South Carolina Implements A Short-Term Action Plan To Prevent Housing Children In DSS Offices

Over the next six months, the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) is implementing a short-term action plan to prevent incidents where DSS offices are used to house children overnight. The plan, includes a "Children and Youth with Exceptional Needs” pilot in which at least 10 specialized foster homes will provide more extensive service arrays.

The DSS action was prompted by a complaint filed in November 2021 by the co-monitors for Coppinger v. South Carolina. The monitors notified the state and the plaintiffs that that rate of overnight stays of children in DSS custody had been increasing . . .