1. NAME OF PROGRAM: Community Social Service Technicians

2. PURPOSE OF PROGRAM: Community Social Service Technicians (CSSTs) are based at the Department of Social Services and offer assistance to social workers throughout child welfare in meeting the needs and identified goals of the family. There are currently three CSSTs working at Cabarrus County Department of Social Services. The CSSTs transport children in foster care to and from visitations, help with supervising visits with parents, take children to doctor’s appointments, provide information in court on matters relating to the case or help model appropriate behavior for parents. They also work within the home of families to provide parenting and household maintenance guidance, in accordance with the social worker’s case plan for the family. CSSTs work with families to encourage or assist the parents in overcoming issues that place a child at risk.

3. APPLICATION PROCEDURES: The application procedure includes:

1. Referral forms are located on the shelf outside the CSST supervisor's office. Forms can also be printed from the computer or retrieved from the CSST supervisor.
2. The person making the referral will complete the form in its entirety and submit it to the CSST supervisor.
3. The CSST supervisor will review the referral and assign the case based on the availability and the current caseload of the CSSTs.
4. If there are any questions or additional concerns regarding the referral, the case is staffed by the CSST supervisor, the assigned CSST and the referring social worker.

4. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Eligible clients must meet the following criteria:

1. The client must be active for services with a case manager in this agency who will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of services.
2. The case manager must utilize the CSST in support of an established case plan to help in stabilizing the family, such as in household cleanliness issues or need for better parenting skills, as well as, to assist the case manager or social worker with children in foster care by helping with visitation or transporting children who are in DSS custody to needed appointments.

5. OTHER PROGRAM DETAILS: CSST services are very beneficial to the county by providing needed assistance to social workers and to the families that they serve.

6. DATE OF INFORMATION: May 1, 2001