Box 7408 State Courier #: 12-50-02 Phone: 828-250-5500 Fax Number: 828-250-6235 Emergency Phone: 828-250-5500 Website Key Staff Director: Stoney Blevins Administrative Assistant: Christa Lance , 828-250-5587 Director. Police arrested all three adults, one of whom was the girls father. This is part 2 of the four-part investigative series Patchwork Protection produced by Kate Martinfor the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalisms 2020 Data Fellowship. Hey, look around, look around, are Our Schools working ? He was making a salary of $161,785.44, according to a public records request. 2001 Mail Service Center Kate Martin is lead investigative reporter for Carolina Public Press. Officer had to use extreme caution due to the number of needles located.. Low counties are clustered in the rural northeastern counties, which typically have very low populations. It was unclear whether photos documenting bruises were taken immediately or later, but they showed far less bruising than the family remembered seeing. Select acountyon the mapto view phone numbers, websites, physical addressesand mailing addresses. When CPP brought the case to the attention of deputies in 2016, they conducted an investigation. 1,900+ former CCS Students 19-22 years old-Set for Failure-Right Now!!! Bakers stepmother was already the subject of previous abuse findings. Choose a focus area. Or a family who had contacted CPP initially might not be able to talk now because of a settlement that included a nondisclosure agreement. Thank you! 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. I didnt realize there was a significant problem. Ideally, when social workers conduct their monthly home visits, they look for changes in the home. Our staff is committed to providing Buncombe's diverse population with effective services in a timely and respectful manner. 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. Buncombe County Fire Marshall . 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. "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.". 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. I thought we were waiting for them to copy the records.. 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: Blevins said to improve the child welfare system, North Carolina doesnt need major changes in the law, rather a unified commitment to implement the plans we already have.. Blevins pointed out that the police report says the officer hung up on the DSS worker who was trying to take the report. ", "We're good at what we do, we are consistent, we have good documentation and we have those good relationships across the organization," he said. The server responded with {{status_text}} (code {{status_code}}). I thought I had faith in it, but I dont anymore.. 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. I ended the phone call.. Burke County DSS . 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. New DSS Director Selected-Katie Swanson from Buncombe County!! Although she filed a complaint, she said it was not taken seriously. 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. Why didnt DSS show up on the scene? 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. He helped implement Workday, the county's primary financial accounting system, in 2017, then formally joined the Finance Department in 2019 as a financial planning and analysis manager. 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. The position is appointed by and reports to a five-member Local Social Services Board. Learn More{{/message}}. Graham County DSS Ms. Amy Seay, Director 196 Knight Street Post Office Box 1150 Robbinsville, NC 28771 Tel. But Shooters long and corrupt past at CCDSS caught up with her. As a result, the family said, the statute of limitations had expired, and no one could be charged two years later. 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. Provides receptionist duties at times to Central Clerical. They described social workers ignoring judges instructions on keeping families together, social workers who acted on personal dislike of their families and irreversible adoptions that did not follow policy or the law and inappropriately kept family members in the dark about what was happening. But the map also shows that the high and very high counties mostly cluster geographically, as do the low and very low counties. P.O. The purpose of intake questions is to determine how urgently a case needs the governments attention. And some economically advantaged counties may also cluster with high or low removal rates. The DSS worker called back and asked him to help complete the intake report. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Then, using the child population of each county during the year in question, reporters calculated the percentage of children removed in a given year. . A lock icon or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. Will Asheville City Soccer Club still play there? While Blevins said the states juvenile code forbade him from providing specifics about the March incident, he had a lot to say about improving the states child welfare system. Carolina Public Press has confirmed that there was a subpoena. [This story was originally published by Carolina Public Press.]