County OKs $62 million to treat children in foster care

"This is an appropriate and long overdue step. All the way around, it's good news for the children we serve," said Patricia S. Ploehn, children and family services director. "This is a piece of a larger transformation in Los Angeles County. We have been focusing on reducing the number of children in care and the time in care, and improving services while they are in care."

The plan calls for social workers to do basic mental health screenings by March 2009 for the 156,000 cases that are investigated in the field each year. The screenings have been resisted by the union representing social workers.

"We agree that these kids need mental health services, but why does this fall to the social worker?" asked Tony Castro, a social worker in Commerce, where the average caseload is 30, far more than twice the 12 recommended by experts. "The department says it knows that we are overworked, but they still tell us to do this and to do that."

Castro, an executive board member of Service Employees International Union 721, said the union will push for further negotiations before implementing the screening.

In addition, the department said that by next year, it hopes to conduct comprehensive assessments and create treatment plans for at least 65% of the 11,000 children detained annually by next year. Officials acknowledged that such assessments currently are not completed in time for court hearings that decide children's placement and access to services.

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garrett.therolf@latimes.com