Graham County DSS Ms. Amy Seay, Director 196 Knight Street Post Office Box 1150 Robbinsville, NC 28771 Tel. Her trailer had no heat, according to statements to law enforcement. Meanwhile, Addisons birth family had no idea what had happened to him after removal from foster care. A laterindependent investigationinto Moore Countys Department of Social Services revealed that overworked caseworkers did not visit the mother as they were supposed to, and the department did not properly supervise its caseworkers to ensure they followed state law and policy, according to the Fayetteville Observer. 39. A week later, the mother of two was found dead in a New Jersey motel room. People who lose their children or are unsuccessful in having children removed from the home of a troubled family member are not happy about these outcomes. Veritas HHS This report has not been officially . 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. A parents attorney could get a hold of these records and make an argument to have the kids returned home.. Department of Social Services. Social workers are supposed to try to make these contacts regularly. NC Department of Health and Human Services 2001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. I think it is critical for this committee to thoroughly understand why anyone thought it would be OK to leave a 9-year-old girl in a hotel room with a stranger that contained needles and drugs, Edwards said. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. There appeared to be no attempt by the police or DSS to follow up with the Sheriffs Office. Police arrested all three adults after saying they found drugs and used needles, according to the report. Reporting like this isnt free to produce and we cannot do this alone. Your email address will not be published. A state legislative committee has voted to subpoena Buncombe County's Health and Human Services director to get answers as to why a social worker thought it was appropriate to leave a 9-year-old . Throughout last weeks hearing, Blevins explained the delicate balance of preserving parental rights while ensuring children are cared for. 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. A state legislative committee has voted to subpoena Buncombe Countys Health and Human Services director to get answers as to why a social worker thought it was appropriate to leave a 9-year-old girl in the company of a man she didnt know in a hotel room filled with drugs and hundreds of used hypodermic needles. Buncombe County Health Department . If you like what you are reading and believe in independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan journalism like oursjournalism the way it should beplease contributeto keep us going. Granville County DSS Zahra Bakerwas a native of Australia who lived in Catawba County with her father and stepmother. Asheville, NC 28802 12. Buncombe County will be making surface concrete repairs to the lower loading area. Officers discovered hundreds of used needles along with drugs in the room. Social Services jobs in Buncombe County, NC - Indeed [This story was originally published by Carolina Public Press.]. Sports:What's new with Memorial Stadium? Please join us! 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. Social Worker Buncombe Family and Children's Services 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. But the map also shows that the high and very high counties mostly cluster geographically, as do the low and very low counties. We are prohibited by statute to disclose the name of the reporter except when law enforcement is conducting a criminal investigation related to abuse, neglect or exploitation of the adult; or unless ordered by the court. These records are tied into funding. Subpoenas to testify before the state legislature are rare. Frank Taylor is the managing editor of Carolina Public Press. Yourtax-deductible donationwill advance our mission of supporting journalism as a catalyst for change. They visit the parents, then write down what they say. A Social Worker is responsible for assessment of the situation and determining the need for protection. The allegations parents brought to CPP ranged widely: Social workers refused to screen in a case of extreme negligence involving meth-addicted parents despite repeated urging from a grandmother. 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. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Its just disturbing. The experience is typically traumatic and humiliating. Burke County DSS . Places nearby. Taking a child from a parent is considered a last resort and is usually done to prevent imminent harm or maltreatment of a child. 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. 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. In 2020, police in Black Mountain pulled over a swerving car and arrested all three adults. To be perfectly honest, I just think we need to take action.. The sad part is Jane Shooter, Pam Bright Prichard, Karen Ellis Prichard and others should have been fired 25 years ago. Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. Stories Recount Concerns With DSS Agencies Across North Carolina 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. 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. The DSS Director reports directly to the Board of Social Services and reports indirectly to the County Manager's Office. Carolina Public Press provides in-depth, investigative reporting on issues affecting Western North Carolina in a nonprofit, nonpartisan setting. Inside were three adults and a 9-year-old girl, the police report of the traffic stop says. I mean you cant get back the last couple years of these little children, you know.. 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. There appeared to be no attempt by the police or DSS to follow up with the Sheriffs Office. In some cases, people may have kept enough records and can present a credible account shored up by documentation. The General Assembly called Buncombe County Health and Human Services Director Stoney Blevins to testify about the incident. 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. Buncombe County Employee Directories are records of the contact details for government staff in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. This is your chance to support credible, community-based, public-service journalism. Carolina Public Press contributing reporter Christian Green also assisted with interviews for this article. Child welfare officials rank reported cases of abuse and respond either immediately, within 24 hours or within 72 hours depending on the severity of the allegation. 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 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. 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. A horrific child sex abuse case in Cherokee County two years ago included a puzzling delay by DSS officials in cooperating with prosecutors. Blevins evaded, citing confidentiality rules. State Government websites value user privacy. 40 Coxe Avenue. But others include the major Piedmont metro areas, which have some of the highest populations. 