Stoney Blevins, director of the Buncombe County Department of Social Services, testified before a state legislative committee last week, saying he couldnt tell legislators much about a specific child welfare case due to confidentiality laws. I can promise you, I would be better served to speak to you about the things youre asking me, Blevins said. The Purpose of Buncombe County Health and Human Services is to strengthen our communities by advancing health, safety, and opportunity. But the grandmother said she could not care for Addison, Reeves younger child, at that time. Address: 231 Wolverine Trail, Mill Spring, NC 28756 State Courier #: 06-74-02 Phone: 828-894-2100 Fax Number: 828-894-6326 Emergency Phone: 828-894-0187 Website. A spokesperson for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services told CPP at the time that the foster mother would no longer be able to foster children in North Carolina. Key Staff Polk County Health and Human Services Director: Joshua Kennedy. NC Department of Health and Human Services 2001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. Taking a child from a parent is considered a last resort and is usually done to prevent imminent harm or maltreatment of a child. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Job Contact. Provides receptionist duties at times to Central Clerical. NC Department of Health and Human Services Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. County Director of Social Services August 1, 2022 / DSS Jobs NC. The boys death spurred lawmakers to action, and the General Assembly approved a package of major reforms with strong bipartisan support. Monday - Friday To learn more, view our full privacy policy. Social workers removed him from the foster care setting, but the family remained unclear about what happened to him next, they told CPP. But what to do with the 9-year-old girl? Many of the counties with very high removal rates have elevated poverty rates, but no direct correlation exists between poverty levels and child removal rates. Shortly before DHHS discovered Cherokee County was using unlawful agreements to separate families, a report about a three-day visit to the department included dire concerns. It is my statement, based off my information, that no (DSS) staff member in Buncombe County has given the advice for a police officer to leave a child in a room with a stranger and 100 to 200 needles, Blevins said, speaking about the police report. Social workers are supposed to try to make these contacts regularly. Starting in June, Blevins directed Buncombe County social workers to respond to the scene of all law enforcement requests and shared the protocol with county law enforcement agencies. During visitation with the family in 2014, they noticed marks on him, which led to a Department of Social Services investigation. Because of that, we placed one of our staff at the hospital. Jim Perry is so clueless: the purpose of an oversight committee is to provide oversight and rude. The Cleveland County Department of Social Services has a new director. A CPP investigation nearly two years later found that the family had notified the Brevard Police Department. Those removing children at two-thirds the state rate are considered low, and those removing at less than half the state rate are considered very low. Its often impossible to know because the evidence surrounding child protective services is not available to the public. City Public Health Programs. I ended the phone call.. Officers said they found drugs and needles on or near all of the adults, including uncapped hypodermic needles, marijuana and methamphetamine. Catherine Noyes is a grandmother who expresses frustration over the Cabarrus County Department of Social Services and courts handling of her familys case. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Much to lawmakers chagrin,Blevins could not confirm or deny anythingin the police report due to strict laws protecting the privacy of the girl and her family. A good many are probably false or contain half-truths. Police called Buncombe DSS, and a county DSS worker told a police officer to leave the girl in the custody of a man she did not know in a hotel room filled with used drug needles, according to the police report. 40 Coxe Avenue. Cherokee County DSS never responded to CPPs questions about the records fracas but provided the records to the DAs office after CPP published a story about the issue. The legal and bureaucratic system surrounding child removals can be difficult to navigate, so that even social workers from one county may find aspects of how things are done in another county quite alien, and the average person is unable to make sense of whats happening. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Katie Swanson was hired by the county at the end of May to take over from Karen Pritchard, who retired as DSS director at the end of 2018. Years before she died, she worked with departments of social services in multiple counties to arrange for Reeves mother to care for the older son. Asheville, NC 28802 12. And some economically advantaged counties may also cluster with high or low removal rates. Please read on to understand the state statute and Social Work Services responsibility. State Sen. Chuck Edwards said during the hearing that police officers were told by a social worker to leave the . "What I have really appreciated lately is the internal support function," he said. Must be able to understand and prioritize work to adhere to County, State and Federal timeframes. Social workers removed children seized over a mark from a supposed beating, even though there was no evidence of the mark. Her school reported abuse, and multiple social workers visited the family. 