| News from Mecklenburg County
Department of Social Services August 2010
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DSS Extending Weekday Hours to Meet Customer Needs
 Effective Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services (DSS) will change its operating hours at the Kuralt Centre and at Chapin Hall in the Valerie Woodard Center. Both of these facilities, and the Customer Service Line, will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Customers may apply for food stamps, Medicaid and Work First Family Assistance at these locations. Saturday hours at both locations will end. Extended weekday hours will allow better utilization of limited staff resources and reduce facility operating costs.
DSS opted for Saturday morning hours in July 2009 due to increased customer demand and in response to customer survey feedback. From June 2008 through June 2009, DSS experienced a 19.48 percent increase in public assistance recipients across all programs (Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), formerly known as food stamps; Medicaid and Work First).
In the past year, service demand has continued to increase significantly, most recently through the changes in eligibility for FNS services. As of July 1, 2010, FNS eligibility for a family four has increased from annual income limitation of $28,668 to $44,100. DSS officials anticipate this will bring approximately 2,000 more customers into its lobbies each month.
Clients can call the DSS Customer Service Line at (704) 336-3000 during operating hours for additional information about DSS services. Seniors and persons with disabilities can call Just1Call, (704) 432-1111 |
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Invitation To The: 2010 Census Performance Update and Census Data Training Workshops
Attached is the registration form for the 2010 Census Performance Update and Census Data Training Workshops. The registration is free, but limited to the first 100 applicants. Each agency can have up to two representatives.
Please complete the registration form and RSVP by August 31st, 2010 if you plan to attend the workshop on September 7th, 2010. Please complete registration form and RSVP by September 16th, 2010 if you plan to attend the workshop on September 21st.
You can RSVP by completing the registration form and e-mail to Howard Suber at Howard.Suber@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov
Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services
September 7th, 2010 1:00-4:00 p.m.
301 Billingsley Road
Charlotte, NC 28211
Urban League of the Central Carolinas
September 21th, 2010 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
740 W. 5th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
2010 Census Performance Update and Census Data Training Workshops |
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ATTENTION: FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY- DV FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES!!!!
The state has awarded some funding for domestic violence victims through DSS, similar to the DV/TANF funding. This funding is coming from the Family Violence Prevention Services Act (FVPSA). Funding is limited and will only be available through 9/30/10. Unlike the DV/TANF funding, victims DO NOT have to be eligible for TANF and they DO NOT have to have children. Assistance can be provided for similar things that the DV/TANF funding has assisted with (rent, deposits, utilities, relocation costs, etc.)
If you have clients who are in need, please complete the paperwork IN FULL, and submit to Deniese McCain at Kuralt or Erin Concelman at the Women's Commission. You will need to complete the FVPSA Application Form, FVPSA Rights and Responsibility Form, Informed Consent Form, and the W-9 Form for the Vendor you are requesting services from. ***The W-9 form needs to be completed by the vendor requiring payment and information on this form must match the invoice they provide. W-9 forms for Duke Energy or Piedmont Natural Gas do not need to be completed.
Please contact Deniese McCain at 704 353-1688 or Erin Concelman at 704 336-3210, both with the Women's Commission; Iris Moss, DSS Community Resource Division at 704 336-7442 if you have any questions. Thanks! |
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Parents Encouraged to Plan Ahead for Back-to-School Immunizations
In order for children to enter school in North Carolina, they must have their immunization records up-to-date.
To meet that need, the Mecklenburg County Health Department will offer the chance for families to get ready for school by offering vaccinations required to enter kindergarten on the following Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the first 100 children each day:
BIG Shot Saturdays
Saturday, August 28 at Merry Oaks Elementary School, 3508 Draper Avenue, Charlotte
Saturday, September 11 at the Billingsley Road Health Department, 249 Billingsley Road, Charlotte
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Saturday, September 18 at the Beatties Ford Road Health Department, 2845 Beatties Ford Road Charlotte
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Saturday, September 25 at Merry Oaks Elementary School, 2508 Draper Avenue, Charlotte
According to the state, an estimated 67 percent of North Carolina's children qualify for the federally-funded Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which provides vaccinations for eligible children through age 18. To qualify a child must be:
- Medicaid eligible,
- American Indian or Alaskan Native,
- Uninsured, or Underinsured.
Underinsured means a child has health insurance, but it won't cover the vaccine(s) because it doesn't cover any vaccines, it doesn't cover certain vaccines, or it covers vaccines, but it has a fixed dollar limit or cap for vaccines. Once that fixed dollar amount has been reached, a child is eligible.
