A tangible sign of those things are the yearly audit, which Scott said he hopes will show no findings. Blevins had said the subpoena was unnecessary. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To make an adult or child protective services report any time, day or night, call the numbers below: Early Childhood Education & Development Fund, Environmental & Energy Stewardship Subcommittee, Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board. He helped implement Workday, the county's primary financial accounting system, in 2017, then formally joined the Finance Department in 2019 as a financial planning and analysis manager. If the purpose of the record request is to protect a juvenile, then no court order would be needed, DePasquale told CPP. Thank you! All Rights Reserved. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Buncombe County Health and Human Services Director Stoney Blevins sits at his desk in Asheville. Phone: 828-250-5500 Director of Buncombe County Health and Human Services Talmadge "Stoney" Blevins provided few answers to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services about why officers with the Black Mountain Police Department were reportedly told to leave a 9-year-old girl in a hotel room with a stranger, meth, and more than 100 . She died during the winter, wearing only a T-shirt and her diaper. A lock icon or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. Then, using the child population of each county during the year in question, reporters calculated the percentage of children removed in a given year. Over time, many families have contacted Carolina Public Press about child protective services concerns. Many of the counties with very low rates or rates in the middle also experience poverty. Such records are typically open to prosecutors, according to Peg Dorer, with the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys. There appeared to be no attempt by the police or DSS to follow up with the Sheriffs Office. ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) An attorney for Buncombe County Health and Human Services said in a letter director Talmadge "Stoney" Blevins would not comply with a subpoena about a case involving a 9 . Reeves family said she had lived in fear for her life because of attacks from her ex-husbandTitus Boley, who had served a prison sentence for assaulting her. She died during the winter, wearing only a T-shirt and her diaper. A lock icon or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. Henderson County residentFelicia Reevesdisappeared in August 2015. The officer wrote in his report, I told her I did not have time to do that, I had to find a safe place for the child. They are still considered the public in regard to this.. At the expense of our Childrens Future!!! This is your chance to support credible, community-based, public-service journalism. Scott has a bachelor's degree in German from Wake Forest University and a masters degree in project management from Western Carolina University, according to the county's news release. State Government websites value user privacy. Our award-winning, breakthrough journalism dismantles barriers and shines a light on the critical overlooked and under-reported issues facing our states 10.2 million residents. While Blevins said the states juvenile code forbade him from providing specifics about the March incident, he had a lot to say about improving the states child welfare system. Colby Rabon / Carolina Public Press Their stories were often shocking and always emotional. But even in some of these cases, legal counsel may ultimately advise them not to discuss the situation further. The Purpose of Buncombe County Health and Human Services is to strengthen our communities by advancing health, safety, and opportunity. Trouble in Paradise for Sure!!! Maybe many others!! Social workers are supposed to try to make these contacts regularly. Monday - Friday Must be able to understand and prioritize work to adhere to County, State and Federal timeframes. Catherine Noyesis a grandmother who expresses frustration over the Cabarrus County Department of Social Services and courts handling of her familys case. 40 Coxe Avenue The allegations parents brought to CPP ranged widely: Social workers refused to screen in a case of extreme negligence involving meth-addicted parents despite repeated urging from a grandmother. 2001 Mail Service Center Subpoenas to testify before the state legislature are rare. But the map also shows that the high and very high counties mostly cluster geographically, as do the low and very low counties. In September 2016, a CPP investigation learned that the boy had been adopted within weeks of his mothers death. The parents used intravenous drugs in the presence of their children and failed to provide adequate nutrition and hygiene, the indictments said. 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Forging contact records is not trivial. Rutherford County DSS Work County Rutherford Job Contact Luann Butler PO Box 242 389 Fairground Road Spindale, NC 28160 Office - 828-287-6283 FAX - 828-288-3406 Email: luann.butler@rutherfordcountync.gov Job Location 389 Fairground Road Spindale North Carolina 28160 Job Description Position Responsibilities: Some lawmakers were incensed. But the foster care residence was in unincorporated Transylvania County, not the city of Brevard. Child welfare officials rank reported cases of abuse and respond either immediately, within 24 hours or within 72 hours depending on the severity of the allegation. Although Noyes had previously assisted in caring for her daughters children and remained willing to do so, DSS ultimately removed them instead and persuaded the court to place the children with their father. Cheri Wood, 828-250-6340 He was making a salary of $161,785.44, according to a public records request. In a Sept. 15 email to Edwards, Blevins said he would be honored to meet with the committee to talk and answer questions about our child welfare system. In some cases, people may have kept enough records and can present a credible account shored up by documentation. No subpoena is necessary.. If the purpose of the record request is to protect a juvenile, then no court order would be needed, DePasquale told CPP. Buncombe County's DSS office allocated $400,000 for extra clerical staff when it thought it would be required to use NC Fast's child welfare modules, but its current system has more features that child welfare workers need than NC Fast does, said Stoney Blevins, director of health and human services in Buncombe County. Strong confidentiality rules surround child protective services cases under both state and federal law, for the purpose of protecting the identity of the children. A project supported by The California Endowment, Protection of NC children, families depends on the county, Structure of NC child protective services leads to inequity, NC could look to other states for potential child welfare reforms, Blevins could not confirm or deny anything, died while under supervision by county DSS. Police later claimed that they emailed information about the case to the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office. A CPP investigation nearly two years later found that the family had notified the Brevard Police Department. Polk County Department of Social Services. Food Assistance Medicaid Information Clinical Services Children