The Division of Social Services (DSS) provides guidance and technical assistance to agencies that provide direct services that address issues of poverty, family violence and exploitation. DSS promotes self-reliance and self-sufficiency and works to prevent abuse, neglect, dependency and exploitation of vulnerable individuals, children and their families. DSS works to accomplish this through the following Family Centered Principles of Partnership:

• Everyone desires respect.
• Everyone needs to be heard.
• Everyone has strengths.
• Judgments can wait.
• Partners share power.
• Partnership is a process.