Social Services

School of Government Training Materials for Social Services Boards

• The Legal Framework for DSS and the Social Services Board (Nickodem, 2021)
• Covers the legal framework for social services agencies and governance in North Carolina, composition requirements for social services governing boards, and options for human services agency organization and governance. 
• The Business of Working as a Board: Laws Governing How the Social Services Board Operates (Nickodem, 2021)
• Discusses laws affecting how the social services board operates, including removal of board members, the public records law, the open meetings law, basic ethics requirements, and information about liability for agencies and board members. 
• Powers and Duties of the Social Services Governing Board (2021)
• Provides an overview of the statutory powers and duties of the social services governing board, as well some limitations on the board's power. 
• Comparing the Powers and Duties of Human Services Governing Boards (2014)
• A comparison of the statutory powers and duties of a Board of Health, a Board of Social Services, and a Consolidated Human Services Board. 
• Social Services in North Carolina (Wall, 2014): Updated information regarding new social services agency organization and governance options, including consolidated human services agencies and governance of social services by county commissioners, is available in this 2014 Social Services chapter of County and Municipal Government in North Carolina by Aimee Wall.  
• HHS Acronyms
• A guide to commonly used North Carolina health and human services acronyms

Social Services Institute: Annual Conference and Training

The Social Services Institute annual conference and training program is coordinated by the North Carolina Association of County Directors of Social Services. This conference usually includes several training sessions and workshops for county social services board members. In addition, the NC Association of County Boards of Social Services coordinates an orientation program for new Board members in conjunction with the Institute.