. DIRECTOR of SOCIAL SERVICES - CLOSES FEBRUARY 16, 2023 BEAUFORT COUNTY - SW IV REPOST - CLOSES FEBRUARY 10, 2023 BEAUFORT COUNTY - SW IV CWS /IAT - CLOSES FEBRUARY 10, 2023 CHATHAM COUNTY - IM CASEWORKER II - OPEN UNTIL FILLED Buncombe - DSS Jobs NC At times he was asked his thoughts on how to improve the states child welfare system. Is everyone healthy and is there enough food? Questions or comments? I do hope that the new Director will help me, we, us, or you the citizen. Asheville, NC 28801 Records from Reeves communications during the final weeks of her life show that she was repeatedly at odds with DSS agents over her son, though what she knew about his location was not clear. Salary. Each of North Carolina's 100 counties has a local social services agency. Some families accused DSS staff of generally playing God with peoples lives and acting in a conspiratorial manner. County Social Services Director - DSS Jobs NC County Social Services Director Work Type Directors and Program Managers Position Number 840201 Salary $98,812 - $156,171 Closing Date July 8, 2022 Posted June 9, 2022 Agency Name Social Services Work County Pitt Job Location 1717 West 5th Street Greenville North Carolina 27834 Job Description Reporting like this isnt free to produce and we cannot do this alone. Select a county on the map to view phone numbers, websites, physical addresses and mailing addresses. But what to do with the 9-year-old girl? Zahra Baker was a native of Australia who lived in Catawba County with her father and stepmother. But even in some of these cases, legal counsel may ultimately advise them not to discuss the situation further. But sometimes social workers fudge. Please join us! 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. 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. New Jersey officials ruled the case a suicide, but a Carolina Public Press investigation identified problems with this explanation that have never been resolved. In 2016, Rylan Ott, nearly 2 years old, wandered from his Carthage home and drowned in a pond. Adoptions in North Carolina cannot be reversed. Police had pulled over a driver who was swerving over the white line. I ended the phone call.. Reeves family said she had lived in fear for her life because of attacks from her ex-husbandTitus Boley, who had served a prison sentence for assaulting her. Once a referral is taken for Protective Services, a Social Worker will be assigned the case. 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. Directors and Program Managers. County has new DSS director - Shelby Star For several months DSS did not produce confidential child welfare records for a criminal case after the DAs office sought them. As a result, the family said, the statute of limitations had expired, and no one could be charged two years later. Structure of NC child protective services leads to inequity 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. Police later claimed that they emailed information about the case to the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office. Trouble in Paradise for Sure!!! 0:57. Lets start meeting and talking and get ready to kick these rats out. Our staff is committed to providing Buncombe's diverse population with effective services in a timely and respectful manner. 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. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. Social workers are supposed to try to make these contacts regularly. Blevins will be subpoenaed to testify during an Oct. 13 committee hearing regarding a March 20 incident in which Black Mountain police officers asked Buncombe County's DSS for help with a 9-year-old girl after arresting her father. Dumbing Down Courses for High School Students so CCS can send more students into Program so CCS and CCC make more $$$ off the Taxpayers!!! "There are a lot of people in this organization that work directly with the public and with the community, and they are doing great work, and I feel very privileged to be in a role that supports those other people.". There appeared to be no attempt by the police or DSS to follow up with the Sheriffs Office. 0 miles away. The district attorneys office decided that the evidence justified charges of misdemeanor child abuse, but not a felony. Report and copy of Lawsuit provided by Robert A. Williams, Cleveland County Republicans in Civil War!! "I'm still kind of young in my career. The Social Services Director will be responsible for setting strategy and direction for all Department of Social Service programs, being a change agent for the organization, and building a cohesive DSS team. 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. Tracy Jones, who was DSS director in Transylvania County in 2016 but not during the time of the foster care abuse allegation, told CPP that the agencys procedure during an adoption is always to notify the next of kin first. You guys are highly under-appreciated!! Copyright 2023 Citizens For Good Government. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press. At one point, Noyes believed that an employee of DSS had an inappropriate previous professional relationship with a judge who handled the case. 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. Department of Social Services. To learn more, view our full privacy policy. A parents attorney could get a hold of these records and make an argument to have the kids returned home.. 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. Buncombe County Health and Human Services Director Stoney Blevins sits at his desk in Asheville. Some abuse is so heinous that workers are required to investigate immediately. please consider hanging this poster somewhere in your community. 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. I didnt realize there was a significant problem. Buncombe County public health director leaving for NC Public Health But the map also shows that the high and very high counties mostly cluster geographically, as do the low and very low counties. The mechanism to get that level of discussion is with an order signed by a judge. