Our staff is committed to providing Buncombe's diverse population with effective services in a timely and respectful manner. Colby Rabon / Carolina Public Press, Blevins could not confirm or deny anything, died while under supervision by county DSS, Mining in your backyard: The story of Mountain Mist Mine and the neighbors contesting it, part two, Mining in your backyard: The story of Mountain Mist Mine and the neighbors contesting it, part one, Teen girls engulfed in a growing wave of sadness, violence and trauma, latest youth survey shows, Looming cuts to emergency SNAP benefits threaten food security in rural America, Taking a moonshot at early colorectal cancer detection in northeastern NC, Your support funds important public interest journalism, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Zahra Baker was a native of Australia who lived in Catawba County with her father and stepmother. Blevins strongly disagreed with this last claim. Upcoming articles in this series will examine the systemic problems that create challenges for child protective services in North Carolina and potential solutions. Phone: 828-250-5500 These are system answers to human problems.. In December 2022, just one month before he was appointed to the interim position on Jan. 25, Scott was promoted to assistant finance director. 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. But this left the question for the officers of how to help the girl, they said. 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. the tall man aboriginal spirit; metadata api request failed: component conversion failed: file_ended; caleb foote sandlot 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. Some families accused DSS staff of generally playing God with peoples lives and acting in a conspiratorial manner. Asheville, NC 28801 In 2020, police in Black Mountain pulled over a swerving car and arrested all three adults. Many of the counties with very low rates or rates in the middle also experience poverty. 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. But others include the major Piedmont metro areas, which have some of the highest populations. Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. August 19, 2022 Posted August 1, 2022. 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. 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. In some cases, people may have kept enough records and can present a credible account shored up by documentation. The Magazine Basic Theme by bavotasan.com. 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. 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. The DSS agent who had documented the abuse in foster care no longer worked there by this time. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Its just disturbing. And some economically advantaged counties may also cluster with high or low removal rates. A decade ago in Swain County, 15-month-oldAubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohndied while under supervision by county DSS. I truly hope in this process that this confidentiality requirement isnt being used to hide the mistakes, Hise said. 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. At the close of the hearing, Sen. Edwards asked Blevins if the same DSS worker handled both calls from the Black Mountain Police Department. 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. LE afforded BCDSS the same courtesy. He answered legislators questions about generic procedures but drew the line when asked about the specific case. 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 With new equality rules coming down the pipe, many of us will most likely meet the Director. Jim Perry is so clueless: the purpose of an oversight committee is to provide oversight and rude. Theyve ripped (the grandchildrens) family apart, Noyes said. Please join us! 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. 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. 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. Required fields are marked *. State law also allows DSS offices to disclose records to prosecutors without court orders, said Sara DePasquale, an associate professor specializing in child welfare law at the UNC School of Government, two years ago. I can promise you, I would be better served to speak to you about the things youre asking me, Blevins said. A parents attorney could get a hold of these records and make an argument to have the kids returned home.. 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 The boys deathspurred lawmakers to action, and the General Assembly approved a package of major reforms with strong bipartisan support. 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: But the grandmother said she could not care for Addison, Reeves younger child, at that time. Colby Rabon / Carolina Public Press Their stories were often shocking and always emotional. She wasnt sure why that didnt happen in Addisons case, and privacy laws prevented her from discussing the details. When news organizations contact local departments of social services offices with questions about a specific case, the agencies are typically unable to discuss them. Government, Non-Profit and Other Non-Profit Organizations Individual and Family Social Services Social Service and Welfare . 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. A CPP investigation nearly two years later found that the family had notified the Brevard Police Department. 40 Coxe Avenue. While Blevins said that confidentiality rules forbade him from talking about this specific case, he did entertain a hypothetical question. #828-479-7911 Fax #828-479-7928 Courier Number: 08-40-02. Some lawmakers were incensed. Sports:What's new with Memorial Stadium? 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. Some families accused DSS staff of generally playing God with peoples lives and acting in a conspiratorial manner. The boys death spurred lawmakers to action, and the General Assembly approved a package of major reforms with strong bipartisan support. A week later, the mother of two was found dead in a New Jersey motel room. Forging contact records is not trivial. 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. Editors note: This is part 2 of the four-part investigative series Patchwork Protection. Part 1 appeared June 7. CPPs news team analyzed data on child removals across North Carolina during the decade from 2010-19. Low counties are clustered in the rural northeastern counties, which typically have very low populations. A tangible sign of those things are the yearly audit, which Scott said he hopes will show no findings. But Zahra was never removed from the family. She was concerned the children could be injured if he attacked her. The parents used intravenous drugs in the presence of their children and failed to provide adequate nutrition and hygiene, the indictments said. Carolina Public Press provides in-depth, investigative reporting on issues affecting Western North Carolina in a nonprofit, nonpartisan setting. Cheri Wood, 828-250-6340 Catherine Noyesis a grandmother who expresses frustration over the Cabarrus County Department of Social Services and courts handling of her familys case. Is everyone healthy and is there enough food? NC Department of Health and Human Services 2001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2000. P: (828) 250-5800. Each member of a public agency or department must submit contact information for the Buncombe County personnel directory. We aim to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable residents and promote self-reliance and self-sufficiency for individuals and families. With the support of readers like you, we provide thoughtfully researched articles for a more informed and connected community. 