Josie Jones Named DSS Director of Anderson County

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County has a new South Carolina Department of Social Services Director.

Josie Jones, who has served as Spartanburg County Director since 2018 and will continue to do so on an interim basis until a new director is named, recently took the helm at the Anderson office, where she is a familiar face to some.

She began her DSS career in November 2006 as a foster care case manager in Anderson County, where she later served as a foster care supervisor. In 2014, Jones has also worked for the Department of Mental Health and Guardian ad Litem Program. In June 2016, she returned to SCDSS as an Upstate Regional Performance Coach, and in February 2018, she was named Interim County Director for Spartanburg County and was promoted to County Director in June of that same year.

“As someone who started my career after graduating from college, I have been fortunate to learn and grow so much as a person and leader over the past 16 years,” said Jones. “I have truly enjoyed working in Spartanburg and building long-lasting relationships and memories that will not be forgotten. I am excited about transitioning back to Anderson County where it all began and being able to work with an amazing group of professionals and external partners.”

Born in Charleston and raised in Cayce,  Jones graduated from Brookland-Cayce High School before earning her B.S. degree in Psychology from Lander University in December 2005 and her M.A. in Counseling with an emphasis on Mental Health Counseling from Webster University in 2008.

Jones replaces retiring Anderson County DSS Director Kenneth McBride.