today.
Families with absent fathers
predoninated in the 240 aid to
dependent children cases in
cluded in the project, conducted
by the staff of the Public As
sistance Division Of the District
Department Of Public Welfare.
Among the additional re-
sources" developed in the study
through more concentrated case
service-a monthly average Of
about 81 cases per worker-the
report related that husbands and
fathers were located and finan-
cial contributions obtained from
them.
In some cases. it added, even
though a regular continuing f.
nancial contribution was not OBJ
tanned, the fathers met special
needs or were motivated to a
closer association with their
children.
900 Children in Cases.
The 24O families in the prof.
ect involved a total of 384
fathers. The cases involved 1923
persons, Of whom 900 were chill
dren. OF the 900 children. 3l4
were illegitimate. In all but 1873
of the families, there were more
than one father-in 10 case four
or five.
The Welfare Department on
Friday announced additional re-
strictions on aid to children in
the homes of unmarried couples.
Under the new rules. an "em-
playable" man who is considered
part Of a household must be re-
sponsible for all the children
there, even though he is not the
father. In addition, aid to chill
dren will be eliminated when
the man keeps a separate ad-
dress but otherwise maintains
the relationships of husband and
father.
The demonstration project,
said the report. has given evi-
dence that case work with re-
duced number of ADO cases Is
constructive and productive in
terms of helping people to help
themselves to the extent that
need for public assistance no
longer exists, or If need contin-
ues to exist, the services, pros
vided result irss al plus qualify
which enables TIE inemhers Of
these families to make better use
Of their human and financial re-
sources"
141 Families Improved.
The report said the status of
141 of the 240 families was i'm
proved, evidenced by:
interviewing 81 absent fathers,
with resultant contributions or
increased contributions by "a
fathers; improved marital rela-
tionships in % families. includ-
ing five reconciliations and three
marriages that led to case clos
ing.
Counsel and follow-up in
health needs of mothers or chill
dren in 81 families, resulting in
health Improvement and better
use Of community resources;
counsel and aid in employment
problems in 43 families. which
resulted in employment and clos
ing in Is cases, partial employ
ment of the mother in nine
cases, and progress toward self
maintenance in the remaining
16.
Better housing was obtained
for % families through combined
effort of social worker and
mothers. and school difficulties
involving truancy were allevi-
ated in nine instances.
OF the 240 cases, SO were
closed during the study period,
which ended March 81.
The families were 96 per cent
colored, a higher percentage
than in the total ADO load. More
than one-fourth had received as
sistance continusuly for less than
a year, more than half for less
than three years and almost
three-fourths for less than five
years.
Caseloads Reassigned.
The Welfare Department has
reaSsigned its caseloads in the
Public Assistance Division. II
was decided that dependent chill
dren aid would be assigned to
one group of workers, rather
than to various categories of aid
by geographic area.
Because of the staff and case
load situation. 1t was pointed out
that the ADO workers average
caseload probably can not be
lower than rs families. Other
social workers assigned to inte-
grated caseloads will have an
average of 200.
The Welfare Department asked
for SO additional social workers
for the fiscal year 1856 IN the
budget submitted to the Com
missioners.
More Help Possible.
Reduction to an average
agency caseload of 90. the re-
port said, would permit workers
among other things to:
Locate deSerting parents and
other responsible relatives and
spend enough time with them to
effect restoration of families, OBJ
tain volunteer contributions, OF
60 to court to enforce financial
support where warranted.
Help employable mothers to
work out plans for child care
during working hours so the
mother can become self-sustain-
ing.
Study histories more thor
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