New Directions Family Independence Retreat Covers Much Ground Identifying and removing barriers to success and helping clients get and keep economic independence were among the themes stressed at the Family Independence retreat held in March in Columbia. State DSS Director Elizabeth Patterson charged the audience with the task of coming up with new ideas to help present and former clients achieve economic success - and to prevent another generation of welfare clients. A second priority Patterson emphasized is the importance of employment retention and advancement. We can t stop looking at those placed in jobs. It s an ongoing process to get folks into stable employment.
Many clients are a hairbreadth away from returning to welfare.
Barriers to employment can include low literacy, learning disabilities, substance abuse, mental illness, mental retardation, domestic violence, or physical disabilities. These cases are connected to the issue of kinship foster care, she said. We need to have child protective services and family independence working together. Prevention is a major factor in helping break the welfare cycle. We must see if we can prevent them from needing welfare in the future.