J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                    2137

EFFICIENT FORM OF DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION

AND a comprehensive program for effective use of available job
skills at recommended salaries within State and local welfare de-
partments.

WHEREAS, THE FUNCTIONS OF THE STATE DEPART-
MENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE HAVE CHANGED MATERIALLY
SINCE ITS ORGANIZATION, NEW SERVICES ARE BEING
ADMINISTERED, AND THE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET IS
NOW $50,000,000; AND

Whereas, In view of the limited availability of persons with pro-
fessional training or broad experience in the field of social welfare,
Maryland, as well as her sister states, has been faced with the con-
tinuing problem of recruiting and retaining competent personnel
to perform social welfare work and of effectively utilizing the per-
sonnel available; and

Whereas, The State and local welfare departments experience
a high ratio of turnover and position vacancies, particularly in case-
work positions, with consequent increased expense and inefficiency
of operation; and

Whereas, With respect to case-work positions, the current per-
sonnel plan of the welfare departments, determined at State level,
does not allow for recognition of previous experience in welfare
work, does not classify cases as to difficulty or workers as to levels
of competence, and provides no overall plan for utilization of special-
ized resource persons to supplement social work skills; nor is there
any comprehensive plan of compensation to coordinate salaries
throughout the State or make provision for area factors; and

Whereas, The existence of these and other conditions of em-
ployment undoubtedly has contributed to the difficulties encountered
in recruiting and retaining professionally trained personnel; and
this problem can be expected to continue until policy changes permit
social workers to freely and fully discharge the responsibilities for
which they were trained, at adequate levels of remuneration; and

Whereas, Consequently, there is an immediate need for a review
of the personnel administration practices and policies of the De-
partment of Public Welfare and for the preparation of a compre-
hensive program for use of the Department of Budget and Pro-
curement, the Commissioner of Personnel, the Standard Salary
Board and the State and local welfare departments to efficiently
utilize available job skills at appropriate salary scales. Although the
Department has recognized the need for review and has under-
taken an internal study of this area, effective review and revision
can best be obtained through external inquiry with expert pro-
fessional assistance; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the Board
of Public Works is hereby requested to employ professional con-
sultants to inquire into the STRUCTURE, personnel administration
policies and practices of the Department of Public Welfare, and to