Maurice Leverne Huggins

South Carolina DSS Launches New Tools for Reporting Abuse

A sociology graduate of Claflin University, Maurice Leverne Huggins previously worked as a mental health specialist for Community Resource Solutions in Columbia, South Carolina. Currently, Maurice Leverne Huggins works as a case manager and human services specialist for the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) in York, South Carolina.

The South Carolina DSS protects vulnerable children and seniors. In December 2020, the South Carolina DSS launched new tools to report abuse and neglect. These tools include a new centralized phone number and an online submission portal.

The new phone number is 1-888-CARE-4-US. Residents in all 46 counties in South Carolina can speak to trained intake specialists who will receive the report. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and callers remain anonymous. Before this, each of the state’s counties was responsible for maintaining its own intake line. With a centralized system, DSS has enhanced accessibility for the benefit of the state’s children.

Why Asking Questions is Important to Engage an Audience

Maurice Leverne Huggins serves as case manager and human services specialist with the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Outside of work, Maurice Leverne Huggins enjoys volunteering his time with the community, especially as a motivational speaker for youth.

To engage younger minds, motivational speakers should aim to make their sessions at interactive as possible. Accomplishing this often means asking the audience directly with questions. You can ask something as simple as, “Do you agree with me?” This question opens the floor for engagement and invites the audience to express their doubts and concerns so they can be addressed adequately.

Motivational speakers can also invite audience members to ask questions if they have any. People should never walk away from you feeling confused or unsure. Sometimes, it is difficult to break the ice if you do not engage the audience from the very beginning, so it is ideal to establish the talk as an interactive one from the start.

Attaining Competency in Motivational Speaking

Maurice Leverne Huggins served as a cargo specialist in the United States Navy, where he maintained, received, and shipped supplies. He is currently a human services specialist and case manager with the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Maurice Leverne Huggins enjoys attending sporting events, volunteering at political events, and motivational speaking.

Motivational speaking is communication that is intended to inspire action in its audience. It’s one of the attributes of highly charismatic people and can help people deal with uncertainties and difficulties. While the art of public speaking appears easy, it is anything but. However, these tips can help:

Know Your Ideal Audience. In motivational speaking, you have to identify your audience because a generic message won’t substantially impact anyone. Therefore, narrow your topic, identify the kind of group you want to reach, and create content that resonates with your audience.

Develop Your Idea. As a motivational speaker, you’ll want to develop fresh and relevant content for your audience continually. Motivational speakers can’t became successful by rehashing old ideas.

Improve on Your Speaking Skills. It’s not enough to have good content. The manner in which you deliver the message is perhaps more important than the words themselves. Don’t use filler words such as aah, um, and monitor your body language to avoid displaying any nervousness signs.

Perfect the Art of Speech Writing. A speech generally has three sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Start by writing a powerful introduction with a quote or a question, move to the body points, and end with a summary and a call to action.

Different Forms of Child Abuse and Neglect

Claflin University graduate Maurice Leverne Huggins began his career serving as a cargo specialist in the US Navy. He worked with Community Resource Solutions, LLC as a mental health specialist between 2014 and 2015. Now, Maurice Leverne Huggins is a case manager and human services specialist for the South Carolina Dept of Social Services, where his duties include assessing cases involving child abuse and neglect.

Child abuse means any physical, sexual, emotional, or sexual misconduct or neglect by an adult in a supervisory capacity towards an individual under the age of 18. Usually, the adult in this circumstance is a caregiver, teacher, family member, or parent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) child-abuse can fall into one of several categories: neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse or negligence.

Physical Abuse. This type of abuse happens when a child is hurt, but it isn’t an accident. This type of abuse may or may not leave physical marks. Physical abuse can involves shaking, poisoning, choking, throwing, smothering, or biting.

Sexual Abuse. This type of abuse occurs when a teenager or an adult involves a child in sexual activity. Many times, this type of abuse goes unnoticed due to threats of punishment or death if the child reports.

Emotional Abuse. This type of abuse involves the treatment of a child that negatively affects their mental or emotional growth. It may come as yelling, teasing, rejection, bullying, criticism, or name-calling. However, exposure to domestic abuse also hinders personal development.

Neglect. This type of abuse results from failure to meet a child’s basic needs in a way that negatively affects their health. These needs include access to sufficient food, suitable shelter, excellent hygiene, and clean and appropriate clothing.

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse Cases in South Carolina

A resident of York, South Carolina, Maurice Leverne Huggins is a social services professional working with the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS). In his role as a case manager and human services specialist, Maurice Leverne Huggins assesses child abuse cases.

Child abuse has occurred when a child under 18 years of age has been harmed by his or her parents, guardians, or caregivers. If a person reasonably believes that a child is the victim of child abuse in South Carolina, he or she should report the suspected case to DSS for further investigation.

For some people, however, reporting a suspected case of child abuse becomes not an option but, rather, a requirement of state law. Individuals including health care professionals, education professionals, and social workers–for example, substance abuse treatment staff and child care workers–are considered mandated reporters, as they have opportunities to interact personally with children and are therefore well placed to observe and identify signs of abuse. Other individuals required to report instances of suspected child abuse include religious clergy, computer technicians, and legal professionals such as juvenile justice workers and law enforcement officers.

Mandated reporters can report suspected cases of child abuse to DSS through its State Intake System line, 1-888-CARE4US (227-3487). The line is open every weekday from 8:30 am to 1 am. At other times, they can contact the DSS county offices where the child lives or local law enforcement.

Three Dysfunctional Parenting Styles

After 5 years in the Navy, Maurice Leverne Huggins earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and several certifications in child welfare and law enforcement. Maurice Leverne Huggins works with families dealing with serious conflicts and assists them in learning functional parenting styles.

Parents that are too rigid or too lax can unknowingly contribute to dysfunctional patterns in their families. Some of the most common maladaptive parenting styles include:

Appeasing: These parents give in to their children’s every demand to prevent them from experiencing negative feelings. In reality, the parents are avoiding uncomfortable emotions in themselves at their children’s expense.

Overbearing: Parents that push their children to excel in all areas can place so much pressure on them that it causes the children to develop anxiety or depression. The drive to succeed interferes with the important work of meeting the child’s emotional needs.

Overprotective: Parents with high levels of anxiety may become preoccupied with protecting their children from real or imagined harm. Children with overprotective parents may lack confidence, as they are never allowed to learn from their mistakes.