DSS to Close East Spencer Satellite Office

BY NATASHA ASHE
SALISBURY POST

Those who seek services from the Rowan Department of Social Services through its satellite office in East Spencer, won’t have that convenience after next month.

Social Services board members learned Tuesday afternoon that on March 17, DSS caseworkers will stop seeing clients in the satellite office located in the Paul Laurence Dunbar Center. The office which made a home at the Dunbar Center in 1996, will officially close on April 1.

DSS officials have decided to remove the two caseworkers from the Dunbar Center and return them to the Social Services office in Salisbury.

The decision came after DSS officials decided to make organizational changes within the department to help reduce staff turnover.

During the December board meeting, chairwoman Lee Piper wanted to know why the department experienced such a high employee turnover rate during a monthly management report given by Director Sandra Wilkes.

Wilkes informed members the department experienced about 17 percent staff turnover in the past year. Wilkes said several of those employees, who resigned had taken jobs at other departments.

In the January meeting, Wilkes said she researched the issue of turnover and learned that the salaries and benefits of the Rowan department were in line with those of other counties. But Wilkes did say technology is not as advanced in the local department, which could cause difficulty in managing case loads for most workers.

Since then, Wilkes has worked on restructuring the department.

Wilkes said the reorganization involves some reassignment of work units in the income maintenance departments, so that no administrator is overburdened.

DSS officials say they hope the result will provide better supervision in each unit and helps distribute the workload evenly.

The department received support from county administration and the county commissioners personnel committee on its restructuring plan.

Wilkes said only food stamp, Medicaid and cash assistance programs were offered at the Dunbar Center. Recipients needing other services were required to go to the main office on West Innes Street, anyway.

‘‘We were never able to provide a full range of programs and services, and that was the key. The original idea was that a variety of programs would be represented at Dunbar, so that it would truly be a one stop service for our clients,’’ Wilkes said. ‘‘But we got no additional staff for the Dunbar office and had to pull from existing staff. The only staff we could really spare was from our public assistance area .... We didn’t have extra.’’

Wilkes said with limited resources, they had to decide what the greatest needs were.

‘‘We did not see in the future that we were going to be able to enhance our program at Dunbar. The workload at the main office was too heavy.’’ she said. ‘‘In fact, it was becoming a struggle to keep our caseworkers there. They were responsible for answering their own phones, greeting clients at the door and clerical duties. They were not able to devote all their time to casework. For that reason, they were not carrying full case loads.’’

Though Wilkes said she does not feel closing the Dunbar Center would put a hardship on the clients who seek services there, she informed Sean Reid, Dunbar executive director, ‘‘We would be glad to look at individual situations and help people as best we can.’’

‘‘We are certainly appreciative to have had the opportunity to work at Dunbar. The Dunbar board gave us their support,’’ Wilkes said. ‘‘The school system allowed us to rent a classroom and we’re also appreciative of that.’’

Piper suggested the remaining money allotted to rent the classroom, could be used to transport some of those clients, without transportation, to the Salisbury office.

Wilkes said DSS has not closed the door on the Dunbar Center.

‘‘In the future, returning to Dunbar may be something we could look at again,’’ Wilkes said.

Carla Mallinson, foster care licensing worker, informed the board that the Foster Care/Adoptive Unit is currently conducting the largest training class ever, with 19 foster/adoptive families enrolled. Eight are African-American families, which was a target group in recruitment efforts.

Mallinson said the staff looks for people interested in foster parenting or adoption all the time. Those interested, may call Mallinson at 638-3146.

The board also learned from July through January, 21 children were adopted. The Rowan department surpassed a state goal with 13 additional children being adopted.

Currently, DSS feels adoption is the best option for 43 children, who are now waiting for parental rights to be terminated by the courts.

During last month’s board meeting Child Protective Services Attorney Robert Lester said he is working diligently with judges to push those cases through court. Lester has been with the department a little over a month.

In other action, board members:

- Approved the request for a clothing allowance increase for foster children.

- Heard a presentation on the department’s budget process.

- Listened to a report on Adult Day Care services.

- Scheduled next month’s board meeting for Tuesday, March 30, at 3 p.m., 1236 W. Innes St., Salisbury.