buncombe county dss director

Forging contact records is not trivial. However, even with the subpoena, a county spokeswoman said Blevins would be limited in what he could reveal about the specific incident. Social Worker Buncombe Family and Children's Services Many of the counties with very low rates or rates in the middle also experience poverty. Please join us! Sources report that the Cleveland County Commissioners have selected Katie Swanson from the Buncombe County DSS as the Director of the Cleveland County DSS. 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. Buncombe County Solid Waste is . 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. Inside were three adults and a 9-year-old girl, the police report of the traffic stop says. CPP then mapped these comparison percentages, marking distinctly those at the extremes. 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. Police arrested all three adults, one of whom was the girls father. A decade ago in Swain County, 15-month-oldAubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohndied while under supervision by county DSS. Noyes said she continues to work with her daughter to regain custody of the children but has become disappointed by the process. 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. 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. City Public Health Programs. P. (828) 250-5500 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. This project was produced for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalisms 2020 Data Fellowship. 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. Asheville, NC 28802 12. Transparency, relationships and continuous improvement are all things Scott hopes to work on during his time in the role, he said. I mean you cant get back the last couple years of these little children, you know.. Catherine Noyes is a grandmother who expresses frustration over the Cabarrus County Department of Social Services and courts handling of her familys case. Asheville, NC 28802 12. These records are tied into funding. Then, using the child population of each county during the year in question, reporters calculated the percentage of children removed in a given year. Carolina Public Press contributing reporter Christian Green also assisted with interviews for this article. 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. Address: 40 Coxe Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 GPS Latitude: 35.597763. As a result, the family said, the statute of limitations had expired, and no one could be charged two years later. Kate Martin is lead investigative reporter for Carolina Public Press. This statute was initiated to protect the increasing number of disabled adults in North Carolina who are being abused, neglected or exploited. As a retired CPS SWS, calls from APD and BCSO, were immediately responded to as a professional courtesy. Adults Protective Services: DSS - Buncombe County | Asheville Aging & Adult Services Child & Family Services Foster Parent Resources Adult Protective Services In Buncombe County you can make a Protective Service referral or report by calling (828) 250-5800 anytime, day or night. In September 2016, a CPP investigation learned that the boy had been adopted within weeks of his mothers death. [This story was originally published by Carolina Public Press.]. 40 Coxe Avenue. CPP is not naming the adults because naming them could identify the young children. Carolina Public Press is an independent nonprofit news organization dedicated to nonpartisan, in-depth and investigative news built upon the facts and context North Carolinians need to know. At one point, we were having upwards of 400 babies a year born at Mission Hospital with illicit drugs in their system, Blevins said. 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. He was making a salary of $161,785.44, according to a public records request. Phone: 828-250-5500 August 19, 2022 Posted August 1, 2022. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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 DSS Director reports directly to the Board of Social Services and reports indirectly to the County Manager's Office. The General Assembly called Buncombe County Health and Human Services DirectorStoney Blevinsto testify about the incident. The questions asked are important to assure that all appropriate services are made available to the adult. CPPs news team analyzed data on child removals across North Carolina during the decade from 2010-19. Such records are typically open to prosecutors, according to Peg Dorer, with the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys. "The county is in a strong financial position, so I think it makes the work that we do easier.". The mechanism to get that level of discussion is with an order signed by a judge. Not long afterward, he died of an overdose. When CPP brought the case to the attention of deputies in 2016, they conducted an investigation. Did you like this story? Shooter is not expected to last very long. Your email address will not be published. Buncombe County DSS Mr. Stoney Blevins, Director 828-250-5588. Henderson County resident Felicia Reeves disappeared in August 2015. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press. Prosecutors filed additional charges, including incest, aiding and abetting incest, child prostitution and other felony sex offenses involving multiple close relatives. Not long afterward, he died of an overdose. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. Bakers stepmother was already the subject of previous abuse findings. Did you know that there is a law that was enacted in 1975 to protect disabled adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation? 