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Catawba County Social Services wins Best Practices Award from state association

Innovations

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John Eller, Director
Phone: (828) 695-5600

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Hickory, NC 28602

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Newton, NC 28658

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Catawba County Recognized for Innovations
Best Practice Award 2011 Catawba County Social Services received a Best Practice Award in 2011 from the N.C. Association of County Directors of Social Services. The award was for “Children and Aging Strategic Planning Projects” in the category “Profiles in Community Collaboration”.

This award was for the Children’s Agenda Planning Committee and the Aging Leadership Planning Project. In both cases, Catawba County Social Services took the lead in collaborating with area agencies to develop reports about the needs of children and older adults.

The Children’s Agenda Planning Committee brought together representatives from child-serving agencies and community leaders with the vision of ensuring a safe community where all children are engaged, enriched and equipped to reach their full potential.

A Child Data Snapshot summarizing this committee’s work is available on the Catawba County Web site at www.catawbacountync.gov.

The Aging Leadership Planning Project followed a similar process. Collaborating with other agencies that serve senior citizens, the committee’s goal was to evaluate the county’s “aging readiness,” or ability to meet the needs of a growing older population.

The Educational Improvement Initiative for Children In Foster Care program was recognized with the Local Government Federal Credit Union Employee Productivity Award from the N.C. Association of County Commissioners in 2010. It also received the N.C. Association of County Commissioners Outstanding County Program Award and the National Association of Counties Achievement Award.

This initiative improved educational continuity and stability for children in foster care in Catawba County. Frequent school moves are common for children in foster care. These moves can have a negative effect on the children’s academic progress and later success as adults.

The work of the program and its staff reduced the school “move rate” for children entering foster care in Catawba County from 24% to 6% in 2009, compared to the national average of 66% of children experiencing school moves.

The Community-Based Crisis Intervention Program received the National Association of Counties Achievement Award and the NC Association of County Commissioners Outstanding County Program Award.

The CIP program provides federal funds to low-income families in heating and cooling crises. Social Services was overwhelmed with the volume of applicants for these funds in late 2008 and early 2009. In April 2009, Social Services' staff met with representatives from three local non-profit agencies to discuss the possibility of joining forces to serve families in a more holistic manner.

As a result, families are now able to apply for these funds at Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry, Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry and the Salvation Army of Hickory.