Board of Social Services

Meetings

• Noon
• 3rd Monday of every month, except on Holidays

Members

County boards of social services are appointed boards that have either three or five members. Most county boards have five members. On a five member board, two of the board members are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, two are appointed by the state Social Services Commission, and one is appointed by the other four members of the board of social services. All board members must be county residents.

• Jerry Evans, Chair
• Betty Green, Vice-Chair
• Ed Booth
• James Blount
• Linda Roberts

Overview

In most states the state, rather than local government, administers social services programs. By contrast, in North Carolina most social services programs are administered by counties under the state's supervision. This means that the state has the primary responsibility for oversight of the programs and services but the counties are on the front lines managing and delivering programs and services to individuals.

Most North Carolina counties have a department of social services that administers programs that can be divided into two primary categories: economic services and social work services. The first category of programs help eligible people by providing money payments and other economic supports such as food and nutrition benefits (food stamps), child care subsidies, and employment services. Eligibility for most of these programs is determined on the basis of a person's or family's income and resources. The second category consists of programs that assist people, including many who are at risk of abuse or neglect, in a variety of ways and often without regard to income.

Each county has a board that hires the department's director, advises the director on policy, and assumes other responsibilities as required by law. In most counties, it is the county board of social services that fulfills this role.