This news item expired on Sunday, December 31, 2023 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Buncombe County is leading the way in North Carolina with the only certified START (Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams) site in the state. This year, Buncombe County became one of only a handful of fully certified START jurisdictions in the country and the second START site in the country to go through the certification process!
START is a child welfare service delivery model shown to improve outcomes for children and families affected by parental substance use and child maltreatment. Since its implementation in 2017, 155 children have been served through this program, 67% of closed cases had at least one caretaker reach recovery goals, and 72% of closed cases had a child reunified with at least one parent or were never removed from the parent.
Congratulations to the Supervisors, Social Workers, and Family Mentors who make up the Buncombe County HHS START Team on this very notable achievement for our county.