The Department of Social Services is located at 314 South Magnolia Street in Raeford, NC. The work schedule is normally from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Situations sometime occur which require selected staff members to respond after "normal" duty hours. These situations are reported through the County's Emergency 911 System.

ADMINISTRATION ~ ADULT SERVICES ~ CHILDREN SERVICES ~ INCOME MAINTENANCE ~ FOOD STAMPS ~ ADULT MEDICAID ~ FAMILY AND CHILDREN MEDICAID ~ FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES ~ CHILD SUPPORT ~ LINKS

ADMINISTRATION

Della Sweat - Director of Social Services

Kay McMillian - Administrative Assistant

Amber Oxendine - Processing Assistant

ADULT SERVICES UNIT

Tammy Chaney - Supervisor

The Social Workers in the Adult Services Unit provide intensive social work assistance to clients and their families who have serious and complicated social, economic, emotional, physical and mental problems. The "Services" programs are designed to protect those in need of assistance and who are not competent to provide adequately for themselves. The Service Programs include:

•  Protective Services for Adults

• AT RISK Case Management

• Guardianship Service

• Individual/Family Adj. Services

• Payee Services

• In-Home Aide Services

•  Adjustment Services for the Blind and Medical Eye Care for County residents

•  Adult Home Specialist - monitor facility for licensure compliance

• Health Support Services

~ TOP ~

Kristi Pigford - Supervisor, Foster Care and Adoptions

Julie Okrie - Supervisor, Child Protective Services

Children's services consist of an array of legally mandated services with the primary purpose of protecting children and ensuring that they have a safe, permanent home. These services are provided by highly trained and motivated Social Workers performing the following duties:

• Intake

• Child Protective Services Investigation

• Child Protective Services Case Management

• Foster Care

• Adoptions

Whatever discrete services that are needed to meet our objective are provided to children and families.

~ TOP ~

Judy Locklear, Supervisor

The "means based" eligibility programs of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Programs Integrity Units are located within this section.

~ TOP ~

Sheffie Turner, Supervisor

The Food Stamp Program is designed to promote the general welfare and to safeguard the health and well being of the nation's population by raising the levels of nutrition among low-income households. The Food Stamp Program is authorized by the Food Stamp Act of 1977.

The North Carolina State Division of Social Services provides policies and procedures as well as the responsibility of supervising and administering the program through the Local County Departments of Social Services.  Hoke County Food Stamp Recipients are currently able to utilize their benefits via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) which is a "debit care" that is issued rather than the older, more traditional, paper food and stamp coupons.

~ TOP ~

Linda Balfrey, Supervisor

The Adult Medicaid Unit is responsible for meeting the needs of the adult, disabled or aged population of Hoke County.

The purpose of this unit is to determine eligibility for those individuals who meet the income and reserve criteria as set forth by state and federal guidelines. These incomes and reserve limits can range anywhere from 100% to 135% of the federal poverty level, depending on the particular Medicaid program.

Medicaid pays for medical services only, and can be used in conjunction with other health insurance (including Medicare).

Eligibility guidelines are determined by federal and state government standards and are monitored by the North Carolina Division of Medical Assistance. 

~ TOP ~

Diane Simmons, Supervisor

The Family and Children's Medicaid Program is a program that assists pregnant women, families and/or children with the cost of medical care. The family Medicaid consists of Medicaid to Families with Dependent Children, Medicaid to Infants and Children under the age of 19, and Medicaid for Pregnant Women. 

North Carolina Health Choice for Children is a Health Insurance Program for uninsured children who are ineligible for Medicaid under the age of 19, who do not qualify for Medicaid, and whose countable income falls under a specific percentage of the Federal Poverty Limit.

~ TOP ~

Tammy Brewer, Supervisor

The Family Support Services Unit was formerly known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Program. The program continues to provide cash benefit to families that meet eligibility criteria; however, both Federal and State policy have created a new focus. The primary goal is to help these families become self-sufficient. 

Therefore, time limits for which a family may receive assistance have been included as well as contractual terms wherein the applicants agree to take specific steps toward becoming gainfully employed and thereby move towards the goal of self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.

The unit also provides Work First Employment Assistance to those individuals receiving public assistance through the Temporary Aide to Needy Families (TANF) Program in an effort to assist them in becoming self sufficient to the point where they no longer depend on welfare programs to provide their family's needs.   The employment services provided includes but is not limited to:

• Assisting with completing job applications

• Assisting with doing resumes

• Job coaching

• Budgeting

• Job Seeking

In addition to all of these services, the unit also provides child care assistance to families who meet the need and income limit criteria.  This service is not limited to families who receive cash assistance.  The high income limits for this program has made it possible for many  two parent households to qualify for assistance.  The program assist parents with paying a portion of their childcare expenses based on the families income and the providers charge.  The families portion of child care payment is based on the family size and their countable gross wages.

~ TOP ~

Sheila Beck-Jones, Supervisor

The Child Support Enforcement staff works diligently to insure that children whose parent(s) lives separately from them are provided for financially by the non-custodial parent(s). Section IV-D of the Social Security Act requires that caretakers of children receiving public assistance cooperate with Child Support Enforcement to assist them in accomplishing their goals of obtaining financial support for those children. Non-recipients of public assistance may also avail themselves of the services of this unit for a nominal application fee. 

The steps taken by the Child Support Agents involve: LOCATION, ESTABLISHMENT OF PATERNITY (when necessary), ESTABLISHMENT OF A CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATION (through the court system), and ENFORCEMENT of Child Support Orders issued by the court system. The Automated Collection Tracking System (ACTS), other computer-based enhancements, and emphasis by Federal and State Child Support Agencies are evolving into a program that facilitates locating and enforcing child support even across state lines.

~ TOP ~

HOKE COUNTY DSS BOARD MEMBERS

• Shirley Wright (Chair)

• Chad Hodgin (Vice Chair)

• Carl Pevia

• Ellen C. McNeill

• Brenda Branch

DATE AND TIME OF MONTHLY MEETING:  Last Monday of each month (4:00PM)

LOCATION:  T.B. Lester, Jr. Office Building (Hoke DSS) Conference Room, 314 S. Magnolia St., Raeford NC 28376

• NC DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES

• NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

• NC CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT - eCHILD SUPPORT

• NC SENIOR CARE PROGRAM

• NC FOSTER CHILD ADOPTION

• NC CHILD ADVOCACY INSTITUTE

• NC DIVISION OF SERVICES FOR THE BLIND

• NC FOSTER PARENTS ASSOCIATION

• NC DIVISION OF AGING AND ADULT SERVICES

• NC DIVISION OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

~ TOP ~