Title
Health and Human Services Agency and Human Resources recommending the Board adopt Resolution 128-2012 revising the job specification and salary range for the Chief Deputy Public Guardian/Public Conservator classification.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
None. There are no costs associated with the adoption of the revised job specification and salary schedule.
Background
The Public Guardian Office within the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) provides conservatorship services for elderly, infirmed, developmentally disabled and mentally ill individuals who are unable to provide for their own basic needs or who are the victims of abuse or exploitation and have no one able or willing to act as conservator for them. Services include investigation of referrals for conservatorship, filing petitions on behalf of conservatees, maintaining the financial and physical well-being of those under conservatorship, freezing/securing assets in emergency situations, assessing placement and/or medical needs, determining service needs, and case management for those not requiring full conservatorship but incapable of managing their own benefits.
In 2006 the Chief Deputy Public Guardian/Public Conservator position assigned to the Public Guardian Office was reclassified into a Program Manager I position to provide increased independent management of the Public Guardian Office. In 2010 the Public Guardian Program Manager I was reassigned to other Agency programs due to funding constraints and a Supervising Deputy Public Guardian classification was established to provide day-to-day program supervision of the Public Guardian Office. Management oversight shifted to a Program Manager II who also had responsibility for multiple program areas within the Agency.
Since January 2011 the Public Guardian caseload has increased 35% from 291 to 393 and growth is expected to continue. As the number and complexity of Public Guardian cases grows, so does the need for full-time management of the program.
Reason for Recommendation
The Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), in conjunction with Human Resources, is recommending minor changes to the previously established Chief Deputy Public Guardian/Public Conservator job specification and a revised salary range to bring it to a level comparable with Public Guardian/Public Conservator management classifications in other counties and in line with the Deputy Public Guardian class series.
HHSA will be recommending the addition of a Chief Deputy Public Guardian/Public Conservator position to the Agency's Authorized Personnel Allocation for FY 2012/13 during budget addenda. Regardless of whether HHSA's request to add this position to their Authorized Personnel Allocation is approved in the budget addenda process, the existing job specification is outdated and needs to be updated to accurately identify the duties, responsibilities and salary range of this position.
Action(s) to be taken following Board approval
Board Chair to sign resolution and forward to Human Resources for implementation.
Contact
Mike Strella, Human Resources
Daniel Nielson, Health and Human Services