There is no fee for the cost of VFC vaccine for eligible children; however, a provider may charge a fee to administer the vaccine. Parents who want to participate should contact their health care provider or their local health department.
Parents are encouraged to check with their health care provider or insurance provider to find out which vaccines and vaccine services are covered by their plans. For details on school immunization requirements in North Carolina, visit http://www.immunizenc.com/SchoolReqs.htm#requirements |
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Mecklenburg County Youth Attend Camp Lurecrest
 This marks the 15th summer of New Venture Camp at Camp Lurecrest. For those who do not know the history, the founder of Camp Lurecrest, a faith -based residential camp located in Lake Lure, came to Elwyn McSwain, retired YFS employee, about 16 years ago offering a week of camp to children involved with the Department of Social Services-Youth and Family Services Division. Lurecrest would do all the activities/daily schedule as they do for traditional camp. They asked only that we send YFS support for the week. Elwyn received grant money from the Casey Foundation for several years to help with the expense. Traditional camp is about $500/wk per camper, so for our 100 kids it would cost approx $50,000. The Casey Foundation gave YFS $5000. YFS began paying the $5000 flat fee for the week once the grant money ran out. Lurecrest holds a golf tournament each year to help offset the balance of the cost to the camp.
The camp is located on beautiful Lake Lure. They have canoeing and tubing, a zip line and a leap of faith pole, camp songs, arts and crafts, and so much more. We are very lucky to be able to give our kids this experience!
 This year 28 youth, ages 13-18 participated in our first Leadership Training for the Jr. Staff for New Venture Camp. They laughed, ate, and learned how to respect each other and work together as a team to ensure our campers have the best week ever! Many thanks to Jennifer Rupp from CRD who developed all the training modules. David Drum participated also, teaching us through drumming the importance for the village (Jr Staffers) to work together to ensure campers are safe, have fun and respect one another's differences. Thanks to all of you for your part in helping us bring New Venture Camp to our kids for the 15th summer. A total of 107 youth between the ages of 8 to 18 and 13 DSS staff participated this year. |
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"The Love of A Father"
Awards Conference 2010
Sponsored by BetterThanMe.Org and
The Brotherhood of Center Baptist Church - Dr. Pierre Crawford
Organized by Coy and Chlarissa Harrison
Do you want to recognize an outstanding father? If so, send a letter to www.GoodFathers@betterthanme.org and tell us why he personifies the true meaning of fatherhood. He could be chosen to receive recognition that includes a trophy, visa gift card, and other prizes.
Are you a father who wants to be in your child's life but
don't know how? Do you feel that seeing your kids is always a battle? This conference is for you too!
Come and get advice from Shantel A. Boone, Attorney
from Mullen, Holland & Cooper P.A. on how to fight for your children.
We welcome ALL fathers (and guests) who would like to
hear words of encouragement and fellowship in celebration of real men...real fathers
Date: Saturday, August 21, 2010
Location: Main Library-155 E. Garrison Blvd.
Gastonia, NC Time: 11:00a - 1:00p
Attire: Semi-Formal (church)
Mail Essay Entries, Donations, and Registration Fees to:
Center Baptist Church-Brotherhood
PO Box 551184
Gastonia, NC 28055
RSVP-704.396.6397
You can also email essay entries to |
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STRYVE, or Striving To Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere, is a national initiative, coordinated by the National Center for Injury Prevention at CDC, to prevent youth violence before it starts among young people ages 10 to 24. A cornerstone of this public health initiative is the STRYVE web site,www.safeyouth.gov, an online, interactive youth violence prevention resource center. Designed to help your community prevent youth violence before it starts, the site offers an up-to-date set of tools to plan, carry out, and evaluate sustainable youth violence prevention strategies that are based upon the best available evidence.
 What is available on the STRYVE Web site?
Training: STRYVE Online Training, which includes interactive training modules on key concepts about youth violence prevention. The site also posts a training calendar of events that provide opportunities to learn more about youth violence and effective strategies to prevent it before it starts.
Resources: Comprehensive collection of state-of-the-art resources on the public health approach to youth violence prevention. STRYVE gives you instant access to the most up-to-date data; research documents; educational materials; and policies, programs, and practices based upon the best available evidence.
