Brandy Mann, acting social services director, reported recently to the Tyrrell County commissioners that DSS received eight reports in October alleging either abuse, neglect or dependency of a child, six of which were screened in for assessment and/or investigation. Also, there were four guardianship cases, three interstate assists, and three intercounty assists.

Shamari Spencer, previously at Inner Banks Hotline, recently joined the staff as Child Welfare Services social worker.

Mann reported that Ebony Littlejohn serves as the liaison between DSS and the schools in her capacity as Tyrrell County Schools social worker. “School staff are able to go to her to report concerns regarding a child and then she can meet with the child and family, if appropriate, and/or report instances of abuse, neglect or dependency to DSS,” Mann stated.

“This has greatly assisted DSS in that she is able to provide prevention services to the county’s most at-risk children,” Mann explained of Littlejohn’s responsibilities. “She is the agency’s go-to person at the school for information, such as attendance, school performance, hygiene, and parent involvement, regtarding DSS’s open cases.”

The schools social worker position, which is new this year, is funded jointly by the county and the school district, Mann stated.

The director also explained that in 2019 Medicaid [health insurance for low-income persons] will transition from fee-for-service to a managed care structure. The local DSS will continue to determine eligibility, but “there will be an Enrollment Broker that will counsel and enroll Medicaid beneficiaries into a Prepaid Health Plan, which will then enroll beneficiaries with a Primary Care Provider.”

A recently enacted state law has Mann worried. It makes county DSS financially responsible for the erroneous issuance of Medicaid benefits and Medicaid claims payments for an ineligible individual, for ineligible dates, or in an amount that includes a recipient’s liability and for which the State cannot claim federal participation.

“This means that if a worker makes a simple mistake, such as a typo when entering a client’s income, and a person is approved that should have been denied, the county would have to pay back the amount billed to Medicaid for that person,” Mann explained. “This is something that needs to be paid close attention to because it has the potential to bankrupt rural counties.”

The Division of Medicaid Assistance reported that Tyrrell County is among the Top 10 counties in the monthly report that measures Annual Timely Processing, she concluded.