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State review says Beaufort County DSS followed policy; advocates and parents urge wider probe
Summary
A DHHS review of three child-welfare case files found Beaufort County Department of Social Services acted within policy but noted repeated court continuances; public commenters disputed the scope of the review and raised allegations of systemic failings.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services told the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners on March 2 that a review of three child-welfare case files found county social workers “acted within policy and statute,” though state reviewers identified a systemic issue involving repeated court continuances during October 2024–May 2025.
Meredith Houchins, the state’s interim Section Chief for County Operations, said the DHHS review examined caseworker documentation, medical and mental-health records, and court documents before concluding the three files under review complied with state rules. “After a thorough review of those case files … it was determined that Beaufort County Department of Social Services acted within policy and statute,” Houchins said during a virtual appearance. Donna Fayko, deputy director of child-welfare operations, told commissioners it is unusual for a county to receive so few findings: “It’s rare that we come away with this clean of a report. So, I think that you should be proud of the work being done in Beaufort County.”
The state team did flag one operational problem: multiple court hearing continuances in the district between October 2024 and May 2025, mostly tied to a ten-case limit per court day and the court’s transition to a new e-court system, which the review said delayed timely hearings. The state asked local staff to address scheduling impacts and offered follow-up contacts for questions.
Several members of the public disputed the sufficiency of the three-case review. “You have a missing child,” public commenter Juanita Houston told the board during the public-comment segment, and she said dozens of parents have reported problems to advocates. Other speakers urged deeper oversight and legal remedies, with at least one advocate saying she plans to pursue Department of Justice review. The DHHS representatives did not dispute the speakers’ allegations but said their report was the result of a file review and that their on-site interviews and file assessments supported the findings presented to commissioners.
What’s next: County staff and commissioners acknowledged the need to monitor court scheduling as the e-court transition continues. The DHHS reviewers encouraged the county to follow up with any additional questions, and they left contact information for staff to request clarifications or further assistance.
