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Philadelphia To Change The Way It Handles Child Welfare Case

By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The city's Department of Human Services is changing the way it handles child welfare cases.

Instead of having both DHS and outside case workers assigned to a child welfare case, DHS is beginning to put all of its case management in the hands of community-umbrella agencies. Mayor Nutter says that will help to resolve confusion and finger-pointing.

"Under the current system -- we've known this for some time -- there are many overlapping duties and responsibilities. The potential for confusion and the reality of inefficiency is a fact," he explains.

The dual case management system was blamed in the 2006 death of 14-year-old Danieal Kelly.

DHS has announced the first two of ten community agencies that will get contracts. DHS Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose says there will be no layoffs; DHS caseworkers will be given other duties.

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