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Pitt County Department of Social Services (DSS) is seeking a mission-driven leader to be their next Social Services Director. The boys death spurred lawmakers to action, and the General Assembly approved a package of major reforms with strong bipartisan support. The General Assembly called Buncombe County Health and Human Services DirectorStoney Blevinsto testify about the incident. Post Office Box 7408. 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. Their stories were often shocking and always emotional. County Social Services Director - DSS Jobs NC I mean you cant get back the last couple years of these little children, you know.. A decade ago in Swain County, 15-month-old Aubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohn died while under supervision by county DSS. The School Board works for me. 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. Carolina Public Press contributing reporter Christian Green also assisted with interviews for this article. NC Department of Health and Human Services 2001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. These records are tied into funding. Didnt they care this girl was going to be left with someone she did not know? New Jersey officials ruled the case a suicide, but a Carolina Public Press investigation identifiedproblems with this explanationthat have never been resolved. She wasnt sure why that didnt happen in Addisons case, and privacy laws prevented her from discussing the details. NC legislative oversight committee questions whether DSS official really needs a judges order to let him address his employees handling of case involving child. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Meanwhile, Addisons birth family had no idea what had happened to him after removal from foster care. 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. In a case of suspected abuse in a foster care setting, DSS is obligated to notify law enforcement. And so Im not sure we need a (new) law. Zahra Bakerwas a native of Australia who lived in Catawba County with her father and stepmother. Throughout the hearing Blevins lauded Buncombe Countys DSS office as a model for other counties. Did you like this story? Agency Name. Stories recount concerns with DSS agencies across North Carolina P. (828) 250-5500 An Associated Press investigation into Littlejohns death found social workers forged documents to cover their tracks after the girl died to show the visits had occurred when they in fact had not. Related:After first clean audit in 4 years, Buncombe County again has 'significant deficiency', County Government:Buncombe County Commissioners discuss affordable housing, cryptocurrency, finances, "We can never really know what a particular environment will look like in any given year, but I lean to those relationships, so maintaining trust and communication both within and outside the organization," he said. Granville County DSS Buncombe DSS Director Stonewalls Legislative Oversight Committee At other times, however, DSS agencies have cited confidentiality rules as reasons for not responding to questions about their general procedures and policies that require no identifying information about individual children and families. Local DSS Directory | NCDHHS 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. The study showed that correctly ranking the risk to children can be a difficult task, and even supervisors can incorrectly screen hypothetical child welfare cases. Officers told her they might take him to jail and sarcastically asked if he should leave the girl alone in the hotel room. Although Noyes had previously assisted in caring for her daughters children and remained willing to do so, DSS ultimately removed them instead and persuaded the court to place the children with their father. The parents used intravenous drugs in the presence of their children and failed to provide adequate nutrition and hygiene, the indictments said. Printable DSS Directory Address: 40 Coxe Ave., Asheville, NC 28801, NC Department of Health and Human Services 39. After children return to the home, social workers stay in touch to make sure they are safe. 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. In the bathroom there was a plastic container nearly full of used needles, the police report says. But the Sheriffs Office had no record of it. But the Sheriffs Office had no record of it. Public Employee Directories list that contact information, such as names, phone numbers, and . The questions asked are important to assure that all appropriate services are made available to the adult. The Purpose of Buncombe County Health and Human Services is to strengthen our communities by advancing health, safety, and opportunity. 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. 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. Customer Service Center: 1-800-662-7030 Visit RelayNC for information about TTY services. Thank you! Ideally, when social workers conduct their monthly home visits, they look for changes in the home. They visit the parents, then write down what they say. The DSS Director reports directly to the Board of Social Services and reports indirectly to the County Manager's Office. But the grandmother said she could not care for Addison, Reeves younger child, at that time. Closing Date. She was concerned the children could be injured if he attacked her. #828-479-7911 Fax #828-479-7928 Courier Number: 08-40-02. GPS Latitude: 35.597763. Officers then called Buncombe County HHS. After children return to the home, social workers stay in touch to make sure they are safe. Buncombe County Solid Waste is . Confidentiality rules preventing discussion of child welfare cases may limit much of the testimony NC legislators seek. 40 Coxe Avenue. #828-479-7911 Fax #828-479-7928 Courier Number: 08-40-02.
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