[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6272812,"mediaKeyId","3026102-eebfa073096e864d3c1fea0bb4eff442","parentId",3026102,"title","DOJ deputy AG details administrative services staffing shortfalls, IT and billing modernization requests","audioSeconds",1233,"startMs",823000,"endMs",2056000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3026102-eebfa073096e864d3c1fea0bb4eff442&start=823&end=2056","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3026102-eebfa073096e864d3c1fea0bb4eff442/thumbnail_823000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6272812/Oregon/DOJ-deputy-AG-details-administrative-services-staffing-shortfalls-IT-and-billing-modernization-requests","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272812-ac810ac344d414b922a722556a2c890d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176095&Signature=jpfWhr03zk8KYYNqcVOb5Q2Tl~Ir6xLw~XdMYvt-gy3BrTQUd0uhur-cGD9R0en8niD0PGRgsvdTDwxFaj2pepIO8MYNmYqmG-kKGYv~NUVHasWpt~I10eGlQvykGkTY9RJRBePeHKlyy37j8TCASjNxqtbzS8rZ6eIKGzp4-opzBim0malD7wCkFvAmuHx1MBahHz5bD9FLDiaXwBUdDvW~nsQPb7l08u2stoC6ya~ZfBwCP~dyjZ7zgCnN4Bh0LoBLEEemYKhCWotfzOwIMXQET~uNA6cOZwY~5X5ZGRlnqhItDbMSaeOLY4THz1WmT61sponZwKFQvDql7CarIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-04-16T00:00:00Z","article","Deputy Attorney General Lisa Uddland provided the Public Safety Committee an overview of the Department of Justice Administrative Services Division and related budget requests as part of the informational hearing on House Bill 5014.

\"The mission of the administrative services division is to advance the department of justice's work by providing expert services in core business and operational areas,\" Uddland told the committee, describing the division as the sole source of administrative support for about 1,500 DOJ employees across 19 locations.

Uddland outlined several operational pressures. Financial services paid roughly 13,000 invoices during the past biennium, processed about 49,000 warrants through the state financial system, and issued nearly 30,000 billing invoices to more than 690 clients, she said. The division has experienced turnover and long vacancies in key financial leadership positions: the chief financial officer post has been vacant for over a year and the financial services manager position has been intermittently vacant, Uddland said.

Human resources staffing has not kept pace with agency growth, she said: DOJ added about 66 positions since 2019 but HR staffing increased by only two positions (one payroll and one HR analyst). The division currently has roughly one HR professional per 100 employees, Uddland said; she cited the Society for Human Resource Management guideline of about 1.7 HR staff per 100 employees as a comparative benchmark. The department’s internal audit found inconsistent onboarding documents and processes and role confusion among HR, IT and hiring managers.

To address these gaps, DOJ proposed policy option package (POP) 154 for HR staffing, requesting $2,900,000 in other funds that would add $2.06 to the department’s legal rate and would fund 3.5 additional HR analysts, one payroll position, and a project management office to lead agency‑wide process improvements. A separate training POP would add internal training and onboarding capacity; Uddland said that request is $1,200,000 in other funds and would add $0.85 to the legal rate.

Uddland also described IT cost pressures and a request for POP 103 for information services of $2,200,000 in other funds that would add $1.57 to the legal rate. She said Cisco licensing costs increased about 31% during the past biennium and that inflation has raised ongoing licensing and equipment replacement expenses.

The department is advancing a major IT modernization, the legal tools program, to replace outdated case management, timekeeping and billing systems. DOJ has signed a contract with Aon Nexus to acquire the Justice Nexus platform and has begun gap analysis and business process redesign. Uddland said the program requests $4,000,000 in total general fund (including $1,200,000 of 2023‑25 unspent general fund and $3,200,000 new general fund), and $13,300,000 in bonding authority (about $6,000,000 moved forward from a prior bond offering and $7.3 million new bonding authority). The department also requested corresponding other fund limitation and $13,400,000 for employee costs associated with the project.

Uddland highlighted recent cost savings and service achievements: the information services help desk resolved over 24,000 tickets in the past biennium, and a firewall consolidation project saved more than $2.5 million. Facility consolidations reduced office footprint (the trial division gave up about 6,000 square feet and general counsel about 21,000 square feet) producing lease savings Uddland estimated at over $800,000 annually.

