Head Of Mississippi Foster Care Program Needs Social Workers, Supervisors

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – The new head of Mississippi’s troubled foster care system has a simple message for current and aspiring social workers – Come work for him.

Speaking Thursday at the Mississippi Child Welfare Institute Conference, former state Supreme Court Justice David Chandler said his agency needs to hire nearly 250 social workers and supervisors in coming months.

He’s encouraging the leaders of social work education programs to steer applicants to the agency, saying a projected pay raise could make the jobs more attractive.

A federal judge has ordered the state to show improvement soon or risk the judge taking over child welfare operations.

Chandler, who took over in December, says he thinks more workers will help improve things, but a court monitor also recently criticized management.