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DSS reports steady caseloads but rising foster‑care entries; agency pilots contractors to reduce backlog
Summary
Burke County Department of Social Services reported March operational data showing 90 children in foster care, an uptick in CPS referrals and a roughly 9.5% vacancy rate; staff brought on licensed contractors to reduce caseloads and said a coalition to recruit foster parents will begin mid‑May.
Burke County Department of Social Services on Monday presented monthly operations data showing continuing service demand, recent increases in foster‑care entries and steps to reduce staff caseloads.
Corey Fisher Wellman, deputy director (presenting), reported the department had 19 job openings (about a 9.5 percent vacancy rate) but that several positions were in final hiring stages and would reduce the vacancy rate to roughly 6.5 percent once filled. For March, DSS recorded one separation and five hires.
On child welfare, staff reported 92 CPS calls in March; of those, 46 were screened out and 29 were assists for other counties. The department said 15 children entered foster care in April (including sibling groups), and four exited care that month (two adoptions, one guardianship, one reunification). Overall, staff said there were about 90 children in foster care in Burke County at the time of the report.
Wellman and county leadership highlighted a statewide issue: some high‑needs juveniles lack immediate placement options and occasionally spend nights at DSS offices while placement is arranged. The county has recruited a pilot cadre of roughly 10 licensed social‑work contractors to help with backlog investigations and said the outside assistance reduced about 50 cases from regular staff workloads.
Economic‑services programs reported timely processing of Medicaid and food‑and‑nutrition applications and distribution of energy‑assistance and disaster funds; DSS noted more than $400,000 in emergency energy assistance and roughly $200,000 in other disaster energy payments had been distributed locally.
The county manager and DSS said they will convene a coalition, including school, court, faith and judicial partners, on May 15 to launch a foster‑parent recruitment and retention effort.
Why it matters: Rising CPS referrals and foster‑care entries create operational pressure on an agency that already manages time‑sensitive investigations and placements; the county is testing strategies to reduce backlog and boost placements.
What’s next: DSS will report on hiring progress, case reductions from contractor support and outcomes from the May 15 foster‑parent recruitment kickoff.