She warned that across administrative sections a 10% reduction would largely translate into reduced capacity rather than program elimination. Uddland closed by asking committee members to direct any follow‑up questions to DOJ staff and noting the department would provide requested materials.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On Public Safety 04/16/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Deputy Attorney General Lisa Uddland described staffing shortages in financial services and human resources, proposed policy option packages to add HR and IT resources, and outlined a major legal tools project (Justice Nexus) and related funding requests during the HB 5014 informational hearing.","taxTitle","Public Safety, Ways and Means, Joint, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",18852,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6272818,"DOJ outlines child‑welfare caseload, regional coverage in informational hearing on HB 5014",745,70000,815000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3026102-eebfa073096e864d3c1fea0bb4eff442&start=70&end=815","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3026102-eebfa073096e864d3c1fea0bb4eff442/thumbnail_70000.jpg","/articles/6272818/Oregon/DOJ-outlines-childwelfare-caseload-regional-coverage-in-informational-hearing-on-HB-5014","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272818-04e7a9ed9ba88d7692572255bd0e589b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176095&Signature=SpkszBbqtLLmZFdMAO2pJW9a2guWnISljhgdEOEde0YjNT1TbOkrCQQKOsV~1X96HX065-uucJ2amPSFGDhM3qKdAlVw5nCiHM2jbvxiXF1db~ywCVd4iT0VkhVVk-yUpbDCk3tRVBFb1VJZG5A4pamC1uw4FFRATjJvHpYUXG~EaVgkJnYloqFoWvVTguhvlXZmCjfzsb4M04JfvtYmShQjKz4G1wnrPc~abv4-O-0R0NPN5YXAkggAFApX3oCO0tWcPW4Q~KslvH-AVfG0peRRFqOSFmGMDZXvatbz2Nf~d5O~yt5goZnQaYv343gmzxJct3o1ndtkF9URKPu10A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Rodman opened an informational hearing on House Bill 5014 and invited the Department of Justice to present on the Child Advocacy and Protection Division.

Joanne Southey, chief counsel of the Child Advocacy and Protection Division at the Oregon Department of Justice, told the Public Safety Committee the division’s work is “largely driven by the juvenile dependency court work” and that attorneys and staff appear in every county across the state to represent the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Division.

The division has 97 budgeted positions (attorneys and support staff) and a five‑investigator unit, Southey said. Attorneys are colocated in six regional offices — Portland, Salem, Eugene, Medford, Pendleton and Bend — and staff appear in all 36 counties. In 2024, division attorneys prepared for and appeared in more than 21,000 court hearings, Southey said, ranging from short procedural hearings to complex, multiweek litigation.

The division also logged over 6,000 hours of legal consultation to assess child safety and legal sufficiency, Southey said, and a newly created legal advice unit handled more than 175 requests for legal advice in 2024. The unit was funded through a 2023 legislative investment intended to provide continual, nonlitigation legal guidance to support prevention efforts and consistent statewide practice.

Southey described logistical challenges that arise from the volume and unpredictability of hearings. Shelter hearings must occur within 24 hours of a child’s removal, she said, and attorneys can receive notice of hearings with only a few hours’ lead time in some counties. To manage that workload, regional coverage attorneys step in across counties; Southey said regional attorneys have covered at least 17 counties to provide immediate coverage where needed.

Southey said the division’s front‑end work with DHS aims to reduce entries to foster care by supporting alternatives to removal when safe, and that the division provides statewide legal advice to align DHS program policy and case practice with changes in case law and statutory requirements.

The presentation concluded with a slide showing a proposed budget reduction and an offer to answer committee questions. Senator Broadman asked whether the legal advice unit attorneys are physically located in DOJ offices or are on‑call; Southey replied the attorneys are located in DOJ offices and receive calls. The committee closed the informational hearing with no formal action; staff noted a work session and public testimony on HB 5014 were scheduled for the following day.

","Joanne Southey, chief counsel of the Department of Justice Child Advocacy and Protection Division, told the Public Safety Committee the division handles thousands of juvenile dependency hearings statewide and highlighted staffing, regional coverage and a new legal advice unit funded by 2023 legislation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DOJ deputy AG details administrative services staffing shortfalls, IT and billing modernization requests

DOJ outlines child‑welfare caseload, regional coverage in informational hearing on HB 5014