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DSS report: Burke County faces staff vacancies, rising foster-care entries and early issues with new Medicaid contractor
Summary
Corey Fisher told the Burke County Board of Commissioners the Department of Social Services is seeing roughly a 7.5% vacancy rate, about 285 CPS assessment cases, and a point-in-time foster-care caseload of 190; he said the statewide contractor Healthy Blue has experienced early contracting and communication delays since taking over foster-care Medicaid Dec. 1.
Corey Fisher, a Department of Social Services representative, reported to the Burke County Board of Commissioners that the department is operating with about 13 openings — roughly a 7.5% vacancy rate — at the time the report was prepared and that three positions had interviews scheduled, which could reduce the vacancy rate if hires are made.
Fisher said the county's Medicaid caseload has held near 28,000 recipients and food and nutrition services totaled about 10,400 cases. He described Child Protective Services volume as especially challenging: the department had about 285 cases in assessment at the time of the report, above the state-recommended case-load standard. "We averaged around 285 cases, which if we were fully staffed at 18 social workers, that would work out to case loads of 16," Fisher said, noting staffing shortfalls make retention difficult.
On foster care, Fisher gave a point-in-time count of 190 children in care for the month of November, noting six entries and four exits that month. For 2025 year-to-date he said there were 125 entries and 102 exits, producing a net increase in foster-care population for the first time since 2021. "We did have a net positive of 20," Fisher said.
Fisher also briefed the board on the statewide Medicaid foster-care transition that went live Dec. 1, when Healthy Blue assumed management of foster-care Medicaid coverage. He described early "growing pains" as providers and counties worked through contract renegotiations and role definitions. "Some of it was just normal growing pains," he said, citing contracting delays with some providers and differing local expectations about the contractor's in-person support role.
Board members asked for details about the problems with Healthy Blue; Fisher said the county's main issues so far have been communication, contract renegotiations with providers and clarifying the contractor's staffing responsibilities. He described steps taken internally to add supervisory capacity, improve training and provide more quality-insurance support for caseworkers.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to accept the DSS departmental update as presented; the board voted in favor, with the chair recording five votes for approval. The motion and vote closed the public presentation and the board proceeded with other business.
The board did not take separate action on staffing or foster-care cases during the meeting; Fisher said the county would continue to monitor caseloads and the Healthy Blue transition and report back at a future meeting.
