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Pictured above are Cabarrus County DSS employees who have pioneered a new approach to divert clients away from cash assistance and dependency. Indepth assessments help ~miliss get the help they need to return to self-suffidency. NCACC COUNTY LINES August 2000 Diversion of Work First Clients Sue Bullard, Regina Crowder, Rod Duncan, Lisa Fullerton, Jane Hartsell, Julie Hensley, Ruth Hinson, Dana Mullis, Susan Nunn, Lisa Purser and Carina Sherrill, Cabarrus County Department of Social Services The depaataent ofsodal services created the Nmv Focus Committee as a wayto shift Work lint participants' focus away from cash assistance and dependency toward employment and comprehensive family services. This philosophy wasn't new, but the New Focus method made it much quicker and cost ef- fective. For one, each f~mily receives a fall assessment in which a social worker determines the needs of the entire family. This assessment gives the social worker a clearer picture of the entre situation and the family's unique needs than the more standard public assistance applications. In tram, the social worker can refer people to more appropriate services. In the first three months the program operated, Feb- mary through April 2000, social workers diver~ed 161 families from cash assistance by providing the assess- ments, coun~ciing and refenal for short-term assistance. There were only 61 applications for cash assistance dur- ing that period. The employment services unit and the crisis unit in ~he department have absorbed the extra work involved with the New Focus Committee without additional staff. There are two primary social work~rs and four social workers that provide backup. Aho, two contracted on-site Employment Security Commission staff people placed a large nmnber of applicants into employment immediately. Another segment of the population is benefiting from the New Focus Committee. Families who are within the 200 percent federal poverty level guidelines are also receiving assessment services and being re- ferred to short-term employment, transportation, child-care and other services. This decreases the likeli- hood of the client needing ongoing public ass/stance. The savings to the county are si_~i/~cant. By divert- lng the 161 applicants from cash assistance, the county saved $198,0.~0. The average cash assistance client re- ceives an assistance check of $205 each month for six months. For more information on thin awurd-winning pro- gram, call Cabarras County Dep~u huent of Social Ser- vices at 704-939-1400.