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PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona's child welfare agency is falling further behind in its efforts to improve services as caseloads soar and more workers leave the struggling agency.

The state's Child Protective Services agency is 200 workers short of its approved staffing levels and remains 500 workers short of meeting state and national standards.

The Arizona Republic reports (http://bit.ly/QiFqsg) the most recent state report on CPS shows nearly one in three front-line workers have quit their jobs this year. The number of children in foster care also continues to rise, hitting a record 13,497 in July. That's a 22 percent increase over the same time last year.

The dismal report comes despite efforts of a governor's task force set up to help solve ongoing problems at the agency.