0 miles away. A judge granted the request. In the bathroom there was a plastic container nearly full of used needles, the police report says. Confidentiality rules preventing discussion of child welfare cases may limit much of the testimony NC legislators seek. Contact him at RCSmith@gannett.com or 828-274-2222. Theyve ripped (the grandchildrens) family apart, Noyes said. Required fields are marked *. Thank you! The sad part is Jane Shooter, Pam Bright Prichard, Karen Ellis Prichard and others should have been fired 25 years ago. Customer Service Center: 1-800-662-7030 Visit RelayNC for information about TTY services. If you would like to obtain posters or rack cards, please email hhscommunications@buncombecounty.org, Social Work Services The district attorneys office decided that the evidence justified charges of misdemeanor child abuse, but not a felony. The DSS Director reports directly to the Board of Social Services and reports indirectly to the County Manager's Office. Kate Martin is lead investigative reporter for Carolina Public Press. Select acountyon the mapto view phone numbers, websites, physical addressesand mailing addresses. A simple takeaway from the map is that the state has many counties at either end of the spectrum, far removed from the statewide average. A legislative study has shown that intake procedures differ widely among counties throughout North Carolina. She died in 2010, and her stepmother was eventually charged in her murder. It is my taxes that go to CCS. Is everyone healthy and is there enough food? CPPs news team analyzed data on child removals across North Carolina during the decade from 2010-19. The largest concentration of counties that are removing children at high or very high rates are in the western mountain counties, though a smaller cluster also exists in the southeastern counties, and a few other exceptions are scattered across the map. The intake process can take a while, as it requires people who report abuse to answer many questions. A grand jury first indicted the mother for neglect in 2015. Police later claimed that they emailed information about the case to the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office. This will reduce capacity to one active hopper and operational delays should be expected. Mason Scott, 34, was hand-picked by Warn as his temporary successor. Officer had to use extreme caution due to the number of needles located.. "Another thing I hope to maintain is a high level of quality, even though we do look at a high volume of activity each year.". Some lawmakers were incensed. Over time, many families have contacted Carolina Public Press about child protective services concerns. Would love your thoughts, please comment. She died during the winter, wearing only a T-shirt and her diaper. Granville County DSS 39. The Magazine Basic Theme by bavotasan.com. Officers discovered hundreds of used needles along with drugs in the room. Prosecutors filed additional charges, including incest, aiding and abetting incest, child prostitution and other felony sex offenses involving multiple close relatives. State Courier #: 12-50-02 The state and counties, which implement state and federal policies at a local level, need to commit to make the changes, he said. We have a broken child welfare system that we refuse to invest in, Blevins said. Most of the allegations CPP has received from families are nearly impossible to substantiate. If you want to help us spread the word about signs of abuse, self-neglect or exploitation of elder adults or adults with disabilities, please consider hanging this poster somewhere in your community. Carolina Public Press provides in-depth, investigative reporting on issues affecting Western North Carolina in a nonprofit, nonpartisan setting. He was making a salary of $161,785.44, according to a public records request. Hey, look around, look around, are Our Schools working ? Each of North Carolina's 100 counties has a local social services agency. An official website of the State of North Carolina, Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse, Office Of Minority Health And Health Disparities, Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing. Blevins was asked to testify before the General Assembly last year about how social workers handled a case, but his hands were tied by confidentiality rules. State Government websites value user privacy. For several months DSS did not produce confidential child welfare records for a criminal case after the DAs office sought them. Must be able to type a minimum of 40 words per minute. Will Asheville City Soccer Club still play there? Pitt County, designated in 2020 as an All-American County by the National Civic League, is located in the central portion of the Coastal Plain. It was unclear whether photos documenting bruises were taken immediately or later, but they showed far less bruising than the family remembered seeing. Monday - Friday In the upcoming election we can kick out this majority fool board. They have anywhere from immediately to 72 hours to respond to the case, depending on the seriousness of the situation. Food Network's 'Spring Baking Championship' to feature WNC pastry chef, After first clean audit in 4 years, Buncombe County again has 'significant deficiency', Buncombe County Commissioners discuss affordable housing, cryptocurrency, finances, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Salary. 