DSS reports rising foster-care placements and staffing pressures; SNAP benefits may be reduced during federal funding lapse
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Summary
Department of Social Services reported 194 children in foster care at the September point-in-time count, described hiring and retention work to lower CPS caseload backlogs, and outlined heavy travel burdens for staff placing and visiting out-of-county children. Staff also said a federal contingency plan could deliver roughly 50% of normal SNAP
Corey Fisher Wellman, director of Burke County Department of Social Services, presented the department's September operational report on Nov. 3, describing caseloads, hiring efforts and challenges tied to foster care and safety-net benefits.
Wellman told commissioners that foster-care entries increased in September (17 entered, six exited in that month) such that a point-in-time count produced about 194 children in foster care. He said the department has reduced institutionalized placements and increased kinship placements through case review and local efforts, but that out-of-county placements still occur when appropriate kinship or treatment placements are not available locally. Board members said out-of-county placements create substantial travel for staff; Wellman said travel can be significant and sometimes requires long-distance trips for visits.
Wellman described recruitment challenges for CPS social-worker positions and said the department is pursuing an aggressive hiring approach, including sign-on incentives to attract candidates who do not require intensive pre-service training. He said the county had roughly 16 vacancies (about an 8% vacancy rate), with several conditional offers in process; if offers are accepted the vacancy rate would fall to about 6%.
The report also included an update on SNAP benefits. Staff said that during a federal funding lapse the U.S. Department of Agriculture signaled a possible contingency payment that could supply roughly 50% of normal allotments for November; North Carolina officials were still working on distribution timing and logistics. Staff emphasized that contingency funding for November would be a one-time fix and that additional federal action would be required to resume full monthly benefits.
Commissioners accepted the DSS report. Several commissioners urged continued recruitment and local solutions for foster parenting; staff said they would return with out-of-county placement counts and other requested details at the regular meeting.
