CFS Caseload Management Forum Update - May 16, 2022

Dear OCEA Member,

The next CFS Caseload Management Forum is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 18.

If you’ve attended the Forum in recent months, you’re aware that your OCEA Representatives have been working to make the Caseload Management Forum a more effective space where the caseload statistics better reflect the reality of the work. Since the large Forum hasn’t achieved these intended goals, we revisited the relevant MOU language in an effort to improve the likelihood of better outcomes.

Beginning with the June Caseload Management Forum we will institute the Forum structure described in the MOU. That structure authorizes up to five (5) management participants and up to five (5) Social Worker participants at each meeting. Since five workers cannot represent the intricacies of the work in every CFS program, each monthly Forum will focus on one or two specific programs and the worker participants will be from those programs. The goal of these meetings will be to focus on improving the caseload metrics and developing recommendations for achieving manageable caseload levels and equitable distribution of cases in each program. A schedule of programs will be forthcoming, but please reach out in advance if you want to be one of the five worker participants for your program.

The change in the Forum’s structure will be discussed at Wednesday’s meeting. The beginning of the May meeting will be open to all CFS programs as usual, to be followed by the first program specific break-out group with Court Services & Special Medical Investigations.

While this is a new approach for CFS, this is the structure that is successfully used in Caseload Management Forums in other divisions of SSA. We expect there will be some growing pains as we adapt this model for CFS, but with worker dedication to achieving manageable caseload levels, we believe it will be a success.

Remember—you do not have to wait until your program’s Forum date to work on caseload solutions! You can reach out to an OCEA Labor Representative to collaborate not just on caseload solutions, but also to address other problems or concerns.

To join the Zoom Meeting, please check your home emails for Zoom credentials or reach out to OCEA at info@ocea.org.

In Solidarity,

OCEA Team

Publication Date: May 16, 2022