90,126. Social Worker Buncombe Family and Children's Services But the map also shows that the high and very high counties mostly cluster geographically, as do the low and very low counties. But the map also shows that the high and very high counties mostly cluster geographically, as do the low and very low counties. These records are tied into funding. Thats all Im going to say, best leave before I get upset. Does the child feel safe? Box 7408 These records are tied into funding. Editors note: This is part 2 of the four-part investigative series Patchwork Protection. Part 1 appeared June 7. I had this conversation with (Sen. Chuck Edwards) the very first day we spoke in April, Blevins said. Visit RelayNCfor information about TTY services. Are new people living there? Blevins challenged the accuracy of a Black Mountain Police Departments report that had led to the request for him to appear before legislators. The elected district attorney, Ashley Welch, told CPP then that she took an unusual step of filing a motion to compel DSS to provide documents after her office was repeatedly denied an opportunity to view the records. I thought I had faith in it, but I dont anymore.. Noyes questions, among other things, why the children were placed with him rather than her and why his substance abuse issues were not adequately investigated by DSS. The North Carolina General Assembly meets in the State Legislative Building in Raleigh, seen here in Feb. 2018. Cheri Wood, 828-250-6340 This report has not been officially . Places nearby. A week later, the mother of two was found dead in a New Jersey motel room. The DSS agent who had documented the abuse in foster care no longer worked there by this time. While Blevins was able to speak to the accuracy, or lack thereof, in a Black Mountain police report regarding the case, he skirted the details known to him and his social workers because state law requires a judges ruling to give specifics of a confidential case, he told lawmakers. An official website of the State of North Carolina, Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse, Office Of Minority Health And Health Disparities, Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing, COVID-19 Information for Local Social Services Agencies. But sometimes social workers fudge. When he arrived at the hearing, Blevins was told that there, in fact, was not a subpoena a fact that was disputed among different members of the committee throughout the hearing lasting more than two hours. She was concerned the children could be injured if he attacked her. Reporting like this isnt free to produce and we cannot do this alone. A horrific child sex abuse case in Cherokee County two years ago included a puzzling delay by DSS officials in cooperating with prosecutors. One relative was convicted last year and is serving a 12-year prison sentence, another is serving a suspended sentence of five years, and a third is serving a two-year prison sentence. A year ago, Buncombe County updated its policy, and social workers now respond to any law enforcement officers request for a social worker on the scene. This interpretation of the rules can make it difficult for other branches of state government to hold DSS agencies accountable for possible mistakes, much less the news media, which has no access to subpoena powers. Post Office Box 7408. Buncombe County spokeswoman Lillian Govus said unless the subpoena is from a judge, Blevins couldnt testify about the particulars even if the meeting is behind closed doors. A parents attorney could get a hold of these records and make an argument to have the kids returned home.. Buncombe County's DSS office allocated $400,000 for extra clerical staff when it thought it would be required to use NC Fast's child welfare modules, but its current system has more features that child welfare workers need than NC Fast does, said Stoney Blevins, director of health and human services in Buncombe County. Three adults and a 9-year-old girl were in the car. Will Asheville City Soccer Club still play there? State Sen. Chuck Edwards said during the hearing that police officers were told by a social worker to leave the girl in a hotel room with a man she didnt know. The officer wrote in his report, "I told her I did not have time to do that, I had to find a safe place for the child. A judge granted the request. ASHEVILLE - Buncombe County's Public Health. The district attorneys office decided that the evidence justified charges of misdemeanor child abuse, but not a felony. At the expense of our Childrens Future!!! If county officials decide to go beyond the scope of state guidelines, or in some cases beyond what state and federal laws allow, those choices are being made by individuals, some of whom already face criminal prosecution. Email her at kmartin@carolinapublicpress.org. Emergency Phone: 828-250-5500Website, Administrative Assistant: Christa Lance,828-250-5587, Business Officer/ Fiscal/Performance Manager: Lisa White,828-250-5802, Operation Manager: Leigh Anderson,828-250-5575, Economic Services Division Director: Phillip Hardin,828-250-5592, Social Work Services Division Director/Foster Care & Adoptions Program Administrator: Rebecca Smith,828-250-5764, Permanency Planning: Amber Cook, 828-250-5824, CPS Intake/Investigations: Sherrie Thomas, 828-250-5843 ; Trina Hill, 828-250-5249, Licensing & Adoptions: Lizzi Shimer, 828-250-5277, Adult Services: Jennifer Teague, 828-250-5198, Quality Assurance, Program Administrator: Kelli Buckner,828-250-5987, Quality Assurance, Social Work Performance Standards: Alison Mann,828-250-5788, Family & Adult Medicaid Program Administrator: Ian Allen,828-250-5628, FNS/Program Integrity/Community Resources: Patricia Wallin,828-250-5689, FNS/Technical Support/Training: Denise Lancaster,828-250-5639, Child Support Enforcement: Once a referral is taken for Protective Services, a Social Worker will be assigned the case. Buncombe County will be making surface concrete repairs to the lower loading area. Noyes said she continues to work with her daughter to regain custody of the children but has become disappointed by the process. While Blevins said that confidentiality rules forbade him from talking about this specific case, he did entertain a hypothetical question. Its