Roanoke Human Services Department

4Liv

I understand that a lot of businesses are short staffed. However, we are getting approved or denied for benefits and are not being properly notified about it. Not only are these caseworkers not following up on applications, they are not answering any calls… Their voicemails say they will return calls within two business days, and if they don’t within that timeframe, we are instructed to contact their supervisors. After multiple attempts to reach both the caseworker and their supervisor, we might just receive a call back- but not until several weeks or even months later. This is absolutely unacceptable. Warning: They can be overly aggressive, unpleasant and unprofessional. If they do return our call, it’s with an attitude, as if it’s our fault that they are “overworked and short staffed.” Considering the fact that we utilize social services when we need help, it’s extremely unsettling to know that the people who are there to help us have no sense of urgency, empathy or decency when handling our cases. It’s sad when we have to reach out to the manager of the entire benefits program to make a complaint against a caseworker and their supervisor after they have neglected our cases and all of our attempts to reach them over the course of weeks or months. There is not and never will be justification for a HUMAN SERVICES worker to degrade another human being. The pandemic is not a valid excuse to neglect the homeless, low income, struggling individuals and parents who rely on the resources they claim to provide. If you’ve had a negative experience regarding SNAP/Medicaid and would like to make a complaint against a case worker or their supervisor, you can call the direct number to Roanoke City Social Services and ask the operator to speak with Jennifer Barnes. I would highly recommend exhausting all other resources before depending on Roanoke City Social Services to help you.

Carlos Persinger

Great staff and well organized

Armando Rodriguez

Not very helpful at all .

Debra Clinkscale

I was given assistance and resolution to my dilemma same day.