Cleveland County Department of Social Services Receives Statewide Excellence Award
Innovative Program Increases Awareness about the Need for Foster and Adoptive Families
The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) presented the 2018 Local Government Federal Credit Union Excellence in Innovation Award to Cleveland County Department of Social Services (DSS) in recognition of their development and implementation of the Healthy Kids for Healthy Parents Program. Matt Gunnet from NCACC presented this award at the Oct. 2 Cleveland County Board of Commissioners meeting. “We are honored to receive this award recognizing the Department of Social Services’ work to increase awareness about fostering or adopting children,” said Cleveland County Manager Brian Epley. “We are committed to finding foster and adoptive families who will provide a safe and loving home for children who do not have one.”
The Cleveland County Department of Social Services developed the Healthy Kids for Healthy Parents Program to increase awareness about the need for foster and adoptive families. The marketing tactics used in this campaign included giving specially-branded cooling towels and bottled water to participants in county-sponsored events including 5K races, adult field days, and exercise classes to promote the county’s foster families and adoption program. Through this marketing initiative, DSS found a unique way to raise awareness about the number of local children who need safe, stable, loving homes.
Community partners in this project include Cleveland County Schools, Cleveland County Family YMCA, Cleveland County Strong and Kings Mountain Pickup Sports. These organizations helped recruit foster and adoptive families by distributing promotional items through their sports programs. As a result of the Healthy Kids for Healthy Parents program, 11 children were adopted into permanent homes, 17 new foster parents were licensed and Cleveland County saved over $200,000 in foster care board payments for one year. There was no additional cost applied to Cleveland County’s budget by implementing this project as funding from prior adoption marketing initiatives allowed by the State was used.
“We are fortunate to merit the support of partner organizations in Cleveland County that helped the Healthy Kids for Healthy Parents Program be successful,” Epley added. “By working together, we are able to make a greater impact in the lives of children who need foster and adoptive families.”
For more information about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please visit http://www.clevelandcounty.com/ccdss/foster-care.htm.