just disturbing. Some lawmakers were incensed. To learn more, view our full privacy policy. This project was produced for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalisms 2020 Data Fellowship. And so Im not sure we need a (new) law. We would never support leaving a child in a hotel room with a stranger and 300 used needles, as a blanket statement, Blevins said last year. Bakers stepmother was already the subject of previous abuse findings. A CPP investigation nearly two years later found that the family had notified the Brevard Police Department. In 2016, Rylan Ott, nearly 2 years old, wandered from his Carthage home and drowned in a pond. Select a county on the map to view phone numbers, websites, physical addresses and mailing addresses. Cherokee County DSS never responded to CPPs questions about the records fracas but provided the records to the DAs office after CPP published a story about the issue. [This story was originally published by Carolina Public Press.]. DHHS Childrens Program representativeBrian Voglstated concerns for falsifying the foster care monthly contact records these are identical, and they are falsifying these records, the memo stated. She was concerned the children could be injured if he attacked her. CPP then mapped these comparison percentages, marking distinctly those at the extremes. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To make an adult or child protective services report any time, day or night, call the numbers below: Early Childhood Education & Development Fund, Environmental & Energy Stewardship Subcommittee, Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board, The Home and Community Care Block Grant Advisory Committee. Her trailer had no heat, according to statements to law enforcement. Social Worker Investigative/Assessment and Treatment. A county with an annual removal rate exactly the same as the statewide rate would have a 100% comparison rating, a county that removed children on average at twice the statewide rate would have a 200% comparison rating, and a county that removed children on average at half the statewide rate would have a 50% comparison rating. Time and again, though, lawmakers tried to turn the conversation back toward the specific case. The General Assembly called Buncombe County Health and Human Services Director Stoney Blevins to testify about the incident. He said he is lucky that the county is already in such a strong financial position so that he can focus on proactive instead of reactive work. In September 2016, a CPP investigation learned that the boy had been adopted within weeks of his mothers death. A tangible sign of those things are the yearly audit, which Scott said he hopes will show no findings. This interpretation of the rules can make it difficult for other branches of state government to hold DSS agencies accountable for possible mistakes, much less the news media, which has no access to subpoena powers. Learn More{{/message}}. In almost all cases where a child is young or at immediate risk, child welfare workers are required to respond immediately. And some economically advantaged counties may also cluster with high or low removal rates. Upcoming articles in this series will examine the systemic problems that create challenges for child protective services in North Carolina and potential solutions. Buncombe County has an average of 1,600 employees who serve as sheriff deputies, nurses, social workers, librarians, emergency medical workers, park rangers, environmental health specialists, planners, tax assessors, administrators and more - all working to serve the residents of Buncombe County. DHHS Childrens Program representative Brian Vogl stated concerns for falsifying the foster care monthly contact records these are identical, and they are falsifying these records, the memo stated. Our award-winning, breakthrough journalism dismantles barriers and shines a light on the critical overlooked and under-reported issues facing our states 10.2 million residents. Families from many parts of North Carolina who contacted CPP made repeated claims of social workers and social services lawyers insulting families for being poor, uneducated, Black, Cherokee, Lumbee, from out of state, the wrong religion or simply for not being knowledgeable about the policies of that jurisdiction. The mechanism to get that level of discussion is with an order signed by a judge. please consider hanging this poster somewhere in your community. Her trailer had no heat, according to statements to law enforcement. In some cases, people may have kept enough records and can present a credible account shored up by documentation. Protection of the Abused, Neglected or Exploited Disabled Adult Act is located under Statute 108A Article 6. Its regretful there were some communications mishaps, said Cherokee County DSS Director Amanda McGee in a later interview on WKRK, a radio station in Murphy. 1,900+ former CCS Students 19-22 years old-Set for Failure-Right Now!!! Many of the counties with very low rates or rates in the middle also experience poverty. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Policy choices are made by individuals, though geographical isolation and limited resources may promote decisions in some areas of the state more than others. On June 24, county DSS Social Work Director Rebecca Smith sent an email to all Buncombe law enforcement agency leaders acknowledging mistakes had been made in how the department responds to. County Social Services Director Work Type Directors and Program Managers Position Number 221-16-0001 Salary $72,892 - $109,338 Closing Date May 10, 2021 Posted April 23, 2021 Agency Name Mitchell County Department of Social Services Work County Mitchell Job Contact Officers then called Buncombe County HHS. When Reeves sister,Suzan Bayorgeon, contacted CPP in late 2015, her family was distraught not only over Reeves death but also because they did not know the whereabouts of heryoungest son,Addison. 