McDowell County begins Safe Babies Court program, expands supervised visitation with church volunteers

McDowell County officials heard a presentation March 16 on Safe Babies Court, a trauma-informed program designed to support children ages 0 to 3 and their families through intensive services and frequent judicial and family-team meetings.

Sarah Brewer, the countys human services director, said McDowell County joined the program in September 2025. The county has eight allocated slots and five families are currently enrolled; one social worker is dedicated to the caseload. "The program provides oversight to ensure that the family's needs are being met," Brewer said, describing monthly meetings and regular judicial status conferences intended to move cases toward safe, timely permanence.

Brewer described a local innovation: trained volunteers from a church will supervise expanded visitation to help parents bond with infants and young children. She said her office developed memoranda of understanding and confidentiality agreements, trained volunteers in visitation supervision and safety procedures in January, and the first family began expanded visits this week. "We trained our volunteers about visitation, what to look for, how to be a good supervisor of that visit," she said.

Commissioners praised the volunteer model and asked staff to track whether additional visitation accelerates reunification. One commissioner said increased visit frequency can encourage parents to engage more actively with services. Brewer said staff will closely monitor outcomes and meet regularly with judges and program partners to adjust practices as needed.

The board did not take a formal vote on program funding at the meeting; Brewer said the program currently operates with one dedicated social worker and community partners, and the county will assess training and resource needs as enrollment expands.