Mission Statement:
Cass County Social Services provides services to individuals and families who are vulnerable to meet basic needs and to promote self-sufficiency.
Values:
All people are treated with dignity and respect.
High quality service is the goals of all programs.
Promote a strong partnership with individual clients.
Promote leadership on community wide needs.
The agency will strive to be responsible and efficient stewards of all resources.
Overview:
Cass County Social Services is a department of Cass County government that has been designated by law to provide poor relief and related services to the citizens of Cass County. The majority of the services/programs offered by the county are done in conjunction with state and federal agencies, particularly the North Dakota Department of Human Services. Cass County Social Services provides a wide range of services including both social services and economic assistance programs. Some services are provided directly by county employees and others are provided through contracts. In 2001, Cass County Social Services provided services/benefits to an average of 11,000 individuals/month.
Administrative Structure:
Cass County Social Services is directly responsible to the Cass County Social Services Board. The Board is accountable to the Cass County Commission and, where designated, the North Dakota Department of Human Services. The Board consists of seven members including five County Commissioners and two community at large members. The board meets both regularly and in special session monthly. The Board appoints the Director of Social Services with the approval of the County Commission.
Personnel:
In 2002, the Cass County Social Services agency has 116 authorized/budgeted positions. Personnel include social workers, eligibility specialists, homemakers and support staff.
Budget:
The 2002 Cass County Social Services operating budget is 8.3 million dollars. This budget includes both the county share of funding for services and some state/federal programs. It does not include all financial benefits paid to/for clients through programs such as Medical Assistance, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, and Food Stamps that is estimated at almost 50 million dollars annually for Cass County. If those costs were also included it is estimated that the total county-based social services expenditures would be over fifty eight million dollars annually.
Civil Rights Statement:
Cass County makes available all services/assistance without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, handicap or political affiliation and is subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 as amended and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE
A. Children's Special Health Services (formerly Crippled Children's Services): A state funded program administered by the county to identify, diagnose, and treat children who have congenital handicaps or other conditions resulting from injuries or illnesses. Eligible families must meet income guidelines.
B. ND Health Tracks (formerly EPSDT): A program of preventive health care directed to children who are eligible for medical assistance. Emphasis is on early diagnosis and treatment.
C. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) formerly AFDC: A program to provide financial assistance to children, deprived of parental support, who are in need of money for food, shelter, clothing, and personal needs.
D. Food Stamps: A cooperative effort of County, State and Federal governments to assure proper nutrition for all poor, eligible participants by increasing their food buying power.
E. Foster Care: A program whereby payment for room, board, supervision, clothing and personal needs can be made for children who cannot live with relatives, but in licensed foster homes.
F. General Assistance (GA): The General Assistance Program is an emergency assistance program intended to meet basic maintenance needs of families in financial crisis, disabled adults, and burial of deceased poor persons.
G. Low Income Home Energy Program (LIHEAP): A program to provide emergency and home energy assistance to eligible low income households to help defray the expense of fuel costs.
H. Medical Assistance (MA): A program designed to assist individuals and families who do not have enough income to obtain health care.
I. Child Care Assistance (CCA): A federal program to provide financial assistance to low income families to meet their child care expenses resulting from employment, education or training.
FAMILY SERVICE DIVISION
A. Assessment Section
Child Abuse/Neglect Assessments: A program that provides for an assessment of allegations of child abuse or neglect and determines a finding that a family needs services. Services may be recommended or required depending on the family situations.
Home and Custody Studies: A service ordered by the District Court of North Dakota to assist them in determining the needs and best interest of the child or children in family issues.
Emergency On-Call Services: A service that permits other agencies to contact a social worker to assist in child welfare matters after office hours and on holidays.
Wrap-Around Financial Assistance: A service that may provide financial assistance to a family to help prevent the placement of children in out-of-home care. Other avenues of payment for these services must not be available to this family.
Intensive In-home Services: Service of intensive intervention into families at the time of crisis. The purpose is to alleviate stress and maintain the family unit. These services are provided in the family home for up to six weeks.
B. Case Service Section
Family Case Management Services: A set of services that includes the
Therapeutic intervention and case management of families that have been identified with children in out-of -home placement or at imminent risk of out- of- home placement. These families may receive these services involuntarily depending upon the nature of the problem. Other services or programs may be coordinated through case management. Responsibility includes case planning and service termination decision.
Child Placement Services (foster care): A process of placing children who are in the custody of the county into some type of out-of- home placements, such as foster or residential care.
Family Focused Services: A service that is provided to the family within their own environment. It takes into account the interdependence of client, family, school, and neighborhood as part of the solution. It works in cooperation with other agencies to achieve a common goal. Assessment, planning and rehabilitation are completed within a 120 day time frame.
Interstate Compact Services: A service permitting families and children to receive services from us on behalf of another state. It permits us to request services for families from another state.
Outreach Assistance Service: A service that is provided to professionals and units of this agency for families that has been identified as high risk and is in need of help. This may include the homeless, the mentally ill, and others who may be a risk to children under their care.
