Rutherford DSS board hears turnover, adoption and service updates; dashboard planned for September

Board members raised concerns about staff turnover during the Rutherford County Department of Social Services July meeting, identifying four departmental lines with turnover over 50 percent and singling out child protective services as a high-burnout area.

Director Hunt and program staff described retention efforts including internal transfers to foster-care positions, quarterly all-staff meetings with updates, and small morale measures such as breakfasts and appreciation events. "What we have tried to do is give them opportunities for other positions within the department," Director Hunt said, noting moves of frontline workers into foster-care roles to reduce exposure to trauma.

Program supervisor Jovan and adoption staff were credited with recent adoptions; board members noted three adoptions in May and praised the new adoption workers for speeding placements. Miss Dodd described partnerships with Preferred Choice for intensive in-home services designed to keep families intact and mentioned a potential safe-babies court for 0–3 intervention.

Miss Bridges reported 3,853 Medicaid extension recipients, about 95 percent of the department's original estimated goal, and said state auditors were onsite reviewing federal tax and Social Security data.

Director Hunt also told the board the department is developing a public-facing data dashboard to track performance measures and trends, with a target rollout in September 2024 and technical guidance from regional director Donna Fayko. "We're in the process of developing our very own data dashboard," Hunt said; the dashboard will present charts and graphs intended to make trends easier to review.

Board members and staff agreed to continue recruitment and retention initiatives, and to report back on dashboard implementation and audit results at future meetings.