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 News from the Mecklenburg County
Department of Social Services |
March 2010 |
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 Greetings!
Hope in Hard Times
Did you just say "necessity is the mother of invention?" Well, necessity is making us reinvent how we deliver services with 40, 50 and sometimes 60 percent fewer resources! County Manager Harry Jones has challenged his staff to think differently as we look at the budget deficits, which will be here for many years to come. In a recent presentation, he said, "It is not sufficient to simply delay, fine tune or tinker. Instead, we must adapt, create, eliminate, restructure, redesign and transform."
In the midst of this perfect storm we have some GREAT news! The Opportunity Project is finally here and bringing 500 jobs to Mecklenburg County!
As shared in a special edition of Reaching Out last month, we are working closely with Arbor Education & Training, The Center for Community Transitions, Goodwill Industries, Jacob's Ladder Job Center, Inc. and Urban League of Central Carolinas, Inc. to match 500+ job-ready, TANF-eligible individuals with jobs in the community for six months or more and at no cost to the employer.
The word "opportunity" is appropriate not only because this stimulus-funded, subsidized employment program gives individuals a chance to build their skills and provide for their families; it is also an opportunity for DSS to collaborate with community partners and willing employers in a way that will make a real difference to struggling families in our community. It's really amazing the difference you can make when you have the right people around the table. Without these partners and their true collaborative spirit, The Opportunity Project would not be the reality it has become.
We are hosting two Application Fairs at Founders Hall this Saturday, March 13 and the following Saturday, March 20 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Special thanks to Bank of America for donating the space for these fairs.You should have received several flyers with information about the Fairs that you can share with your customers. If you need more, please contact us via e-mail, or call The Opportunity Project Hotline at 704-353-1550.
Lastly, I encourage you to visit The Opportunity Project Web site or call the Hotline to learn more about what it means to become a participating employer. Surely each and every recipient of this newsletter can identify one job. If so, please fill out a job order form and get started! You can get the help you need at no cost, and you will help someone in our community build their job skills, enhance their work history, and move toward self-sufficiency.
Sincerely,
Mary E. Wilson
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 March is Social Work Appreciation Month
On Tuesday, March 2, the Board of County Commissioners declared March Social Work Appreciation Month to celebrate the exemplary service provided by social workers in Mecklenburg County.
Every month, social workers directly serve or inspire community action on behalf of more than 130,000 school children in publicly funded schools; more than 900 children in foster care or kinship-based care; more than 1,000 children reported to be in situations of abuse, neglect or dependency; 180,000 persons in need of food, financial and medical assistance; more than 130 older adults and disabled persons in need of protection and support; thousands of individuals suffering from mental, developmental and physical challenges; and more than 2,000 families actively struggling to move from poverty to self-sufficiency. Social workers provide critical support to the most vulnerable of our citizens: the young, the elderly, the homeless, the jobless, those suffering from substance abuse and victims of family and domestic violence.
For everything you do, WE THANK YOU! Watch Commissioners accept the proclamation at Tuesday's BOCC meeting. |
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DSS dashboard
A snapshot of demand for our services last month
Public Assistance Programs
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There were a total of 12,501 visits to DSS in January 2010.
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Total food stamp cases increased by 54 percent from January 2008 to January 2010 (from 36,235 to 55,697)
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Total Medicaid/North Carolina Health Choice cases increased by 23 percent from January 2008 to January 2010 (from 79,068 to 97,200)
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Total Work First cases increased by 30 percent from January 2008 to January 2010 (from 3,872 to 5,017)
Child Protective Services and Foster Care
- 1,366 children were involved in completed investigations of abuse/neglect Abuse/neglect allegations were substantiated for 144 of those children
- 696 children were served in their homes in an effort to keep those children out of foster care
- 8 children entered foster care
- 882 children were in foster care at some time during the month
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Program spotlight: Resource Specialists
Front row l-r: Elaine King, Chris Greene and CIS Volunteer Coordinator Michelle Price. Back row l-r: Sandra Abbate, Karen Treasure, Niya Allen, Latoya Chambers and Iris Moss.
Resource Specialists develop, implement and maintain programs on an ongoing basis to meet the needs of external and internal stakeholders and all residents of Mecklenburg County. They provide resources and consultation in programs such as housing, mental health, special populations (immigrants), educational liaisons, child care, as well as the divisional training program.
