The county Children and Youth Services department could get a new caseworker supervisor and three new caseworkers, which may allow the department to add an evening shift for neglect and abuse calls that come in at night.

Joyce Ainsworth, the county human services director, spoke on the subject Wednesday at the county salary board meeting because Charlie Johns, CYS director, is out of town.

Ainsworth made the recommendation that three new CYS caseworkers be hired at a salary of $24.81 per hour, and that a caseworker supervisor be hired at an annual salary of $47,481 to $66,474.

She explained that part of a state legislation package in 2014 meant to improve child services required each county’s CYS department to maintain certain staff-to-family ratios.

Ainsworth said while the CYS department officials in many counties rushed to their commissioners to ask for a sharp increase in staffing, Johns shifted workers around and manipulated the schedule to abide by the requirements while avoiding a financial burden on the county.

“Charlie Johns said ‘I’m not going to do that until I know what I need,’” Ainsworth said. “I think he should be commended for this.”

Ainsworth explained that when the new regulations came out in 2014, Johns added a caseworker manager, then a supervisor and part-time caseworker, and converted a part-time position to full time.

Now, Johns, through Ainsworth, is asking the salary board and commissioners for the four additional positions, as he has to submit a plan to the state Department of Human Services to demonstrate that he is in compliance with the 2014 legislation.

“Washington County asked for 10 new caseworkers and supervisors as soon as the legislation came out,” Ainsworth said.

County Commissioner Kim Geyer said she hopes the new personnel will allow for an evening shift that can quickly respond to situations of child neglect and abuse.

“A lot of those calls are coming in after hours at the county office, so it would allow us to do a second shift,” Geyer said.

Ainsworth said when police or the county emergency services department need a caseworker after office hours, one of the daytime caseworkers is called to the scene to process an abused or neglected child.

She said that employee then subtracts those hours from their daytime schedule.

Commissioners Chairman Leslie Osche said the new caseworkers will allow the CYS department to pay additional attention to the most vulnerable cases.

“It would put another focus on kids aged 6 and under,” Osche said.

The salary board is expected to vote on the measure at its meeting next Wednesday.

Ainsworth said the new positions will only cost the county about $6,000 because the state Department of Human Services pays 80 percent of the new employees’ total salaries.