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. NC legislative oversight committee questions whether DSS official really needs a judges order to let him address his employees handling of case involving child. Social Work Services We aim to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable residents and promote self-reliance and self-sufficiency for individuals and families. But others include the major Piedmont metro areas, which have some of the highest populations. Graham County DSS Ms. Amy Seay, Director 196 Knight Street Post Office Box 1150 Robbinsville, NC 28771 Tel. Blevins said he cant talk about specific child welfare cases because of confidentiality laws. In almost all cases where a child is young or at immediate risk, child welfare workers are required to respond immediately. I mean you cant get back the last couple years of these little children, you know.. 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 Countys DSS for help with a 9-year-old girl after arresting her father. 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. To accept the referral for Protective Services the information provided must state: This specific criteria is important because Protective Services unlike other services provided by Social Work Services is initiated without the consent of the adult. Social workers are supposed to try to make these contacts regularly. Much like 911 operators, DSS workers ask specific questions when taking information on a new case, called intake, he explained. Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. Your support funds important public interest journalism. A good many are probably false or contain half-truths. Hey, look around, look around, are Our Schools working ? In a case of suspected abuse in a foster care setting, DSS is obligated to notify law enforcement. Mason Scott, 34, was hand-picked by Warn as his temporary successor. I ended the phone call.. Cheri Wood, 828-250-6340 Why didnt DSS show up on the scene? She died during the winter, wearing only a T-shirt and her diaper. Carolina Public Press is an independent nonprofit news organization dedicated to nonpartisan, in-depth and investigative news built upon the facts and context North Carolinians need to know. . Monday - Friday 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. Visit RelayNCfor information about TTY services. Once social workers take in a child, every interaction is supposed to be closely monitored. 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. 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. But Zahra was never removed from the family. 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. Officers said that the father told them they could leave the girl in a hotel room with a man named Spencer, but when asked, the girl told police that his name was actually Stanley, she didnt know his last name and she wanted to go home. Contact him at ftaylor@carolinapublicpress.org. Because of that, we placed one of our staff at the hospital. When news organizations contact local departments of social services offices with questions about a specific case, the agencies are typically unable to discuss them. The statute requires that anyone having reason to believe that a disabled person is in need of protective service shall report such information to the director of the Social Work Services. Then, using the child population of each county during the year in question, reporters calculated the percentage of children removed in a given year. Sources report that the Cleveland County Commissioners have selected Katie Swanson from the Buncombe County DSS as the Director of the Cleveland County DSS. New DSS Director Selected-Katie Swanson from Buncombe County!! 40 Coxe Avenue Categories. Buncombe County will be making surface concrete repairs to the lower loading area. To learn more, view our full privacy policy. Closing Date. But Shooters long and corrupt past at CCDSS caught up with her. A horrific child sex abuse case in Cherokee County two years ago included a puzzling delay by DSS officials in cooperating with prosecutors. I thought we were waiting for them to copy the records.. For several months DSS did not produce confidential child welfare records for a criminal case after the DAs office sought them. A grand jury first indicted the mother for neglect in 2015. ASHEVILLE - Buncombe County's Public Health. 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. P: (828) 250-5800. A Social Worker is responsible for assessment of the situation and determining the need for protection. 0 miles away. 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. Subpoenas to testify before the state legislature are rare. Government, Non-Profit and Other Non-Profit Organizations Individual and Family Social Services Social Service and Welfare . Carolina Public Press provides in-depth, investigative reporting on issues affecting Western North Carolina in a nonprofit, nonpartisan setting. 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. Post Office Box 7408. And Im willing to have that conversation if this body is willing to take that action.. 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. Angry and desperate parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have contacted Carolina Public Press for years hoping to share their stories and possibly get help in investigating what went wrong with their families experiences with child protective services in North Carolina counties. The Social Worker will ask numerous questions of you such as but not limited to adult's name, address, age/date of birth, Social Security number, family/collateral names, how is the person disabled, what are the allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Christian Smith is the general assignment reporter for the Asheville Citizen-Times. 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. Key Staff Polk County Health and Human Services Director: Joshua Kennedy. She told the police she wanted to go home. The server responded with {{status_text}} (code {{status_code}}). Adoptions in North Carolina cannot be reversed. Blevins was subpoenaed to appear before the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee of Health and Human Services last week a tool legislators rarely use to compel uncooperative witnesses. Response times to child welfare reports vary depending on how much risk the child is in. 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.