Last December, eight members of the DSS Resource Specialist Team (pictured) participated in a lunch buddy program with Communities In Schools (CIS). Andrew Ladd of CIS transported the group to and from First Ward Elementary in a CIS bus. The school's volunteer coordinator, Michelle Price, coordinated lunch with the team and several CIS students. Price guided the team through each child's background and interests in order to match her with their lunch buddy. Each team member sat with one to two students and talked to them one-on-one about a variety of topics: school, sports, friends, hobbies, etc. "The children were so excited to feel that someone was there and wanted to hear their stories," said Iris Moss, manager of the DSS Resource Specialist Team. "They showed us off to their friends, and some even asked if we could come back every week. It was such a wonderful experience for everyone." |
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Partner spotlight: Communities In Schools Communities In Schools (CIS) is the nation's largest dropout prevention program whose core mission is to help young people stay in school, successfully learn, and prepare for life by connecting needed community resources with schools. It serves about 5,000 students in 44 schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system from kindergarten to high school. Its job is to identify at-risk students and connect them to a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult, a safe place to learn and grow, a healthy start to a healthy future, a marketable skill to use upon graduation and a chance to give back to peers and the community.
DSS Educational Liaisons work closely with CIS to ensure that the approximately 100 foster youth enrolled in CIS-served schools are connected to resources and are on the right academic track. Together, CIS and DSS track factors that often affect success in school, such as attendance, academic performance and external influences outside the classroom. "It's important that these foster children are given every opportunity to succeed," said Andrew Ladd, director of program operations for CIS.
School attendance requirements must be met in order for families on TANF to continue receiving benefits. So CIS provides referral information to DSS eligibility staff who work with families in jeopardy of losing those benefits. Plans are under development for DSS's Community Resource Division/Resource Specialists (see article above) to identify more TANF families with students enrolled in CMS that can be served by CIS. Once linked, these students may benefit from resources right away. |
 Educational summit raises bar for students and parents
Several weeks ago, about 130 DSS parents and children and more than a dozen community agencies came to Billingsville Elementary to participate in the second Educational Summit, a partnership between DSS and CMS Parent University.
The purpose of these summits is to improve outcomes for the children DSS touches by increasing parental involvement in their success. All children have the right to grow up as competent, independent adults. Those in unstable family environments or in foster care often have emotional issues that can hinder their academic success, which could threaten their ability to become healthy, competent, independent adults. These summits give parents the tools they need to monitor their children's progress and connect them with resources to get them back on a successful academic track.
After opening comments from DSS Director Mary Wilson and Parent University Director Jerri Haigler, parents attended training sessions that were focused on ways they can become true partners in their children's education. Topics included building study skills and avoiding homework headaches, ways to talk to teens so they will listen, keeping lines of communication open between home and school, and preparing for end-of-grade and end-of-course tests. The classes counted toward parents' annual training requirements.
Libby Safrit, executive director of Teen Health Connection, gave an energetic and inspiring speech about the unique challenges teenagers face and how parents - whether they are biological or foster parents - can take an active role in keeping the children in their care healthy and safe.
More summits are planned for the future at DSS continues to collaborate in order to strengthen families and promote the health, safety and success of children in our community.
Watch the video from the first Educational Summit
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Digital signage coming to DSS - submissions wanted!
In January's issue of Reaching Out, we told you about how we reconfigured the lobby at our Billingsley Road location to provide better access for our customers and provide them more effective and efficient service. As part of that project, we have also developed digital signage that will display on TV monitors at both our Billingsley Road and Freedom Drive locations.
The purpose of this system is to provide our customers with valuable information about the services we provide while they are waiting in our lobbies. We'll also include useful information on a variety of topics ranging from safe sleep to gun safety.
We want to make this opportunity available to all of our partners. Are there community events or initiatives our customers need to know about? Do you have any video PSAs you would like us to share with our customers?
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 From the desk of Rep. Kelly Alexander
The Census is hiring!
The 2010 Census is hiring more than 24,000 people in 39 counties, including Mecklenburg. If you know of anyone who meets the criteria listed below, please have them contact the census at 1-866-861-2010.
To qualify for temporary Census employment, you must be:
- able to read, write, and speak English
- a U.S. citizen
- a legal permanent resident, or non-citizen with an appropriate work visa, and you possess a bilingual skill for which there are no available qualified U.S. citizens
- at least 18 years old
- have a valid social security number
- pass a written test of basic skills (view practice test here)
- have a valid driver's license
- pass a background check
- commit to four days of training. You will be paid for training days.
Training can be held either during daytime hours or during evening and weekend hours.
There are currently 39 counties that are falling short of their hiring quotas, including Mecklenburg, Catawba, Gaston and Union Counties. |
Have you been counted?
Soon, you will receive your Census form. Please take a few moments to fill it out and send it back. Your information is so confidential that even the president doesn't see it. And Census data has a huge impact on everything from voting districts to the amount of benefits your customers can receive. North Carolina is the 9th fastest growing state in the nation. Let's stand up and be counted!
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 All DSS offices will be closed on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3 in recognition of the Easter holiday. |
 Free and low-cost Easter events
DSS's Partnership Services has provided the following Easter resources for residents in the community.
