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DSS reports improving hiring, outlines foster‑parent recruitment and adult‑services caseloads
Summary
Burke County Department of Social Services reported a falling vacancy rate and outlined foster parent recruitment, training pathways and adult services caseloads. The board accepted the monthly report by vote; staff said foster licensing and CAP/SA in‑home caseloads remain constrained by state processes and workforce limits.
The Burke County Department of Social Services (DSS) reported stepped‑up hiring and described active recruitment for foster families, two licensing training modalities and current adult‑services caseloads at a county pre‑agenda meeting. The board voted to accept the monthly report as presented.
DSS Director Corey Fisher Wilson said at the time the report was prepared there were 20 open full‑time positions countywide in DSS (about a 10% vacancy rate), but hiring had accelerated: in February the department recorded 10 hires and two separations, improving staffing capacity. Wilson said the agency’s vacancy numbers had been higher earlier in the year and that recent hires and conditional offers should bring vacancy rates down further.
Foster care: Wilson said the county currently has 17 licensed foster homes; the department had recently lost three licensed homes (one because the licensed caregiver became a county employee and two for voluntary non‑relicensing). Of the 17 licensed homes, 12 currently have placements while five do not. Wilson said about 10 of the county’s available 39 licensed beds are open at present but noted beds and household availability can change for routine reasons. DSS staff described two licensing training models for prospective foster families: the group‑based Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (MAP) and a one‑on‑one curriculum called Deciding Together.
Adult services: supervisors described Community Alternatives Program (CAP) and Special Assistance in‑home (SAI) programs that can help adults remain at home rather than enter facilities. CAP is a Medicaid‑covered program requiring long‑term care eligibility; staff said 51 clients were currently served locally though the state‑level slot allocation allows up to 88. SAI‑in‑home is now an entitlement at the state level, which has increased workloads; DSS reported 50 adults on the SAI‑in‑home program and said the state’s procedural changes increased demand. Adult Protective Services (APS) handles abuse/neglect/exploitation reports, with a 30‑day evaluation timeline for abuse/neglect and 45 days for exploitation cases. Guardianship work: DSS said it is guardian of last resort under state statute and currently manages roughly 57 adults under county guardianship, plus 17 contracted with an outside guardianship provider.
Wilson also reported community outreach and recruitment efforts for foster parents, including church events and film screenings, and noted the department’s diligent recruitment plan is renewed annually for the state. The director said the North Carolina DHHS secretary recently visited Burke County and met DSS staff to hear about local practice.
The board approved a motion to accept the DSS report as presented (voice vote 4–0).
Why this matters: staffing and foster‑home availability affect how quickly the county can place children locally, deliver adult‑services supports and reduce reliance on out‑of‑county placements. Adult programs (CAP, SAI) are sensitive to state eligibility and slot allocations that affect service capacity.
Next steps: DSS will continue hiring, pursue ongoing foster‑parent outreach, manage CAP/SAI waiting lists and report updated staffing and placement numbers to the board.
