DHS to Deal With Backlog

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Department of Human Services is asking for help to resolve thousands of case reports that are backlogged.
 
DHS has put out a request for proposals from qualified vendors to help resolve the 3,100 backlogged reports.
 
Each of the cases have been investigated, the children interviewed and a safety decision made, but the cases have not been documented in the child welfare system and closed according to DHS policy.
 
DHS director Ed Lake said in a news release that the backlog is a result of the "sharp growth" in the number of children within the agency's custody and the time it takes to hire, train and deploy caseworkers.
 
DHS hopes to close all the pending cases by Jan. 31.