What is the role of social services departments?
Social Services Departments in North Carolina
Want to get involved in your community but don't know where to start? Social services, also known as public assistance, helps fill in the gaps in our community through service providers who work with low-income and other vulnerable populations.
They offer services that might not otherwise be available to people who need them most, such as food banks, emergency shelters, and government grants for paying bills and expenses during difficult times when money gets tight.
North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services
The North Carolina government's Department of Health and Human Services oversees all the social services provided by both the state and federal governments. Within the DHHS, there are a number of offices that deal with various issues like children, aging, mental health, disabilities, or community outreach.
The mission of the DHHS is to promote the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians by delivering human services.
Here's an introduction to each major social services department in North Carolina, what they offer, and how to contact them with questions. Note that this isn't a comprehensive list of all the social services departments in North Carolina, but it covers the main ones you're likely to come across.
1. North Carolina Child Support Services
The North Carolina Child Support Services program is a state-run program that helps parents receive child support payments from non-custodial parents. The program also provides services such as locating non-custodial parents, establishing paternity, and enforcing child support orders.
If you are a custodial parent in North Carolina, you can apply for child support services through your local county office or directly contact the office for guidance.
2. Division of Child Development and Early Education
The Division of Child Development and Early Education ensures that all children have access to high-quality early childhood education and care.
The division licenses and regulates child care facilities; provides subsidies to low-income families to help with child care costs; and administers the state's Pre-K program.
The division also works to improve the quality of child care through training and technical assistance for child care providers, as well as health and safety resources. In addition, the division oversees programs for at-risk youth, including prevention services, teen parenting services, and intervention services for neglected or abused children.
3. The Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAA)
The Division of Aging and Adult Services promotes the independence, dignity, self-sufficiency, productivity, and quality of life for people 60 years or older who are aging alone or have disabilities. DAAA also assists adults with disabilities so they can live independently in their communities and participate fully in all aspects of community life.
There are a number of social services offered by DAAA, including:
- Elder Caregiver Support Program
- Individual Development Accounts (IDA)
- Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) Supportive Services Program
- Assistive Technology Project Pilot Project, and more.
Visit the official website to learn more about these programs.
4. The Division of Health Service Regulation (DHHSR)
The DHHSR is responsible for protecting the public's health, safety, and welfare by regulating a variety of health care and social service providers. These include, but are not limited to: hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, child care facilities, and adult care homes. The DHHSR also licenses and certifies individuals who work in these fields.
The DHHSR's mission is to ensure that all licensed health care and social service providers meet or exceed minimum standards of care. It does this through staff education, coordination with other government agencies and partners in the private sector, and monitoring of complaints.
5. Division of Health Benefits (NC Medicaid)
The Division of Health Benefits (DHB) is responsible for administering the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid is a health insurance program for low-income individuals and families. In North Carolina, DHB provides medical coverage for eligible adults and children through two programs: NC Health Choice for Children and NC Medicaid Managed Care. NC Health Choice for Children provides medical assistance, under certain circumstances and at certain income levels, to children who are ineligible for medical assistance due to income or family size.
NC Medicaid Managed Care pays health care providers on behalf of the state according to rules established by DHB. These providers include hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, home healthcare agencies, and other providers approved by DHB.
NC Health Choice for Children also pays service providers such as doctors, dentists, and other types of specialists on behalf of the state according to rules established by the DHB. These service providers are paid from funds generated from premiums collected from NC Health Choice enrollees and pass-through funds provided by federal law.
6. North Carolina Division of Employment Security
The North Carolina Division of Employment Security is the state's social service agency that provides temporary financial assistance and job services to eligible individuals. The agency has an extensive network of offices and partners across the state.
You can visit their website to learn more about their programs and how to apply for benefits. The main programs offered by the agency are unemployment insurance, employment services, and training.
Final Thoughts
Learning about social services offered by your local government can be a great way to help you plan for your future. If you have been living on an income below the poverty line, it is important that you are aware of what types of resources are available and how they can benefit you.
To learn more about the programs offered by North Carolina's government social service agency, visit http://www.ncdhhs.gov/social-services/.
