Glenn Osborne Honored with the 2024 NASW-NC Lifetime Achievement Award!

(RALEIGH, NC) – The National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter (NASW-NC) has named J. Glenn Osborne, MA, MSW, LCSW, LCAS as the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. In honoring the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, NASW-NC recognizes the best social work values and accomplishments demonstrated in the social worker’s lifetime career.

Mr. Osborne has served as Director of Wilson County Department of Social Services (WCDSS) since 1994 and over nearly three decades, under Mr. Osborne’s leadership, Wilson County DSS has evolved into a national model of excellence by providing innovative human service programs, especially within child welfare.  As a result, his agency has been the recipient of 38 national and state best practice awards over the past 16 years.

Glenn has worked in four County Departments of Social Services and with the NC DHHS during his 43-year career.  He served as a social worker, social work supervisor, state program consultant and as DSS Director in two counties dedicating his long career to public human services.   During Mr. Osborne’s tenure, his department has achieved many successes including reducing the number of foster children over the past 10 years by over 266%. In addition, Mr. Osborne’s agency has aided thousands to improve their standing in life by obtaining additional education and landing career opportunities.  Through the agency’s teen parenting program, the teen parent graduation rate in Wilson County has increased from 33% to over 90% in the past 15 years.

Nationally, through his active membership in the National Association of County Human Services Administrators (NACSHA), National County Commissioners Association (NACo) and American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), Glenn has advocated tirelessly for early childhood education, services for older Americans, increasing the social security formula for seniors, full funding of the SNAP, TANF, CHIP, and child welfare finance reform.

Under Glenn’s leadership WCDSS has supported social work placements for 8-12 interns per year.  In addition, WCDSS has implemented clinical social work programs that provide both outpatient therapy and the first clinical CPS In-Home Services Program in NC.  In 2023 the department established a clinical social work division within WCDSS. This division specializes in providing behavioral health services to children and families in the child welfare system.

“During Glenn’s tenure, he recognized that the call to become a social worker may come early in your career or as you evolve professionally.  Because Glenn and the department is committed to hiring degreed social workers for social work titled positions, Glenn and his staff has developed a pathway to career growth and promotion system whereby employees can obtain their BSW, MSW and LCSW and as they do, they can be promoted accordingly,” stated Ron Hunt, Wilson County Manager.

“Mr. Osborne creates a climate where social workers are invested in providing interventions that are evidence-based or identified as promising practices. He strongly supports all staff who wish to pursue a higher education in the social work field,” said Annie Ward, Retired Deputy Director, Wilson County Department of Social Services.

“Glenn Osborne is a dedicated executive whose mission is unwavering to provide high quality social work practice in North Carolina. He is a hardworking, insightful, and authentic County DSS Director,” says Karen McLeod, MSW, President/CEO of Benchmarks.

NASW-NC thanks Mr. Osborne for his leadership and professional guidance. Wilson County Department of Social Services is a model of excellence to child welfare because of Glenn’s commitment to hiring degreed and clinical social workers to serve the children and families of Wilson County. Glenn Osborne will retire from his 29.5 years of service to Wilson County on March 1, 2024.

Mr. Osborne will be honored as Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient at the 2024 NASW-NC Virtual Ethics Conference and Awards Celebration on Friday, March 22, 2024.

The National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter (NASW-NC) is a membership organization that promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW-NC also seeks to enhance the effective functioning and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities through its work and advocacy.