One in five on food stamps
DFCS stats show 22 percent of county residents on food stamps
BY BEN MUNRO
One statistic on the Madison County Department of Family and Children’s Services year-end report caused a few double-takes from DFCS board members when they saw it Friday: 22 percent of the county’s population received food stamps at some point in 2007.
“That’s an eye-opener,” chairman Gary Locke said.
The high percentage was particularly noteworthy since the requirements for food stamps weren’t lowered in 2007. Eligibility for the program is based on income and household size.
The report also showed that Madison County served a monthly average of 2,489 recipients with a total amount of $2,683,987 worth of food stamps being issued in 2007.
As for the rest of the report, there were also promising stats.
The department’s child abuse and neglect reports dropped from 470 to 434 in 2007 over 2006. Furthermore, DFCS director Lisa Plank noted that 50 percent of these cases were successfully handled as “diversions” and were never classified as cases of neglect.
“Diversion” is a new tactic the department is using to provide help before the situation escalates to abusive levels.
“So we’re handling over half of what we get in that way,” Plank said.
The board also learned that three children had been adopted since May and that 75 more were placed in care with relatives. The department has increased its use of relative care as an alternative to foster care. It’s also an option for a permanent placement plan if children can’t return to their parents.
SMITH HONORED
Long-time DFCS board member Mary Smith was honored with a plaque recognizing 25 years of service Friday in conjunction with the unveiling of a refurbished visitation room for children at the department office.
The plaque will hang in the room.
“We appreciate you, Mary,” Locke told Smith.
The improvements to the visitation room were coordinated by Union Baptist Church youth group. The walls were repainted while a mural was added to one of the walls. Brenda Chandler, of Union Baptist, attended Friday’s ceremony.
The visitation room still needs more amenities, which Smith, who attends Union Baptist, will attain through the church donations.
The DFCS board also voted to spend $150 to add security cameras to the room.