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. As a result, the family said, the statute of limitations had expired, and no one could be charged two years later. Police had pulled over a driver who was swerving over the white line. Social workers removed him from the foster care setting, but the family remained unclear about what happened to him next, they told CPP. Some lawmakers were incensed. Your email address will not be published. I ended the phone call.. 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. 2001 Mail Service Center But it took years for one young child to disclose what happened to her in the home. A Social Worker is responsible for assessment of the situation and determining the need for protection. Learn More{{/message}}, {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}It appears your submission was successful. #828-479-7911 Fax #828-479-7928 Courier Number: 08-40-02. Hey, look around, look around, are Our Schools working ? The North Carolina General Assembly meets in the State Legislative Building in Raleigh, seen here in Feb. 2018. Carolina Public Press contributing reporter Christian Green also assisted with interviews for this article. But the Sheriffs Office had no record of it. 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. The district attorneys office decided that the evidence justified charges of misdemeanor child abuse, but not a felony. 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. Buncombe County Employee Directories are records of the contact details for government staff in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Because of that, we placed one of our staff at the hospital. Thank you! Its often impossible to know because the evidence surrounding child protective services is not available to the public. Will Asheville City Soccer Club still play there? Although she filed a complaint, she said it was not taken seriously. Prosecutors filed additional charges, including incest, aiding and abetting incest, child prostitution and other felony sex offenses involving multiple close relatives. Other cases require that they respond within 24 or 72 hours. Did you know that there is a law that was enacted in 1975 to protect disabled adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation? . 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. 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. 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 and Human Services Director Stoney Blevins sits at his desk in Asheville. Once a referral is taken for Protective Services, a Social Worker will be assigned the case. However, even with the subpoena, a county spokeswoman said Blevins would be limited in what he could reveal about the specific incident. 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. 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. 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. Im so disgusted with the system. Stay up to date with the most current information. 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. Carolina Public Press contributing reporter Christian Green also assisted with interviews for this article. Choose a focus area. Each countys average annual removal rate, compared with the states annual removal rate, was calculated as a percentage of the states rate. (Health and Human Services) is a creation of this body, the fine men and women who were here long before me, and the only purpose of having an oversight committee is to provide oversight.. Prosecutors filed additional charges, including incest, aiding and abetting incest, child prostitution and other felony sex offenses involving multiple close relatives. Food Assistance Medicaid Information Clinical Services Children Services Environmental Health Social Work Services News & Information National Black/African American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day At one point, the report says, she advised officers to leave the girl in the custody of Stanley.. But even in some of these cases, legal counsel may ultimately advise them not to discuss the situation further. I ended the phone call.. 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. 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. 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. No appointment is needed. Henderson County residentFelicia Reevesdisappeared in August 2015. 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. Our staff is committed to providing Buncombe's diverse population with effective services in a timely and respectful manner. A decade ago in Swain County, 15-month-old Aubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohn died while under supervision by county DSS. 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. Zahra Bakerwas a native of Australia who lived in Catawba County with her father and stepmother. Strong confidentiality rules surround child protective services cases under both state and federal law, for the purpose of protecting the identity of the children. 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. A judge granted the request. 40 Coxe Avenue These records are tied into funding. All Rights Reserved. Thats all Im going to say, best leave before I get upset. 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. In a case of suspected abuse in a foster care setting, DSS is obligated to notify law enforcement. Provides receptionist duties at times to Central Clerical. Your support funds important public interest journalism. During visitation with the family in 2014, they noticed marks on him, which led to a Department of Social Services investigation. Stacie Saunders, Buncombe County's public health director, who is leaving her position at the end of the year for a state government role. The questions asked are important to assure that all appropriate services are made available to the adult. 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. These are my Children that attend school. At one point, we were having upwards of 400 babies a year born at Mission Hospital with illicit drugs in their system, Blevins said. Why didnt DSS show up on the scene? Starting Monday, Feb. 27, a maintenance project taking place at the Buncombe County Transfer Station may cause some extended wait times. Not long afterward, he died of an overdose. But the map also shows that the high and very high counties mostly cluster geographically, as do the low and very low counties. 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.
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