Family Assistance | Early Care & Education | Employment Services

The year 2022 is dedicated to celebrating milestones and implementing innovative partnership projects. Read more here and be sure to watch for many stories on ABC Quality’s 30th anniversary celebration throughout the year!

ABC Quality, the program that provides its voluntary child care rating system, is celebrating 30 years of providing quality services to families and child care providers. On January 11th, ABC Quality staff kicked off the celebration with a virtual event, pictured left. Throughout the year, look for videos on our social media from providers who have benefitted from the program. Click here to see some of the congratulatory videos already shared in 2022. Additionally, the program recognizes Child Care Heroes who are making a difference in their communities. Honorees, like Helen Barnes with The Academy of Young Scholars, pictured right, are being recognized throughout the season before the tip-off of UofSC men’s home basketball games.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) offers reimbursements to providers who serve nutritious meals in their child and adult care centers, child care homes, emergency shelters, and after school programs. From March 13-19, the program will be celebrating CACFP Week, where the public, through our agency’s social media, will learn about CACFP and its impact on helping children and adults reach their fullest potential through nutrition.

Child Care Licensing, a program that ensures every child care provider is following state and federal regulations, hosted a virtual licensing boot camp for its licensing specialists in December 2021, where the specialists learned a wealth of knowledge that they can apply when assisting providers and children.

SC Endeavors, the core program for child care professional development, is celebrating two years of the SC Endeavors Registry. The registry is a resource for child care providers, directors and trainers who want to develop their knowledge of caring for young children while earning DSS training hours. To learn more about SC Endeavors, visit their website here.

SC Voucher offers child care financial assistance to families who are in need of child care services which can greatly reduce the cost of child care. The program is currently offering the COVID-300 voucher to families in need of affordable child care. Click here to learn more about the vouchers offered.

ABC Quality, in partnership with the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, recently honored Alexis Jenkins, Director of The Sunshine House of West Columbia during the Gamecocks Men’s Basketball game as the Child Care Hero of the Game. The recognition ceremony can be viewed here. ABC Quality honors Child Care Heroes who are supporting children and families in their child care centers during the national pandemic.

here.

The SCDSS Division of Early Care and Education continues to offer financial assistance for child care for working families that have income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. Information and an application for parents can be found on www.scchildcare.org under News and Announcements.

Households, individuals, seniors, and the homeless may all be eligible for SNAP benefits. People who are working and need help to stretch their income to purchase food may also be eligible for SNAP benefits as well as those receiving Social Security benefits, child support, or unemployment.

Each year DSS helps find jobs for thousands of recipients of TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. Research shows that children are more likely to escape a life of poverty if their parents enter the workforce.  

The SCDSS Division of Employment Services works to support business owners who hire SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) program participants entering the workforce. When you hire our customers, you become eligible for a variety of benefits, incentives and supports designed to meet your specific needs. Hiring through DSS Employment Services programs provides businesses and new employees a promising future. We assist with:

Click here to view a video about how our partnership with Homes of Hope in Greenville, SC is changing lives!

Better Together: Enhancing Practice, Transforming Lives to reflect our commitment to achieve best outcomes for the children, youth and families we serve. This means working hand-in-hand with families, supported by a statewide network of service providers, judicial and education partners, foster parents, the faith community and so many others who are dedicated to helping families thrive.

#BetterTogether

By Lauren Tinman, Prevention Services & Special Populations Manager, Office of Child Health and Well-being

The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) provides states the option to use Title IV-E funds for specific evidence-based prevention services for eligible children at risk of foster care placement and their families. South Carolina is excited to implement the approved evidence-based prevention services listed in the plan. These services are proven to strengthen children and families, preventing removal and allowing children to remain safely in their homes.

 Approved Services

By Janeasha Stanley, Youth Engagement Coordinator/Program Coordinator II, Chafee/ETV Program

Higher education can sometimes seem out of reach for those who feel it may be too costly. With the cost of education being an ever-changing thing, one can never have too many avenues for more funding. We would like to bring notice to the wonderful opportunities that come our way. One scholarship prospect that we recently ran across is the Winston Rhea Scholarship

To learn more about the story of Winston Williams and Catherine Rhea and the scholarship details visit www.winstonrheascholars.net. Please be mindful that applications close on March 1, 2022!

Foster care may be a part of our past, but it does not define our future. - Winston Rhea Scholars

Last month, officials with Lexington Medical Center accepted an infant surrendered under Daniel’s Law. The Caucasian baby girl was born on January 21, 2022 and weighed 8 pounds, 7.8 ounces, and was 20 inches long. The infant was safely surrendered at Lexington Medical Center. Under the Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, Lexington County DSS took custody of the child, and the infant has been placed in a licensed foster home. A permanency planning hearing will be held on March 9, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. at the Lexington County Judicial Center located at 205 East Main Street in Lexington.

