NORWICH – The number of new social services cases are down in the county despite an influx of individuals applying for assistance, and officials say it’s due to successful diversion tactics.

“We’ve been able to get cars back on the road and help people to find jobs so that they are on assistance for a shorter term,” Chenango County Social Services Commissioner Bette Osborne said during her third quarter report to town supervisors Tuesday.

The Department of Social Services has the largest budget in the county. It represents about approximately $12 million of the county’s $22.7 million budget.

All budget lines after September were at least 75 percent or below, especially for day care, family assistance and home energy assistance. New York State picked up the latter costs in July of this year.

Daycare case loads came down in Chenango County as well even though the numbers in this category increased in most every other county in the state. A new social services law implemented last spring required custodial parents to name the non-custodial parent of their offspring in order to continue receiving child support.