SCDSS was tasked at the most recent Michelle H settlement court hearing in October 2024 to meet specific requirements as it relates to Richland county youth in foster care, to ensure that they do not have overnight stays in the DSS office, and to reduce the utilization of “night to night” emergency placements for these youth. Serenity Counts is contracted with SCDSS as an Enhanced level group care provider for girls. At times, they provide care for youth whose established level of care and corresponding needs exceed the expectations of an Enhanced Group Care provider (i.e. the youth is approved for Psychiatric Residential Treatment Services or has other needs that result in high acuity behaviors). These youth often need 24/7 individualized supervision to remain stable and safe in placement. This provider does not wish to accept services from outside contracted providers to provide the additional supervision, but has the ability to provide internal supplemental staffing. In compliance with court ordered requirements, SCDSS is engaging in an Emergency Contract with Serenity Counts group home to establish funding for this group care provider to provide supplemental, individualized program staffing for Richland county youth with high acuity, who are at risk of being overnight in the DSS office, or at risk for being in night-to-night emergency placements. These services are intended to be utilized as time limited, crisis-stabilization to aid a youth in stabilizing or acclimating to placement with the provider, and are not a long term service or replacement for other treatment interventions that could benefit the youth.
