Chinese delegation visits PWC Dept. of Social Services

Prince William County Department of Social Services recently hosted a team of social services administrators and frontline workers from the Zhe Jiang Province in China.

The Chinese delegation of nine came to Prince William County as part of a stateside tour through the Triway International Group in Falls Church. The group, which is certified by the China State Administration of Foreign Experts, hosts delegations which visit the United States to study various programs that include social services systems.

The delegation visited Prince William because the Falls Church organization knew of the services the county offers, said Department Director Courtney Tierney.

During a 40-minute presentation, Human Services Program Supervisor Michelle Henson briefed the delegation on how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is managed, how Temporary Assistance to Needy Families works and how Medicaid is administered in Virginia. The delegation also had a number of questions about other programs offered by the county.

Team Leader Zhuo Genqiong, of Ning Bo City, said Prince William County is comparable in size and function to his city on China’s east coast. Zhuo said his team gained valuable information during the meeting at the Sudley North Government Center.

“The bureau that provides our services is very similar to Prince William County’s Department of Social Services,” Zhuo said through an interpreter. “We learned a lot about the services in Prince William County. We will take some of them and bring them back home to implement in China.”

In October, the department hosted a delegation of 15 from the Hainan Province located in the south of China, which came to talk about adult protective services in Prince William County.

Tierney said the Department of Social Services is always happy to host delegations visiting from other countries. “It’s a very exciting thing for us to do.”