Florida may investigate fewer child abuse calls

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Florida is trying to figure out how to handle the growing number of calls to the child abuse hot line with fewer people available to investigate them.

The Department of Children & Families says one solution is to have workers better screen the calls to the hot line before assigning an investigator. The hot line averaged around 31,000 calls per month during the last fiscal year. About 80 percent of the calls resulted in an investigation.