GBI Probes State's Vital Records

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into allegations the state’s birth and death records have been mishandled. Officials called for the probe after a whistleblower said that names were changed on birth certificates without proof of identity and that applications for birth and death certificates were discarded without any action taken. Another allegation… checks were mishandled. Birth and death certificates are maintained by the Department of Human Resources Office of Vital Records. The office also amends records and adds to birth certificates when an adoption is completed or when paternity is acknowledged.

(Associated Press)

Perdue ready to address DHR issues

Governor Sonny Perdue this morning is expected to announce significant changes to operations within the state's Department of Human Resources. Streamlining operations, or moving programs elsewhere within Georgia government are some of the possible actions. The DHR has been under severe scrutiny for its handling of mental hospitals in the state. The system has also been under investigation from officials with the U.S. Department of Justice. Along with those problems, the DHR is another state agency trying to deal with budget cuts. The state’s DHR oversees about 80 programs from child welfare, to mental health, to services for the aging. It has an annual budget of 1.6 billion dollars.

DHR furloughing employees as part of budget cuts

Governor Perdue has asked all state agencies to show they're cutting their 2009 - 2010 budgets between six and ten percent.

The Department of Human Resources is one of the agencies slashing costs, in order to meet a mid-September deadline.

DHR is the largest state agency, employing 19,000 people. It's ordering employees to take a one-day furlough a month, in order to save between $92 million and $150 million dollars.

DHR officials say that,

"All employees earning $35,569 or more (pay grade 15 and above), including all leadership and the DHR Commissioner, will take one furlough day each month."

Exemptions from the furloughs include:

"Child welfare and adult protective services caseworkers [DFACS] and their direct supervisors, all direct-care staff at state hospitals and employees earning less than $35,569 (pay grade 14 and below)."

DHR says they're tightening their belt in other ways, as well, including cutting:

"non-essential travel for state business, suspending all vehicle purchases until further notice, suspending non-critical equipment and supplies purchases for the next 90 days and suspending non-critical hiring unless approved by DHR Commissioner, SPA and OPB."

The new policy goes into effect on September 16th.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the state economic crisis.

Funding cut for state child mental health possible

Governor Sonny Perdue later today is set to recommend a cut of 8.4 million dollars in funds for mental health services for children. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the money will be moved from those services to other programs within the Department of Human Resources to help meet administrative expenses and other funding deficits. Some of those deficits include filling gaps in state child welfare services and child adoption services. The proposed transfer of money has upset many health advocates.