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State review clears Beaufort County DSS of legal violations; public commenters say deeper failures persist
Summary
North Carolina DHHS reported its review of three child-welfare case files found Beaufort County Department of Social Services acted within law and policy but noted systemic court continuances; public commenters at the county meeting disputed the sufficiency of that review and alleged broader failures, including claims of perjury and long custody durations.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services told the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners that a recent formal review of three child-welfare case files found the Beaufort County Department of Social Services acted within applicable statute and policy, though DHHS identified a systemic issue related to repeated court continuances tied to court scheduling and the district’s transition to the eCourt system.
"After a thorough review of those case files ... it was determined that Beaufort County Department of Social Services acted within policy and statute," said Meredith Houchins,…
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