Services Environmental Health Social Work Services News & Information National Black/African American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Are new people living there? But the map also shows that the high and very high counties mostly cluster geographically, as do the low and very low counties. There were needles under the seats and in the door pockets of the car. She wasnt sure why that didnt happen in Addisons case, and privacy laws prevented her from discussing the details. Reporting like this isnt free to produce and we cannot do this alone. Its often impossible to know because the evidence surrounding child protective services is not available to the public. For several months DSS did not produce confidential child welfare records for a criminal case after the DAs office sought them. Did you know that there is a law that was enacted in 1975 to protect disabled adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation? Our staff is committed to providing Buncombe's diverse population with effective services in a timely and respectful manner. I told her I did not have time to do that, I had to find a safe place for the child. Much to lawmakers chagrin, Blevins could not confirm or deny anything in the police report due to strict laws protecting the privacy of the girl and her family. The General Assembly called Buncombe County Health and Human Services Director Stoney Blevins to testify about the incident. Throughout last weeks hearing, Blevins explained the delicate balance of preserving parental rights while ensuring children are cared for. Police arrested all three adults after saying they found drugs and used needles, according to the report. From these annual rates in each county and the state as a whole, CPP calculated an average yearly rate over the 10-year period, then compared each county to the state. The DSS worker called back and asked him to help complete the intake report. A grand jury first indicted the mother for neglect in 2015. The Director serves as the executive officer of the county board of social services executing the authority of the board as defined in GS 108A14. Starting in June, Blevins directed Buncombe County social workers to respond to the scene of all law enforcement requests and shared the protocol with county law enforcement agencies. Officers located needles on the beds, the nightstands, TV stand and the bathroom. Their stories were often shocking and always emotional. An official website of the State of North Carolina, Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse, Office Of Minority Health And Health Disparities, Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing, COVID-19 Information for Local Social Services Agencies. Part 1:Protection of NC children, families depends on the county, Part 3:Structure of NC child protective services leads to inequity, Part 4:NC could look to other states for potential child welfare reforms, Indicted former director resigns from DSS position, cant work for county again, Governor signs bipartisan child welfare overhaul bill, ByKate Martin,Frank TaylorandImari Scarbrough. Her school reported abuse, and multiple social workers visited the family. Stay up to date with the most current information. This interpretation of the rules can make it difficult for other branches of state government to hold DSS agencies accountable for possible mistakes, much less the news media, which has no access to subpoena powers. There appeared to be no attempt by the police or DSS to follow up with the Sheriffs Office. When news organizations contact local departments of social services offices with questions about a specific case, the agencies are typically unable to discuss them. Email her at kmartin@carolinapublicpress.org. The study showed that correctly ranking the risk to children can be a difficult task, and even supervisors can incorrectly screen hypothetical child welfare cases. Buncombe County Fire Marshall . The case made international headlines over the following months, focusing a world spotlight on the total failure of the child protection system in her case. State Government websites value user privacy. As a result, the family said, the statute of limitations had expired, and no one could be charged two years later. CPPs news team analyzed data on child removals across North Carolina during the decade from 2010-19. So, they did. By the officers account, the father told them to take her to a needle-infested hotel room and leave her with a man she did not know. This is your chance to support credible, community-based, public-service journalism. Social workers are supposed to try to make these contacts regularly. the tall man aboriginal spirit; metadata api request failed: component conversion failed: file_ended; caleb foote sandlot They may think the system has wronged their families. Meanwhile, Addisons birth family had no idea what had happened to him after removal from foster care. CPP then mapped these comparison percentages, marking distinctly those at the extremes. Records from Reeves communications during the final weeks of her life show that she was repeatedly at odds with DSS agents over her son, though what she knew about his location was not clear. If a judge releases the record, the judge can release a record to whatever parties they choose to, Blevins said. Blevins was asked to testify before the General Assembly last year about how social workers handled a case, but his hands were tied by confidentiality rules. "The county has a strong team in the Finance Department and we appreciate Mason serving as our interim as the Commissioners undergo a search process to hire a new permanent Finance Director for Buncombe County," Board of Commissioners Chair Brownie Newman said. Carolina Public Press has confirmed that there was a subpoena. #828-479-7911 Fax #828-479-7928 Courier Number: 08-40-02. The boys death spurred lawmakers to action, and the General Assembly approved a package of major reforms with strong bipartisan support. Contact him at ftaylor@carolinapublicpress.org. I do not believe it is a blanket black box that prevents you from having any discussion about anything related to your department, Perry said. F. (828) 250-6235. And some economically advantaged counties may also cluster with high or low removal rates. But this left the question for the officers of how to help the girl, they said. Protection of the Abused, Neglected or Exploited Disabled Adult Act is located under Statute 108A Article 6. Social Worker Buncombe Family and Children's Services Required fields are marked *. 404 Social Services jobs available in Buncombe County, NC on Indeed.com. It is my statement, based off my information, that no (DSS) staff member in Buncombe County has given the advice for a police officer to leave a child in a room with a stranger and 100 to 200 needles, Blevins said, speaking about the police report. This interpretation of the rules can make it difficult for other branches of state government to hold DSS agencies accountable for possible mistakes, much less the news media, which has no access to subpoena powers. The officer hung up, and the DSS worker called back and asked him to complete the report. Tracy Jones, who was DSS director in Transylvania County in 2016 but not during the time of the foster care abuse allegation, told CPP that the agencys procedure during an adoption is always to notify the next of kin first.