In a decisive move to protect children, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is stepping in to oversee child welfare services in Vance County. Precipitated by ongoing concerns about the efficacy of the local services, this intervention commencing today reflects both urgency and necessity.
Following months of close examinations and collaborations that began in July 2024, Vance County Department of Social Services has been found wanting in its duty of care. The issues at hand are severe enough that, without noticeable progress to quell them, children's safety, and well-being in the county have been at risk. Not a light decision to make, the NCDHHS deems this recourse as essential for rectifying current mishandlings and fortifying the future of child welfare administration in Vance.
The Vance County leadership and Department of Social Services staff were informed of this development through a letter, as detailed in a press release from the NCDHHS. The local entities have showcased support for this temporary measure, according to NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai, who emphasized the gravity of their protective role, "We take very seriously the department’s role in protecting the safety and well-being of children and families involved in the child welfare system."
With NCDHHS staff to be actively on-site, Vance DSS is not facing a substitution but an augmentation of hands and minds dedicated to childcare services. Rev. Dr. Leonard Frieson Sr, Vance County DSS Board Chairman, invoked unity amidst the institutional transition, "To all DSS Partners, in spirit together we stand successfully, divided we will continue to fall. We can achieve climbing this mountain." Vance County Manager Renee Perry assured the public that the county's objectives remain unchanged, “We have a strong team at the Department of Social Services and as we move forward with shifting these services to DHHS, our goal is simple: make sure kids and families get the support they need, when they need it. This isn’t about stepping back—it’s about making smart changes that help us serve the community even better," she said.
While the details of the compliance plan remain under development, the action is fully backed by N.C.G.S. § 108A-74. The community awaits the promised improvements, with the hope that this tactical move will indeed translate into fortified support for both children and families ensnared in the welfare system.
