Aiken County Dept. of Social Services Christine Wright, County Director Amy Kosh, HS Program Coordinator

Aiken DSS  DSS has 2 major divisions in the county office: Economic Services  SNAP Benefits  TANF/FI Human Services  Adult Protective Services  Intake  CPS investigations/assessment  Family Preservation  Foster Care  Region V Foster Home Licensing Unit Aiken DSS has 74 employees

Statistics on Aiken population  28% of Aiken’s children, under the age of 18, are living in poverty. KidsCount 2014 data  Over 13,000 households received SNAP benefits last month. The average benefit is approximately $ per household. DSS 2014  The majority of intakes received have allegations of physical neglect and are called in by school personnel.

SNAP/FI  What is “SNAP”? * Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – formally known as the Food Stamp Program  What is “FI”? * Family Independence is a time-limited program that assists families with dependent children when families cannot provide for their basic needs.

Comparing People in Poverty to People Receiving SNAP Aiken County 2014 Review Of all people in Poverty 43% are Black, 49% are White and 8% are another race. Of all people Receiving SNAP 48% are Black, 51% are White 1% are another race.

What is Community Based Prevention Services?  CBPS is an intake process that assesses each report of suspected child abuse/neglect made to DSS to determine the most appropriate, efficient, effective, and least intrusive response that can be provided by Child Protective Services (CPS) OR community based partners.  The cornerstone of CBPS is an assessment by CPS as to whether a report or case situation is a safety or risk concern.  SAFETY means that a situation poses an immediate and substantial danger to a child. The situation at the time of the report is out of control.  RISK is the likelihood of future abuse or neglect. It is rated on a continuum of low, moderate or high. 7

Community Partners SAFY /Children’s Place Families with low and moderate risk (NOT abuse) factors are referred Community Contractors  Assess the family (not an investigation)  Connect the family to services to address issues effecting the stability of family life  Strengthen their protective capacity

What happens when you call? Intake receives call and determines level of risk/safety CPS Investigation Decision within days. Unfounded: Possible referral to CBPS Indicated: Family Preservation Indicated: Foster Care Screened Out Referral to CBPS If CPBS determines HIGH safety or risk concerns, referral made to CPS

Maltreatment Typologies  Physical Neglect  Physical Abuse  Medical Neglect  Sexual Abuse  Substantial Risk of Physical Abuse  Substantial Risk of Sexual Abuse  Education Neglect  Mental Injury

“DSS took my kids…” EPC  Law enforcement can assess for imminent and substantial danger of a child.  If risk of harm is high a child can be placed into Emergency Protective Custody. EX-PARTE  Family court judges can order children into the custody of DSS via an Ex- parte order.  Emergency and non- emergency orders

Caseloads and Stats  51 open investigations involving 100 children.  185 open Family Preservation cases involving 405 children.  76 open foster care cases  21 intensive service foster care  Close to 600 children currently being seen face to face monthly along with parents, siblings, caregivers, and collateral contacts.

Please feel free to call us!  Christine Wright, Director  Amy Kosh, HS Coordinator  Carolina James, ES Coord  Child Protective Intake  Adult Protective Services

Interested in Fostering or Adoption?  Please contact Heartfelt Calling  Or  Lynne Pinson  Region V Resource Family Unit supervisor