Department of Social Services (DSS)

Beaufort County Department of Social Services strives to promote the health, well-being, and safety of the most vulnerable populations of our county. We aim to provide services in a responsive and compassionate manner while preserving the dignity and integrity of those in need.

Beaufort County Department of Social Services is 1 of 100 county administered social service agencies. It's enabling authority lies within NCGS §108A-25, and related statutes. The agency is mandated to provide an array of human supportive services that are authorized and funded, in part, by federal and state legislatures. Social service programs enable economically disadvantaged families to meet basic survival needs, and provide opportunities for families to gain self-sufficiency through employment. Other DSS programs focus on the protection, prevention, and remediation of abuse, neglect, dependency, and/or exploitation of children and adults.

The department's services are subdivided into three primary service program areas:

• Public Assistance Programs
• Social Work Programs (Family Services - Child Welfare and Adult Services)
• Child Support Enforcement

Currently all of these programs are included in the operations of the Department of Social Services with the exception of Child Support Services. These services are contracted through the private company, Young Williams.

Public Assistance (PA)

The Public Assistance (PA) programs include: Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Family and Children (FC-MA) and Adult Medicaid (MA), Work First Employment (WF), Emergency Assistance (EA) and General Assistance (GA), Child Day Care (DC) and Non-Emergency Medicaid Transportation (NEMT).

Social Work Programs

Social Work Programs are separated into two divisions: Adult and Child Welfare Services.  Adult Services Adult Guardianship, Protective Payee, Personal Care Services, and Case Management.   Child Welfare Services programs include Child Protective Services (CPS), Foster Care, and Adoptions.

Child Support Enforcement

Child Support Enforcement services help establish parental responsibility and financial support obligations to ensure child support collections and disbursements.

Beaufort County Child Support Enforcement is contracted through Young Williams, a vendor known throughout the state and country for Child Support Enforcement.  For more information about Young Williams, please click here.