My sister in law, God lover her, is a social worker in Oklahoma. She worked for the DHS straight out of her Bachelor's program. She used the opportunity and some monies they offer for you to get your Master's. She slugged it out at DHS for 4 years and now works as a private contractor so she can pick and choose her cases, and of course with her Master's, make more per visit. She primarily manages families on welfare that have had kids either taken away and now being returned or are near to it. In than group she actually specializes in cases where there is drug abuse and often court ordered counseling and/or rehab. She has been doing it for 12 years or so, so we have been hearing the stories of what really goes on in these systems firsthand for quite awhile. What is quite clear from her is that there are people who game the system and it should be dealt with. But she also says that problem, and the problems in general with the system, are caused primarily by lack of funding. There just aren't enough bodies to handle the cases and keep tabs on progress to keep these people from backsliding and falling into addiction and poverty even further. From these broken homes it is quite common to have an older teen, but even as young as 11 or 12, as a missing runaway kid. When found they are almost always living on the streets. I think removing and streamlining regulations may [partially solve one issue, that being accessibility and availability of the services to teens on the streets. But even if you took away ALL regulations, money would still be an issue. But that problem, and the problem of the actual work being done in an effective manner both depend on the most important thing of all: giving a crap in the first place. Which sadly, many people don't.