For more information about the Safe Haven Act, known as Daniel’s Law, please click here. For a listing of crisis pregnancy organizations, please see this brochure.

The National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) 2022 Policy Forum was held February 3-5 in Washington, D.C. NCSEA’s Policy Forum is an annual conference that provides a unique opportunity for IV-Directors, researchers, policy experts, and child support professionals to discuss and learn about the most recent policies and issues influencing the child support program at the national, state, and local levels.

NCSEA envisions a world where every child receives reliable financial and emotional support. NCSEA believes parents are vital to the financial and emotional support of our children. The focus of this year’s gathering was the message, “Ask not what your policy can do for your system, but what your system can do for your policy.”

The SCDSS Adult Advocacy Division, which administers Adult Protective Services (APS), is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Catawba Indian Nation (CIN) Senior Program. Funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act will be utilized by CIN to provide services and improve the lives of tribal senior citizens, their spouses or widow/widowers of tribal members. Targeted efforts will be aimed at closing current gaps in services needed in the Senior Program. An Elder Social Worker will be hired to provide prevention and intervention services and to facilitate social activities and gatherings for tribal elders and other vulnerable tribal adults.

Domestic Violence is present in every community, across all demographics. The effects of abuse suffered can be both physical and mental and can last a lifetime. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. In one year, that equals more than 10 million people. To learn more about making a difference, click here.

On February 17th, seven DSS professionals were recognized by State Director Michael Leach as agency Employees of the Month. Recognized for their hard work and leading with Competence, Courage, and Compassion -- the agency's core values.

SCDSS celebrates the opening of new facilities for Greenville County DSS, which are sure to provide . Although the time from receiving the move date to the actual move was about six months, the planning process with the county took about two years. The facility features an elevator, a break room, and conference rooms on each floor. There is also a nice courtyard and lounge that DSS shares with other agencies located at the facility.

According to Economic Services Business Manager Africa Coleman, “Our suites are secured and can only be entered with a Proxy card or an actual key,” Africa said. “We feel more secure. Family Court is included in the complex which allows staff to access easily. We now share a building with DHEC and DHHS so they may see more people in the building, however, there is a separate reception window for DSS clients to check-in.”   

Dena Reeves-Green retired on February 2nd after more than 32 years of service to the South Carolina Department of Social Services and our state. Dena began her career as a case manager, eventually becoming director of Greenville County DSS.

By Dawn Hamm, Senior Consultant Lowcountry Region  

         

Ms. Donella Robinson, Allendale County DSS Director, recently retired after 44 years of service. She has been an advocate in Allendale County, ensuring that our citizens get the services that they need. Her guidance and leadership have been instrumental in ensuring that DSS has a positive voice in the community. Tara Williams, Economic Services Supervisor for Allendale, reflected on the positive impact Ms. Robinson has had stating “Ms. Robinson has always given me continuous support. She welcomed me with open arms and always had my back. She is one of the best supervisors I have had during my tenure at DSS. She will be greatly missed.”

New Director Named for Greenwood County DSS

SCDSS proudly announces Fran Broome as the new Greenwood County DSS Director.

Robin Smith started her new role as Kershaw County DSS Director on February 2nd, 2022. Robin’s career with DSS began in 2014 when she worked in Adoptions as a supervisor. She was then promoted to Greenwood County Director in 2015.

Welcome to Darren Thames, the new Laurens County DSS Director.

On February 3rd, 2022, we collected over 100 duffle bags and book bags filled with hygiene products and a handmade blanket for foster children. These bags are donated to foster children in the Pee Dee by The Jade Bridge Organization in Florence. I work closely with Jennifer Danford, the founder, to identify ways they can assist our families and children. These bags will go out to county offices this month to have on hand when children enter care or are moving to a new placement. They literally filled our state car up! I am so thankful for our working relationship and all they have done for us in the Pee Dee. They pack these bags and donate to us at least twice a year and more if we need them. 

Recently at their church service, Elevation Riverwalk gave us an additional $16,000 contribution that will be in the form of gift cards for us to use for foster child needs as well as FP, and Investigations. This is on top of what they provided to us last year! 

Congratulations to Brittany James, a CWS case manager in Horry County. She has been recognized by Fostering Great Ideas as the January 2022 “Local Foster Care Innovator Award” winner! 

SCDSS would like to congratulate Case Manager Phileasee Porter-Bourgeois with the Charleston County DSS, who was named the South Carolina Foster Parent Association’s Social Worker of the Month for February 2022.

Do you have a used car or truck that you no longer need, but you do not think you can get much for it? Before you try to sell it or trade it in, why not consider donating it to help the South Carolina Foster Parent Association?

There is a desperate need for used vehicles and all cars donated to the “On the Road Again” program go to help deserving foster care youth.