Take Action: Customized online workspace your community can use to build a coalition of community partners and work together to prevent youth violence. Take Action guides your coalition in developing a comprehensive strategic plan to prevent youth violence in your community, implementing the plan, monitoring your progress, and evaluating the impact of your efforts. Also included are step-by-step instructions, tools, and templates you can customize to meet your community's distinctive needs and interests. This component of the Web site includes networking and collaboration tools to connect individuals, groups, and organizations within your community, and to connect your coalition of partners to other communities who are working to prevent youth violence.
Who can use the STRYVE Web site?
Any individual, group, or organization can use the STRYVE Web site. However, the site is primarily designed to promote, facilitate, and support community-level action that stops youth violence before it starts.
How can you make the best use of the STRYVE Web site?
Two of the three main sections of the STRYVE web site are available now:Training and Resources. The third section,Take Action, is still under construction and will be available later this year.
The first step should be the completion of the interactive online training. This training gives the foundation for understanding youth violence and how to prevent it before it starts.
Check the training calendar frequently to learn about new opportunities.
Next, explore the wealth of resources available on the Definition and Causes and Impact of youth violence, and effective strategies for its Prevention.
Following the steps above will prepare you to make full use of the Take Action component of the web site when it becomes available.
Finally you will be able to: Create a single account for your community in theTake Action component of the Web site and set up your community's customized workspace. You will find instructions for completing this process in the Take Action section of the web site.
Build a coalition of community partners to work together to prevent youth violence in your community. You will find guidelines for effectively establishing and maintaining a coalition in the Take Action section of the web site.
Follow theTake Action step-by-step framework to create, carry out, and evaluate a plan that works to prevent youth violence in your community. At each step, you will find helpful tips, tools, and templates for completing this important work in theTake Action section of the web site.
What are the benefits of using the STRYVE Web site?
Your community will: Learn what youth violence is and how to prevent it before it starts.
Have access to the information, tools, and workspaces needed to strategically plan, implement, and evaluate youth violence prevention efforts.
Establish a customized workspace where community partners can work together to prevent youth violence.
Network with other communities to share your successes and learn what is working in other communities to stop youth violence before it starts. |
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REMEMBER, We rely on you to help provide us with content, ideas, and feedback as we work together to serve those who depend upon us for services. If you have a story idea, event, comment or suggestion please submit to www.dssnews@mecklenburgcountync.gov
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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 recognized leaderr in human services, valued by our stakeholders because of our needs-based customer focus in the delivery of services. We will help create a reslient community by proactively investing in our employees, operations and services, and by developing impactful relationship for the benefit of our customers.
Hours & Locations
CONTACT US
(704) 336-3000
Hours
Mon-Thurs.: 8a.m.-6p.m
Fri.: 8am-5p.m.
Location
Kuralt Centre
301 Billingsley Road
Chapin Hall@ Valerie C.
Woodard Center
3205 Freedom Drive
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DSS Satellite Locations
Ada Jenkins Center
212 Gamble St.
Davidson, NC
Thursdays
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Carolinas Healthcare System, Access Program
1216 North Tryon Street
2nd & 4th Wednesday
9 a.m. - noon
C.W. Williams Health Center
1st & 3rd Wednesday
9 a.m. - noon
(3333 Wilkinson Blvd.)
or
2nd & 4th Wednesday
1-4 p.m.
(1918 Randolph Rd., Suite 670 )
Crisis Assistance Ministry
500-A Spratt St.
Thursdays
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Hope Haven
3815 North Tryon St.
1st & 3rd Tuesday
1-4 p.m.
Jacob's Ladder Job Center
@ 2304 The Plaza
1st Monday
9 a.m. - noon
@ Southview Rec. Center
2nd Monday
9 a.m. - noon
Latin American Coalition
4938 Central Ave. #1
Thursdays
10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Matthews Help Center
119 North Ames St., Matthews
1st & 3rd Monday
1:30 - 4 p.m.
My Sister's House Transitional Living Center
3301 Beatties Ford Rd.
Mondays
1-4 p.m.
Solomon House
200 S. Main St., Huntersville
4th Friday
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The Salvation Army Center of Hope Women's Shelter
534 Spratt Street
Thursdays
9 a.m. - noon
Men's Shelter of Charlotte
1210 North Tryon St.
Fridays
9 a.m. - noon
Urban Ministry Center
945 North College St.
Tuesdays
9 a.m. - noon
YWCA
3420 Park Rd.
1st & 3rd Wednesday
2 - 6 p.m. |
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