Employees not surprised state will take over Vance DSS
OUT WILL BE DAILY. WRAL NEWS IN
JOHNSTON COUNTY.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE THANK
YOU. NEW AT 5, WE'RE HEARING
FROM AN EMPLOYEE AT THE VANCE
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
SERVICES. THIS COMES AFTER THE
STATE ANNOUNCED IT WAS TAKING
OVER CHILD WELFARE AT THE
DEPARTMENT DUE TO WHAT
OFFICIALS ARE CALLING
CONCERNING SOCIAL WORK
PRACTICES. WR JUSTIN PATTERSON
JOINS US IN A STUDIO IN
DESTINY. THE EMPLOYEE SAYS THEY
ARE NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS
NEWS. THAT'S RIGHT, JERROLD, I
DID SPEAK TO THE ENVOY OVER THE
PHONE, BUT WE'RE NOT SHARING
THEIR NAME OR PLAYING BACK ANY
PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
>> THERE ARE SOME TAKEAWAYS
THAT I TOOK FROM THAT
CONVERSATION, THOUGH, LOW
MORALE, LOW PAY AND NOT ENOUGH
STAFF TO KEEP UP WITH THE
WORKLOAD. THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DETAILED SOME OF THOSE ISSUES
IN A LETTER TO THE COUNTY, THE
LETTER SAYS NCDHHS STARTED
INVESTIGATING THE DEPARTMENT
ALMOST A YEAR AGO. THAT'S WHEN
STATE OFFICIALS FOUND OUT ABOUT
A CASE THAT THEY SAY DIDN'T
FOLLOW THE LAW OR PROPER
POLICY.
>> THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION
INTO DHHS FOUND SEVERAL ISSUES
INCLUDING ASSESSMENTS THAT
DIDN'T ENSURE THE SAFETY OF
CHILDREN. NO CONTACT WITH
PARENTS AND CHILDREN HALF THE
TIME AND LACK OF DOCUMENTATION
TO SUPPORT CASE DECISIONS.
LATE LAST MONTH. THE STATE SAYS
IT SENT SOME OF ITS OWN STAFF
AND OTHER CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES
TO HELP SOME OF THOSE CASES AND
REACH OUT TO FAMILIES. WE
TALKED TO A WOMAN WHO WORKS ON
A STATE TASK FORCE TO PREVENT
CHILD ABUSE AND SUPPORT THEIR
SAFETY. SHE HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH THIS INVESTIGATION AND
VANCE COUNTY BUT SHARED INSIGHT
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES SOCIAL
WORKERS FACE IN SMALLER
COUNTIES.
>> YOU DON'T SEE PEOPLE GOING
INTO THIS FOR THE MONEY.
THERE'S THIS IS NOT A LUCRATIVE
TYPE JOB. PEOPLE GO INTO THIS
BECAUSE THEY CARE DEEPLY.
THEY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THIS CONSTANT
STRUGGLING IN A COUNTY WHERE
YEAR YOU HAVE A RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION ISSUES AND MEANS THAT
PEOPLE THAT ARE LEFT ARE
CARRYING HIGHER CASE LOADS AND
THEY'RE STRUGGLING.
>> THE DIRECTOR WAS ALSO
REMOVED FROM HER CHILD WELFARE
DUTIES AS A RESULT OF THIS
INVESTIGATION. SANDI WEBER HAD
ONLY BEEN IN THE POSITION SINCE
OCTOBER. THE LETTER STATES,
QUOTE, SHE HAS NOT EXHIBITED
THE LEADERSHIP NECESSARY TO
STABILIZE CHILD WEL WELFARE IN
THE COUNTY AND TO ADDRESS OTHER
CHALLENGES THAT EXIST IN THE
AGENCY. IN A STATEMENT THE
COUNTY MANAGER SAID, QUOTE,
THIS ISN'T ABOUT STEPPING BACK.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING SMART CHANGES
TO HELP US SERVE THE COMMUNITY
EVEN BETTER. SHE DECLINED MY
REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW SAYING
SHE HAD NO FURTHER COMMENT.
I ALSO REACHED OUT TO ALL OF
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ONLY
ONE RESPONDED TO DECLINED MY
REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW AS
WELL. THE STATE SAYS THAT
THERE'S SIGNIFICANT WORK TO
BE DONE TO PROTECT VANCE COUNTY
CHILDREN AND BRING THE
DEPARTMENT BACK INTO
COMPLIANCE. THANK YOU, DESTINY.
THE BUREAU'S DOCUMENTARY UNIT
RECENTLY RELEASED BROKE IN
FOSTER CARE IN NORTH CAROLINA
EXPOSED MAJOR FLAWS IN HOW
CASES ARE HANDLED.