Supervised Visitation: A service provided under court order that requires observed, supervision of a parent of family member during their visit with their minor child/children.
C. Program and Support Section
Day, Family, and Group Care Licensing and Registration: A service that permits individuals and groups to provide licensed child care. Licensing requires minimal standards for care and the physical environment. All individuals who care for more than six unrelated individuals must be licensed or registered in North Dakota.
Family Foster Care Licensing: A service that recruits, trains and recommends licensing for the care of children in need of out-of-home placement. This includes a home study and determining the fitness of a family to be considered as a foster parent.
Parent Aide Services: A service that will place a para-professional to work with families, providing education, on-hands tasks, and support, in order to meet predetermined goals and prevent out-of-home placement.
Unwed Parent Program: A program to assess unwed parents in their ability and circumstance to adequately care for their newborn child. Help parents plan and provide for the emotional, financial, and physical needs of the child.
Prime Time Day Care Services: A project to provide financial payment to licensed day care providers for the care of children who are victims of neglect of abuse and/or are at risk out-of-home placement.
Crossroads Day Care Program: A project to provide for financial payment for day care for infants of minors who are unwed and wish to finish high school. Payments will cover the time while they are attending classes.
Intensive In-Home Service Program: A program purchased under contract to provide treatment to seventeen families. The purpose is to prevent out-of-home placement or to reunite children into families. It is limited to 4 months of services applied to families in their own homes.
Respite Care: A project that provides payment to day care providers for special needs children up to 24 hours. Children must have a diagnosis for a physical or an emotional disability in order to qualify for services.
ADULT SERVICES
Adult Services provides comprehensive social services to the adult population of Cass County. Services are provided to adults who are frail, elderly, physically ill or disabled, seriously mentally ill, and to adults who may have a personality disorder, cognitive impairment or abuse substances. Services are also provided to families or care givers of such adults. The primary goals are to ensure that the least restrictive environment is provided, to prevent abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation, and to promote self-care and independent living.
A. Adult Protective Services
The program receives referrals and assesses individuals alleged to be victims of abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation. Remedial in-home health, mental health, legal and financial benefits are provided or assistance given to access services. Protective arrangements such as guardianships, or mental health commitments are initiated when appropriate.
B. Home and Community Based Services
In-home services are funded for the purpose of maximizing independent living for individuals choosing such services in lieu of long-term care in a nursing facility. Services are funded by the Service Payments for the Elderly and Disabled (SPED) Program, Expanded Sped Program, or the Medicaid Waiver, as well as, county funded homemaker/home health aide. Services include:
Adaptive Assessment: An in-home evaluation to identify adaptive devices, equipment or modifications, which enhance in independence and functional capabilities of individuals who may otherwise be unable to remain in their home.
Adult Day Care: A program of social and related support services for individuals, age 21-years and over,provided on a regularly scheduled basis on or more days per week.
Adult Family Foster Care: Includes the provision of 24-hour room, board, supervision, and other cares as designated to an adult who is determined to be unable to function independently, or who may benefit from a family home environment. The care is provided in a licensed private home.
Case Management: The provision of specialized assistance, based on the results of a comprehensive assessment for the individual desiring and needing help in selecting or obtaining services and in coordinating the services.
Chore Services: The provision of one time, intermittent or occasional home tasks, including house cleaning, minor home maintenance, minor home repair, select installation, and walk maintenance.
Family Home Care: The provision of room, board, supervisory, and personal care on a 24-hour basis by the spouse, parent, adult child, adult sibling, grandparent, adult grandchild, adult niece or adult nephew. Persons who are in-laws can also be considered. Care can be in the client's or caregiver's home.
Homemaker: The provision of non-personal care tasks such as housekeeping, laundry, and shopping, and which enable the individual to maintain or develop independence needed to remain at home.
Home Health Aide: This program provides a trained person to perform and teach basic health care tasks in the home of the individual receiving the care. These basic health care tasks include: taking temperature and blood pressure, giving tub and bed baths, shampooing, bed positioning, range of motion and skin, mouth and foot care.
Non-Medical Transportation: The provision of transportation that enables the individual to access essential community services such as grocery or pharmacy in order to maintain themselves in their homes.
Personal Attendant Care: The provision of assistance with personal and/or household needs that enables the individual to maintain as much independence and self-reliance as possible within their home.
Respite Care: The provision of temporary relief to the individual's primary caregiver for a specified period of time. The caregiver is relieved of the stresses and demands associated with continuous daily care.
Training for Family Caregivers: The purpose of Training for Family Caregivers is to provide instructional assistance and demonstrations to caregivers enabling them to more effectively handle the recipient's care requirements. The training should eliminate or delay institutionalization as well as reduce stress on the family caregiver, thereby, avoiding potential abuse and neglect.
Information and Referral
Assistance is provided regarding resources in areas such as employment or training, housing, transportation, senior services, legal financial, medical, mental health services or other public or private human services.
Cass County Government
211 9th Street South • P.O. Box 2806 • Fargo, ND 58108
Kathy Hogan
