The state of Georgia offers a wide range of social services.
The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) is the part of DHR
that investigates child abuse, finds foster homes for abused and neglected
children, helps low income, out-of-work parents get back on their feet, assists
with childcare costs for low income parents who are working or in job training,
and provides numerous support services and innovative programs to help troubled
families.
The Council on Alcohol and Drugs is a substance abuse
prevention and education agency that develops programs and materials based on
the most current research on drug use and its impact on community. The Council's
mission is to combat substance abuse, and related problems, through prevention
education, social policy and information dissemination.
The Division
of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addictive Diseases (MHDDAD)
provides treatment and support services to people with mental illnesses and
addictive diseases, and support to people with mental retardation and related
developmental disabilities. MHDDAD serves people of all ages with the most
severe and likely to be long-term conditions. The division also funds
evidenced-based prevention services aimed at reducing substance abuse and
related problems.
The COMMUNITY SERVICES SECTION (CSS) is responsible
for several programs designed to assist eligible households as they endeavor to
become self-sufficient.
CSS administers the Community Services Block Grant
(CSBG) Program, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Block Grant Program (LIHEAP),
Home Energy Assistance Team (H. E. A. T.), Emergency Energy Assistance Program,
the Community Food and Nutrition Program and the homeless assistance prevention
initiative. Recently, CSS was given the additional responsibility of
administering other DHR/DFCS programs: Refugee Resettlement and the Teen Parent
Improvement Program (TIP).
COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT - The (CSBG)
program assists eligible low-income families by supplying a wide range of
anti-poverty services and activities administered by local eligible entities.
Services are offered in such areas as employability preparation, transportation,
issues affecting children and the elderly, housing, alcohol and drug abuse,
emergency assistance, homelessness and homeless prevention. Funds are contracted
primarily to Community Action Agencies (CAAs) to implement these services and
programs.
ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - the (EAP) program assists eligible
households address issues concerning residential energy. The program has three
components -
The REGULAR EAP uses Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP) funds to help eligible households defray the cost of home heating
fuels. This component is primarily administered at the local level through
contracts with CAAs. The program closes when the allocated federal funds are
expended.
The EMERGENCY EAP provides immediate financial assistance to
households in a residential energy emergency and/or to prevent out-of-home
placement of a child or an adult due to a home energy crisis. Funding is through
Petroleum Violation Escrow (PVE) monies, and donations from Project Share and
the Home Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.). This component is administered at
the local level by a county DFCS office and contracts with the CAAs.
The
WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM provides low-cost home energy conservation improvements
to eligible households. Improvements may include: installing ceiling insulation,
caulking, weather-stripping, etc. Some LIHEAP funds are transferred to the
Georgia Environmental Facilities Authorities (GEFA) for use in the program. In
many counties, Community Action Agencies are contracted through GEFA to
administer the program locally.
The COMMUNITY FOOD and NUTRITION
(CF&N) PROGRAM provides basic seed funds to CAAs to address food and
nutrition needs of low-income households in their service delivery areas by
stimulating local match funds and coordinating with other local private and
public food assistance resources.
The Homeless
assistance/prevention/technical assistance and training initiative, using state
appropriated funds, is contracted to a homeless provider/coalition provider.
This provider subcontracts with other state homeless coalitions for the
provision of services.
The REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM is a
federally-funded program that provides cash assistance, medical assistance,
health screening, and social services to refugees. Refugee cash and medical
assistance is administered through county DFCS offices. The health screening is
provided through county health departments. Social services are provided by a
variety of contract agencies.
The TEEN PARENT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (TIP)
provides participants with family planning, health education services and
school-based child-care services to enable these parents to complete their high
school education and become self-sufficient adults.
The website links are
great resources for more information on some of these services. There are also
listings for other valuable agencies in the contacts section.