DCDSS News

Foster Care Recruitment

What is Foster Care?

Foster care is a temporary living arrangement for abused, neglected, and dependent children who need a safe place to live when their parents or another relative cannot take care of them.

Who are the Children?

Thousands of children in North Carolina enter the foster care system each year, and range in age from infants to 18 years old.

Who Pays for the Child’s Care?

Foster parents receive stipend from the placement agency for a child's room, board, and other living expenses.  In addition, the child has complete medical coverage through NC Medicaid.  DSS pays for licensed child care if the parents work.

Who Can Be A Foster Parent?

Foster parents must:

How Do I Become A Foster Parent?

To find out more on how to become a licensed foster parent you can contact your local County Department of Social Services.

Dare County is always in need of foster families.

CALL US TODAY.

P O Box 669

107 Exeter Street

Manteo, NC  27954

(252) 475-5500

Ask for Susan Nelson

(252) 475-5532

DSS Employee Of The Year 2010

The DSS staff had their annual Employee Appreciation Breakfast at the Western Sizzlin Steakhouse on March 22, 2011, where the DSS Board Chairperson, Ms. Geneva Perry, presented the DSS Employee of the Year Award.

Robbin Coleman - Children's Services Office Assistant

Here are some of the highlights of what Robbin's co-workers had to say about her.

• Hard Worker

• Always friendly, kind and upbeat

• Helpful

• Never complains when asked to do something

• Goes above and beyond on a daily basis

• Organized and efficient

• A real team player

• Always pleasant to work with

• Super smart

• Always Professional

• Funny, bright and motivated

• Invaluable

GOALS AND OUTCOMES

2009-2010 Goals

Dare County Department of Social Services

The Dare County Department of Social Services will focus on the following goals and outcomes:

1.  Children and families will be safe and reside in stable environments.

1. Children who were victims of substantiated abuse and/or neglect or services recommended,  will not have another substantiated or indicated report within a six month period, before or after the identified report.

2.  Families receiving Case Management Services will successfully complete their case plan.

3. Children receiving Case Management services will remain in the physical

care of a member of their family when possible and appropriate.

4. Working families in Dare County who are potentially eligible and in need of day care services will receive day care subsidy assistance.

5. Eligible children in Dare County for whom day care subsidy assistance is requested will receive assistance.

Note:  Dare County maintained a waiting list for Child Care Subsidy for the entire fiscal year.

6. Families voluntarily accepting at-risk Medicaid services will not have a substantiated child abuse/neglect report during the time period at-risk services are active.

7. Families voluntarily accepting prevention services will not have a substantiated child abuse/neglect report during the time period prevention services are active.

8. Individuals below 21 years of age who are potentially eligible for Family & Children’s Medicaid or Health Choice will receive Family & Children’s Medicaid or Health Choice.

9. Individuals potentially income eligible for food assistance  will receive food assistance through Food and Nutrition Services.

Note:  Dare County’s estimated population was 35,263.  The most recent information available (from the 2000 census) states that 11.3% of Dare’s population is below 130% of poverty (estimated at 3,985 individuals).  The total number of individuals receiving FNS in Dare County was 4,253.  New census information will make this percentage more realistic next year.

2.     Children in the agency’s custody achieve safety and permanence.

1. Children in the custody of Dare County will be protected from abuse and neglect.

2. Children in foster care will be reunified with their parent or previous caretaker within twelve months of entering substitute care.

Note:  Eleven of twenty-three children who left foster care were reunited with their parents—all within twelve months.  The remaining twelve children who left foster care were either adopted or placed in the guardianship of relatives.

3. Children who have been in foster care will not re-enter foster care within twelve months of the date they left care due to abuse, neglect or dependency.

4. Children will be legally adopted within 24 months of that being established as the permanent plan for them.

Note:  One child has experienced a disrupted placement due to his mental health and behavioral issues, delaying his adoption. 

5.  Children will experience no more than two placements while in out-of-home care.

Note:  Four of 55 children who were in foster care during the fiscal year, had more than two placements.  These four children have significant mental health and behavioral issues that have required specialized placements and services.

6. Children placed in group care will be over the age of eleven years.

3.     Economically disadvantaged children and adults become appropriately self-sufficient

1. Former Work First employment recipients will remain off Work First due to employment.

Note:  The lack of employment opportunities forced several former Work First recipients to return to Work First.

2. Work First employment recipients will meet the minimum required participation hours.

Note:  Change in policy (effective 03/10/10) mandates that recipients must meet required hours of work related activities prior to receiving a check. 

3. Former Benefit Diversion and/or Work First recipients receiving 200% Services during FY 09-10  will remain off Benefit Diversion and/or Work First during FY 09-10.

4. Households will receive financial assistance through emergency services a maximum of two times per year.

4.     Programs are efficiently administered while maintaining the highest fiscal  and programmatic integrity

1. Collections for overpayments or over-issuances will be increased by 10%.

Note:  The agency’s failure to meet its goal of increasing collections during FY 09-10 is due to the decrease in the amount of money we are able to collect trough tax intercept on both the state and federal levels.  In FY 08-09, we were able to collect a couple of large overpayments through stimulus checks that were issued and we were able to collect more funds locally.  The poor economy has paid a role in what the agency is able to collect in overpayments.

