Description of Services
How to Apply for Services
How to Open an Adult Care Home or Family Care Home
Program Contact Information
Frequently Asked Questions about Social Work
Mission
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES:
Centralized Intake (CI) is the single portal of entry for information, referral, and initiation of services. CI is to Services for Adults what the emergency room is to the hospital. The CI process begins with an inquiry from a prospective client, family member, a member of the community, or an agency. Our highly skilled intake social workers screen and assess urgent complex requests for assistance via telephone, office, and home visit interviews and help the client access needed resources. Frequently Asked Questions.
Monitoring Unit provides Placement Services to long term care facilities. Adult Care Home Management is provided to heavy care Medicaid residents in adult care homes. Case management is also provided to older and disabled adults attending adult day care centers.
Adult Protective Services (APS) provides protective services to disabled adults, 18 years of age or older who are alleged to be abused, neglected, or exploited and in need of protection. APS Social Workers evaluate the reports and assess the disabled adult's capacity to consent for services. This unit also processes applications for guardianship in liaison with the local hospitals. Frequently Asked Questions
To report instances of abuse, neglect or exploitation of an older or disabled adult, please call 704-432-0059 immediately. On holidays, weekends, or after 5pm call 704-336-2273. Your call will be kept confidential.
Caregiver Support The Caregiver Support Program provides assistance to family and volunteer caregivers who provide assistance to the loved ones at home. Persons being cared for must reside in Mecklenburg County and be over the age of 60 or have Alzheimer's Disease or other dementia. Services include referrals to community agencies, education, and funding for respite services and supplemental services such as home modifications, nutritional supplements and adaptive equipment. All of this is focused on making the caregiver's role more manageable. Frequently Asked Questions
Kinship Care The family caregiver support program at Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services has recently embraced a plan for kinship caregivers. Although open to any older relative raising younger children, thus far our participants are grandmothers and grandfathers who are raising their grandchildren. They have all suddenly found themselves in this different, but very necessary role. They have accepted the role of parent to their grandchildren for many different reasons including death, incarceration, drug addiction or illness of the birth parents. Our goal is to do what we can to hopefully make their jobs a little easier. We are in awe at the job these 45 to 82 year olds do day in and day out to provide a home and a safe, loving place for their grandchildren to thrive and grow.
One grandmother, raising her grandson longingly says, "I'd like to be just his grandmother even if for one day." All too often this is the same sentiment wished by others in the same or similar circumstances. Sometimes just being poppy, grand-dad, nana, granny, or grandmother along with all the perks of grand-parenting is often missed when suddenly you find that it is no longer an option. Who wouldn't miss that?
The cornerstone of our plan is the monthly support group meeting. The meetings provide an opportunity for grandparents to come together and talk about their individual experiences, their joys and sorrows, and the challenges each of them face daily. Participation in our monthly support group for kinship caregivers makes it easier for the grands to know that they are not alone. Statistics show that kinship families are fast becoming more common place everyday. In addition there is evidence that while the children in kinship care families may often have difficulty adjusting they do better when placed with relatives rather than in other alternative placement arrangements. Their chance for success increases when placed in the home of a caring concerned relative.
It has truly been a humbling experience to work with this population. We have learned from them, what works and what does not, what their needs are and how we can help meet those needs. These are our families, our future, and the cornerstone of our society. This is our opportunity as a community to reach out and embrace this new emerging family with the same zeal and enthusiasm as we would our own, each in his own way.
Another grandmother, retired said this. "I have always wanted to go on an archaeological dig. I had saved my money to do just that when I retired. But, then she pauses and smiled before saying with her eyes filled with pride "I'm spending my dig money."
Consider your life and the life of your grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other children who could very well find themselves faced in similar circumstances, often beyond any ones control. Consider the words of other some of the families you have heard hear or perhaps, your own or families that you know personally. Let them know, they are not alone!
If you are a grandparent raising grandchildren or other relative caregiver of children up to age 17, we invite you to come and be a part this very exciting group of grands. We meet the second Monday of each month at 3205 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208. We are located at the corner of Ashley Rd and Freedom Drive.
For more information call Just 1 Call at 704-432-1111
Guardianship provides services to individuals who have been declared mentally incompetent and who have no one else to assume this responsibility. Social workers aid in locating resources to meet the needs of these individuals in the least restrictive living arrangements. Frequently Asked Questions
Services to Maintain Independence (SMI) Social Workers help older and disabled adults access community resources and other services that will enable the individuals to remain safely in their own homes as long as possible. Frequently Asked Questions
Return to List of Services
- HOW TO APPLY FOR SERVICES:
- The individual needing services or someone acting on the individual's behalf can call the Citizen Information & Referral Line (704-336-3150) to request assistance. Requests for assistance can also be made in person. Please click on the word "Location" (or Program Contact Information at the bottom of this section) to view our address and hours of operation.
You can also initiate an application for Caregiver Support by sending an email to: caregiver@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov
HOW TO: Open an Adult Care Home or Family Care Home
A certificate of need is required for an Adult Care Home and a license is needed for a Family Care Home. Periodically the Services For Adults Division will hold information sessions to explain the process in detail and answer any questions individuals might have. Call 704-336-6654 to find out the date and time of the next information session.
Mission
The mission of Adult Social Work Services is to assure that the basic needs of older and/or disabled adults are met, that they are not abused, neglected or exploited and to empower individuals and community groups to become as self–sufficient and independent as possible.
Goal/Objective: 95% of older and disabled clients will have their basic needs met and will not be abused, neglected or exploited.
Description of Services
How to Apply for Services
How to Open an Adult Care Home or Family Care Home
Program Contact Information
Frequently Asked Questions about Social Work
Mission
