SACRAMENTO – Last week a bill authored by Assemblymember Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) that addresses the need to reduce the case load for Social Workers passed its first test as it moved through the Assembly Human Services Committee with no opposition.

Assembly Bill 2193 outlines a five year strategy to implement the optimum caseload standards for social workers, which was recommended in the 2000 Child Welfare Services Workload Study. According to Bass, the current workload of the caseworkers cannot effectively serve the needs of the children and families in the state.  

"In order to improve the Foster Care System, it’s imperative that we address this issue first," states the Assemblymember. "Relieving the overly burdened case load of the Social Workers is a pivotal component to fixing this broken system."

Assemblymember Bass is the Chair of the Select Committee on Foster Care. Under her leadership, she has obtained bi-partisan participation on the Foster Care Legislative Packet that was introduced earlier this year. Bass authored nine out of 22 bills in the packet, which address emancipation, health, education, relative/kinship issues, social worker workload, court issues, state oversight, and caregiver support.

Karen Bass was sworn into office in January 2005 as the first newly elected African American woman to the state legislature in more than 10 years. Bass was named by Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Nũńez, to the executive leadership position of Majority Whip. As the Assemblymember for the 47th District, Karen Bass serves the cities and communities of Culver City, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, Windsor Hills Ladera Heights, the Crenshaw District, Little Ethiopia and portions of Korea Town and South Los Angeles.