2. Active cases consisting of a client error in collections status will pay back erroneous benefits received.

3. All available Federal, State and grant revenues will be collected.

4. Staff turnover (excluding in-home staff) will be less than 15%.

5. Eligibility for Economic Services programs will be monitored for timeliness and accuracy.

       Applications Report Card for Work First Family Assistance and Medicaid

  5.  Vulnerable adults will be safe and healthy and will live in stable and least restrictive settings

1. Vulnerable adults will not be repeat victims of confirmed abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Note:  Ten of the 44 adults confirmed/substantiated for abuse, neglect, or exploitation had prior reports. 

2. Vulnerable adults living in licensed facilities will not be abused, neglected or exploited.

Note:  There were no confirmed instances of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of residents of adult care facilities in Dare County in FY 09-10 out of 207 licensed beds.

3. Adult clients receiving support services will experience less social isolation and hunger and will have appropriate medical care.

Note:  Out of 242 adult clients receiving prevention or support services during the year, 226 did not have a report or subsequent report of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

4.  Vulnerable adults will not have their income or resources diverted illegally to the profit or advantage of any other person or entity.

5.  Disabled and elderly adults in Dare County whose incomes are at or below the federal poverty level will receive medical assistance.

       Note:  There were 8,618 adults age 60 or older in Dare County in fiscal year 2009-2010.  Per the Division of Aging and Adult Services, 7.6% of those adults were below the federal poverty rate, indicating 656 elderly and disabled adults potentially eligible for some type of Medicaid.  As of 6/30/10, there were 797 clients receiving Medicaid for the Aged, Blind or Disabled, Medicaid for Qualified Beneficiaries, or Special Assistance for the Aged or Disabled.

6. The waiting list for in-home services will not exceed 33% of the number of clients served in the most recent fiscal year.

       Note:  One hundred fifty-two clients were served with in-home aide services during FY 09-10.  As of 6/30/10, there were 70 people on the waiting list for services.  The waiting list has grown the last half of the fiscal year due to a hiring freeze, resulting in the loss of two in-home aide positions.

7. Clients on the inquiry list for in-home services will receive the service within six months.

       Note:  Of 24 clients who began receiving in-home aide services during the 12 months, 22 of them waited less than six months to receive the service.  The average wait time was 1.5 months; however, APS clients waited an average of only 2 days to receive services.

8. Staff turnover among in-home aides will not exceed 25%.

6.   The Department will be a leader in Dare County on community social issues affecting adults, children, youth and families and will build the general public’s knowledge about the impact of services provided by DSS

1. The agency will participate in identified partnerships, coalitions and task forces within the community addressing issues such as:

   • Housing

   • Children

   • Mental Health/Substance Abuse

   • Medical/Health Issues

   • Aging

   • Cultural Diversity

   • Emergency Services

   • Transportation

   • Substance Abuse

ACHIEVED

       B.  An annual public information plan will be developed and implemented.

            ACHIEVED

Dare Social Services Assists with a Variety of Needs

Where do you go if you are in a crisis situation, have exhausted all of your known resources and need help finding answers?   Many people do not know that the Dare County Department of Social Services can help with a variety of needs.  The Emergency Services Intake Unit at Social Services employs two social Workers, Heather Bonnar and Patty Noel, who assist people in working through crisis situations.

“We see people that are experiencing a broad range of emergency situations.  It can be pretty intense, because we are dealing with people’s emotions.  Many are scared, while others may be worried or anxious because they have a situation they feel is beyond their control,” states Bonnar.

The emergencies vary as much as the people the department sees.  People visit to request help with food, power bills, medicine, shelter, and clothing.  If someone has a turnoff notice from the power company and they are unable to pay it – maybe they had unexpected expenses or a reduction in income – they can visit the office and complete an application to see if they qualify for assistance.  This can prevent a person from going without heat in cold weather, or cooling when the weather is extremely hot.  In some instances, the department can also help with fuel if that is the person’s main heating source. 

“There are misconceptions concerning services provided and about the ‘typical client’ served by the Department ,” states Bonnar.  In some programs, clients do not have to be United States citizens to receive assistance or to receive services.  Citizenship requirements vary from program to program. There is no such thing as a “typical client”.  Anyone can get into an emergency situation and there is nothing wrong with asking for help.  A parent can be involved in an accident rendering them unable to work for a period of time, thus potentially putting the family into a crisis situation.  All people are subject to things beyond their control.

The Emergency Intake Unit can provide help with some long-term needs.  “We have helped people complete paperwork for long-term disability needs because they have a difficult time doing so on their own,” says Noel.  The Department of Social Services has also helped people by contacting hospitals and credit card companies to work out affordable payment arrangements or by offering help with budgeting which can often prevent emergencies from happening.

Case management is another service provided by the Emergency Services Intake Unit.  “This service is available to families or individuals who feel they may benefit from having someone meet with them on a regular basis.  We help with parenting skills, budgeting, completing paperwork, and referring people to other agencies in the community that provide services or support,” said Noel.  The service is voluntary and based on individual needs.  The individual or family is encouraged to prioritize the needs they want to work on during the meeting time.  Meetings can be held at the office or at the person’s home.

If you would like to apply for assistance, you simply need to visit the Dare County Department of Social Services at 107 Exeter Street in Manteo.  You may also contact the office for more information at 475-5500.  No appointments are necessary.