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. To help people know where to go if they suspect maltreatment or self-neglect, this rack card was created by BCHHS. Food Assistance Medicaid Information Clinical Services Children Services Environmental Health Social Work Services News & Information National Black/African American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day County Director of Social Services August 1, 2022 / DSS Jobs NC. Questions or comments? 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. Henderson County residentFelicia Reevesdisappeared in August 2015. Must be able to type a minimum of 40 words per minute. Social Worker Investigative/Assessment and Treatment. Buncombe County DSS Mr. Stoney Blevins, Director 828-250-5588. Our staff is committed to providing Buncombe's diverse population with effective services in a timely and respectful manner. Must be able to understand and prioritize work to adhere to County, State and Federal timeframes. Although she filed a complaint, she said it was not taken seriously. But the grandmother said she could not care for Addison, Reeves younger child, at that time. Please help support this type of journalism with asubscriptionto the Citizen Times. Reporting like this isnt free to produce and we cannot do this alone. Some families accused DSS staff of generally playing God with peoples lives and acting in a conspiratorial manner. The legal direction is that information cant be shared before the House or Senate, Govus said. Agency Name. The North Carolina General Assembly meets in the State Legislative Building in Raleigh, seen here in Feb. 2018. I didnt realize there was a significant problem. Legislators in the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services voted 15-8 along party lines Tuesday in favor of subpoenaing Buncombe Health and Human Services Director Stoney Blevins, with Republicans in favor and Democrats against. 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. Social workers removed children seized over a mark from a supposed beating, even though there was no evidence of the mark. Buncombe DSS director won't comply with subpoena about 9-year - WLOS Court records from the case show that the judge recognized the ultimate goal of reuniting the boy with his family when possible, and while the fathers rights had been terminated, Reeves rights were intact. 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.. 0 miles away . In December 2022, just one month before he was appointed to the interim position on Jan. 25, Scott was promoted to assistant finance director. Key Staff Polk County Health and Human Services Director: Joshua Kennedy. 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. Some lawmakers were incensed. Her school reported abuse, and multiple social workers visited the family. Provides receptionist duties at times to Central Clerical. By the officers account, the father told them to take her to a needle-infested hotel room and leave her with a man she did not know. If the purpose of the record request is to protect a juvenile, then no court order would be needed, DePasquale told CPP. Time and again, though, lawmakers tried to turn the conversation back toward the specific case. As a result, the family said, the statute of limitations had expired, and no one could be charged two years later. A judge granted the request. When news organizations contact local departments of social services offices with questions about a specific case, the agencies are typically unable to discuss them. He said a social worker now shows up every time a law enforcement officer requests such a presence and will perform the intake report at the scene. Not long afterward, he died of an overdose. Prosecutors filed additional charges, including incest, aiding and abetting incest, child prostitution and other felony sex offenses involving multiple close relatives. On March 20, police in Black Mountain pulled over a car that was swerving over the white line. Visit RelayNCfor information about TTY services. At times he was asked his thoughts on how to improve the states child welfare system. Carolina Public Press contributing reporter Christian Green also assisted with interviews for this article. Volunteer for the HCCBG Advisory Committee! Copyright 2023 Citizens For Good Government. Social workers removed him from the foster care setting, but the family remained unclear about what happened to him next, they told CPP. Don Warn, 53, who was the Buncombe County finance director since November 2018, recently left Buncombe County to go to Guilford County, where he started on Feb. 13, according to a Guilford County news release. She was concerned the children could be injured if he attacked her. This sometimes required my response if SWs were handling other cases. Choose a focus area. If it is an emergency, an on-call social worker is available after regular business hours and weekends. GPS Latitude: 35.597763. Legislators subpoena Buncombe official over DSS handling of child's Some abuse is so heinous that workers are required to investigate immediately. At the expense of our Childrens Future!!! 2001 Mail Service Center 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. In September 2016, a CPP investigation learned that the boy had been adopted within weeks of his mothers death. Human Resources - Buncombe County | Asheville NC They may think the system has wronged their families. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. Government, Non-Profit and Other Non-Profit Organizations Individual and Family Social Services Social Service and Welfare . Visit RelayNCfor information about TTY services. This project was produced for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalisms 2020 Data Fellowship. And I think you could understand how we would see that it could have the department or its failures.. 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. 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. 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. Thank you! In the bathroom there was a plastic container nearly full of used needles, the police report says. 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. Im so disgusted with the system. But the Sheriffs Office had no record of it. We would never support leaving a child in a hotel room with a stranger and 300 used needles, as a blanket statement, Blevins said Tuesday. Im so disgusted with the system. They may think the system has wronged their families. DSS seized children during a drug raid that found no evidence and was conducted at the wrong house on warrants intended for a search elsewhere. DSS seized children during a drug raid that found no evidence and was conducted at the wrong house on warrants intended for a search elsewhere. Stanley said officers could search the room. Legislators grill Buncombe DSS director, who disputes Black Mountain Police had pulled over a driver who was swerving over the white line. From these annual rates in each county and the state as a whole, CPP calculated an average yearly rate over the 10-year period, then compared each county to the state. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Zahra Baker was a native of Australia who lived in Catawba County with her father and stepmother. Carolina Public Press provides in-depth, investigative reporting on issues affecting Western North Carolina in a nonprofit, nonpartisan setting.