Easter Egg Hunt @ LifeSpan Farm
When: Saturday, March 27, 2 - 3:30 p.m.(register here by March 23)
Park and Rec Easter Egg Hunts
St. Paul's Ray of Hope Easter Egg Hunt
When: Friday, April 2, 5 - 7 p.m.
When: Friday, April 2, 2010 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Details: A
celebration of spring with two different egg hunts, inflatables, face painting and music. www.charmeck.org
When: Friday, April 2, 1 - 3 p.m.
Where: Freedom Park, 1900 East Blvd.
Details: C
hildren should bring their own baskets to join a community egg hunt. There will be games and activities prior to the egg hunt at 2:30 p.m.
When: Friday, April 2, 7p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $2/child (covers swimming, egg hunt and Easter Bunny photo)
Details: C
hildren should bring a bathing suit, towel, flashlight and basket. They will jump in the shallow pool and go for an Egg Hunt after dark! The children will be grouped according to age
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 Foster parenting featured on WFAE's Charlotte Talks
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 Heating help arriving in mailboxes
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My Sisters House Transitional Living Center
Friendship Community Development Corporation answered the call to homelessness by sponsoring My Sister's House Transitional Living Center "to stabilize and strengthen our sisters through counseling, stability in living arrangements, and education as we guide them on the path to self reliance." The shelter will provide residence to 20 single women, with five beds being set aside for youth aging out of foster care.
DSS will provide case management services and eligibility workers to assist with the journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Social workers and eligibility workers will be on site Mondays from 1 - 4 p.m. Workers will work with the shelter and Friendship CDC.
The shelter is located at 3301 Beatties Ford Rd, Charlotte, NC 28216. | |
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Our Mission
To provide economic and social services to sustain and/or improve the quality of life for Mecklenburg County citizens.
Our Vision
To be an involved and recongized leader in human services, valued by our stakeholders because of our needs-based customer focus in the delivery of services. We will help create a resilient community by proactively investing in our employees, operations and services, and by developing impactful relationships for the benefit of our customers. |
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Hours & Locations
CONTACT US
(704) 336-3000
Hours
Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sat: 8 a.m. - noon
Locations
Kuralt Centre
301 Billingsley Road
Chapin Hall @ Valerie C. Woodard Center
3205 Freedom Drive |
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DSS Satellite Locations 
Thursdays
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesdays
9 a.m. - noon
Wednesdays
9 a.m. - noon
Tuesdays
1-4 p.m.
1st & 2nd Monday of each month
9 a.m. - noon
Thursdays
10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Mondays
Solomon House
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Thursdays
9 a.m. - noon
Fridays
9 a.m. - noon
Tuesdays
9 a.m. - noon
Wednesdays
2 - 6 p.m.
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Our Come Inside brochure is available for you to share with your customers. Contact us and tell us how many you need! |
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A publication of
Mecklenburg County
Department of Social Services | |
| Upcoming Events |
This one-day event provides food, clothing, health and personal care, community resources and benefits information to assist veterans who are homeless.
When: Friday, March 12, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Where: Grady Cole Center, 310 North Kings Drive
Foresight Leadership Training Annual Conference
This year's theme is "Building Relationships...Building Community." This year's conference will focus on Bridges out of Poverty, the role of faith-based and human service organizations and citizen engagement. Representatives from human or social organzations are especially encouraged to attend.
When: Saturday, March 13, 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Where: Charlotte Marriott Executive Park Hotel, 5700 Westpark Drive
Cost: $25/person client rate (must be associated with a human service organization); $55/person; $45/person for a group
Details: Cost includes continental breakfast, speaker, concurrent work sessions, box lunch and a community forum.
Child Abuse Awareness Month Kickoff
April marks the nation's annual observance of Child Abuse Awareness Month (CAAM). The
Mecklenburg CAAM Coalition will kick off the month with a Memorial Walk to honor victims,
followed by a news conference promoting community awareness of how to prevent child abuse.
The public is invited, and they are encouraged to wear blue, which is the official color for
CAAM.
When: Saturday, March 27 at 10:30 a.m.
Public Meeting - Mecklenburg County Area Mental Health (AMH)
When: Wednesday, March 31, 6-7 p.m.
Details: AMH's Local Managment Entity (LME) will host a meeting to inform the public about the Medicaid waiver application process, answer questions and seek feedback. Consumers, families and stakeholders are enouraged to attend.
The Turn of the Screw
In recognition of Child Abuse Awareness Month (CAAM), the CAAM Committee brings you a modern interpretation of Henry James' classic The Turn of the Screw. It's the story of a young governess called upon to care for two orphaned children and brings forward many questions about abuse and its lingering impact. A community discussion immediately follows the performance.
When: April 19, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20 per person, call 704-372-1000
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