Opinion ID: 1320221
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Financial responsibility of DSS

Text: DSS argues the family court erred in ordering it to assume the financial responsibilities regarding the care of Mrs. Passmore. We agree. S.C.Code Ann. § 43-29-10(7) (1985) provides: Protective services means those services whose objective is to protect an incapacitated person from himself and from others. They shall consist of evaluation of the need for service and mobilization on the person's behalf of appropriate existing services and shall include, but not be limited to, arrangements for appropriate living quarters, obtaining financial benefits to which the person is entitled, securing medical services and supplies and legal services in those situations where exploitation, prevention of injury, protection of the person and his property and serving the necessities or amenities of life are at issue. This section does not state DSS is to assume the financial obligations regarding the care of a protected person. Therefore, the family court judge went beyond the scope of this section in ordering DSS financially responsible. We need not address the remaining issues. REVERSED. FINNEY, Acting C.J., and C. TOLBERT GOOLSBY, Jr., BRUCE LITTLEJOHN and M.D. SHULER, Acting Associate Justices, concur.