All Rights Reserved. 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 her youngest son, Addison. 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. Blevins evaded, citing confidentiality rules. Your support means a lot! Once social workers take in a child, every interaction is supposed to be closely monitored. Zahra Baker was a native of Australia who lived in Catawba County with her father and stepmother. 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. I do hope that the new Director will help me, we, us, or you the citizen. 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. Dumbing Down Courses for High School Students so CCS can send more students into Program so CCS and CCC make more $$$ off the Taxpayers!!! And Im willing to have that conversation if this body is willing to take that action.. CPP is not naming the adults because naming them could identify the young children. Agency Name. Your email address will not be published. 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. Police arrested all three adults after saying they found drugs and used needles, according to the report. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Buncombe County Health and Human Services Director Stoney Blevins sits at his desk in Asheville. Your support funds important public interest journalism. 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 - IM CASEWORKER II VARIOUS PROGRAMS - OPEN UNTIL FILLED DURHAM COUNTY - ASST. CPP then mapped these comparison percentages, marking distinctly those at the extremes. Contact him at ftaylor@carolinapublicpress.org. Carolina Public Press contributing reporter Christian Green also assisted with interviews for this article. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. Adoptions in North Carolina cannot be reversed. 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. CPPs news team analyzed data on child removals across North Carolina during the decade from 2010-19. When CPP brought the case to the attention of deputies in 2016, they conducted an investigation. With the support of readers like you, we provide thoughtfully researched articles for a more informed and connected community. He was making a salary of $161,785.44, according to a public records request. County Director of Social Services August 1, 2022 / DSS Jobs NC. F. (828) 250-6235. Bakers stepmother was already the subject of previous abuse findings. In September 2016, a CPP investigation learned that the boy had been adopted within weeks of his mothers death. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. Blevins said he cant talk about specific child welfare cases because of confidentiality laws. What You Need To Know About Reducing Fraud. A good many are probably false or contain half-truths. Transparency, relationships and continuous improvement are all things Scott hopes to work on during his time in the role, he said. No appointment is needed. Protection of the Abused, Neglected or Exploited Disabled Adult Act is located under Statute 108A Article 6. State Courier #: 12-50-02 Is everyone healthy and is there enough food? 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. 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. NC Department of Health and Human Services 2001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. Frank Taylor is the managing editor of Carolina Public Press. State Government websites value user privacy. "The county is in a strong financial position, so I think it makes the work that we do easier.". What's new with Memorial Stadium? We aim to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable residents and promote self-reliance and self-sufficiency for individuals and families. 40 Coxe Avenue Part 1:Protection of NC children, families depends on the county, Part 3:Structure of NC child protective services leads to inequity, Part 4:NC could look to other states for potential child welfare reforms, Indicted former director resigns from DSS position, cant work for county again, Governor signs bipartisan child welfare overhaul bill, ByKate Martin,Frank TaylorandImari Scarbrough. But what to do with the 9-year-old girl? Her school reported abuse, and multiple social workers visited the family. Please help support this type of journalism with asubscriptionto the Citizen Times. In 2016,Rylan Ott, nearly 2 years old, wandered from his Carthage home and drowned in a pond. 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. Colby Rabon / Carolina Public Press Their stories were often shocking and always emotional. The DSS Director works with the Social Services Advisory Board and reports directly to the County Manager's Office acting on behalf of the Board of Commissioners. Food Assistance Medicaid Information Clinical Services Children Services Environmental Health Social Work Services News & Information National Black/African American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Visit RelayNCfor information about TTY services. If you have any questions you may call or come into our office located at 35 Woodfin Street, Asheville, NC. GPS Latitude: 35.597763. A project supported by The California Endowment, Protection of NC children, families depends on the county, Structure of NC child protective services leads to inequity, NC could look to other states for potential child welfare reforms, Blevins could not confirm or deny anything, died while under supervision by county DSS. Even after all the insider wheeling and dealing that made her the Interim Director to begin with. A judge granted the request. Within the room they found methamphetamine, other drugs and 200-300 used hypodermic needles, they said. If you would like to obtain posters or rack cards, please email hhscommunications@buncombecounty.org, Social Work Services I didnt realize there was a significant problem. A grand jury first indicted the mother for neglect in 2015. 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. 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. Such records are typically open to prosecutors, according toPeg Dorer, with the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys. The case made international headlines over the following months, focusing a world spotlight on the total failure of the child protection system in her case. 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. If you have an update to county agency information, please email dssweb@dhhs.nc.gov. 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. New DSS Director Selected-Katie Swanson from Buncombe County!! The experience is typically traumatic and humiliating. 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. Customer Service Center: 1-800-662-7030 Visit RelayNC for information about TTY services. At times he was asked his thoughts on how to improve the states child welfare system. She told the police she wanted to go home. 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. Burke County DSS . When news organizations contact local departments of social services offices with questions about a specific case, the agencies are typically unable to discuss them. Will Asheville City Soccer Club still play there? Scott began his career in the Planning Department before moving to the county's IT Department as a business officer, a Buncombe County news release said. And then we seem surprised when it fails. But the foster care residence was in unincorporated Transylvania County, not the city of Brevard. Fax Number: 828-250-6341 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. But often county level workers fail to appropriately rank the risk of a case, according to a legislative report completed last year. Buncombe County Health Department . The DSS Director reports directly to the Board of Social Services and reports indirectly to the County Manager's Office. The legal direction is that information cant be shared before the House or Senate, Govus said. Address: 40 Coxe Ave., Asheville, NC 28801, NC Department of Health and Human Services Select a county on the map to view phone numbers, websites, physical addresses and mailing addresses. 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. Additional information on reporting abuse. So, they did. CCDSS Interim Director Jane Shooter expected to be gone soon!! Closing Date. Officers told her they might take him to jail and sarcastically asked if he should leave the girl alone in the hotel room. A tangible sign of those things are the yearly audit, which Scott said he hopes will show no findings. This is your chance to support credible, community-based, public-service journalism. 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. The boys death spurred lawmakers to action, and the General Assembly approved a package of major reforms with strong bipartisan support. 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. Does the child feel safe? 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.