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According to Scott, the department has worked hard over the last few years to regain its trust from other internal departments and the general public after former County Manager Wanda Greene was indicted on embezzlement charges and went to federal prison. Even after all the insider wheeling and dealing that made her the Interim Director to begin with. Transparency, relationships and continuous improvement are all things Scott hopes to work on during his time in the role, he said. Police arrested all three adults, one of whom was the girls father. In some cases, people may have kept enough records and can present a credible account shored up by documentation. Cumberland DSS has a fiduciary budget of $715 million, an operating budget of over $65 million, and nearly 716 employees, who work in seven sections. A simple takeaway from the map is that the state has many counties at either end of the spectrum, far removed from the statewide average. The assessment includes evaluating six areas: During the course of the evaluation the Social Worker will talk with the adult, collaterals, and use whatever resources necessary to determine whether the adult is in need of protection. Inside were three adults and a 9-year-old girl, the police report of the traffic stop says. Edwards said he has been unable to get straight answers out of Blevins even after a conversation. As a result, the family said, the statute of limitations had expired, and no one could be charged two years later. Categories. P: (828) 250-5800. Some families accused DSS staff of generally playing God with peoples lives and acting in a conspiratorial manner. Noyes said at first she thought that if you worked through the system and presented your case honestly, the situation would work out, but she now has no confidence in DSS and the family courts, a view she said is shared by members of other families whom shes talked with during court appearances. Apply to Engagement Director, Director of Admissions, Human Resources Specialist and more! She wasnt sure why that didnt happen in Addisons case, and privacy laws prevented her from discussing the details. CPP is not naming the adults because naming them could identify the young children. Buncombe County's Finance Department, which oversees the accounting for the over $580 million fiscal year 2023 budget, recently lost its director to another county, and a longtime Buncombe County employee has stepped up to temporarily hold the position. Swanson is currently the Social Work Program Administrator for Buncombe County Health and Human Services where she provides . F. (828) 250-6235. To be perfectly honest, I just think we need to take action.. His grandmother and aunt told CPP that they would have taken him so that he could grow up alongside his brother, but no one from DSS contacted them. This is your chance to support credible, community-based, public-service journalism. Entertainment:Food Network's 'Spring Baking Championship' to feature WNC pastry chef. At one point, we were having upwards of 400 babies a year born at Mission Hospital with illicit drugs in their system, Blevins said. Explore departmental dashboards. The law gave DHHS authority to enforce performance standards at each county, and for DHHS to take over DSS offices that chronically underperform an authority DHHS used a few months later when it took over Cherokee Countys child welfare division. Fax Number: 828-250-6341 So, we fund a position to work at the hospital so that we can respond to these situations as soon as that baby is delivered. He was appointed by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to take over the role that has oversight over all county spending, after working for Buncombe County for 11 years across many different departments. In nearly 1-in-4 of North Carolinas 100 counties, child welfare workers consider outside guidance in addition to statewide policy for child welfare cases, the report said. I can understand why a lot of people give up and stop fighting because, one, youre fighting a hard system, and two, you cant afford it, she said. If you have an update to county agency information, please email dssweb@dhhs.nc.gov. Police had pulled over a driver who was swerving over the white line. Please join us! Related:A timeline of the Buncombe County corruption investigation, Recent Reporting:Wanda Greene dark money lawsuit mediator orders her to hand over answers before Christmas. I didnt realize there was a significant problem. Do you have concerns about a disabled adult who is either living in the community or in a licensed facility? The police reported that an officer called Buncombe County DSS but then hung up on the social worker. Even without names or narratives, the overall data from the last decade points to locations in the state where removals of children have occurred far above or far below the statewide average. I thought I had faith in it, but I dont anymore.. Learn More{{/message}}. Rutherford County DSS Work County Rutherford Job Contact Luann Butler PO Box 242 389 Fairground Road Spindale, NC 28160 Office - 828-287-6283 FAX - 828-288-3406 Email: luann.butler@rutherfordcountync.gov Job Location 389 Fairground Road Spindale North Carolina 28160 Job Description Position Responsibilities: Your email address will not be published. You may remain anonymous but we encourage you to give us your name in the event additional information is needed. 40 Coxe Avenue. But when public officials do not abide by the laws, they take an oath to, to stand for, then our system is in trouble.

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