Cobb launches FindHelp platform, highlights Family Advocacy Center and shelter support

Cobb County officials said Wednesday they have launched a FindHelp platform to centralize mental-health and social-service referrals and highlighted new social supports for families and seniors.

"We launched the find help platform for Cobb County," Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said, describing the tool as a way to share mental-health, housing and food resources across departments and community partners.

Cupid credited Cobb Communications, the information services division and the Cobb Collaborative with creating the platform. She said the county convened mental-health providers to determine how to publicize services and make referrals more accessible to residents.

The chairwoman also noted that the District Attorney's Office opened a Family Advocacy Center in January to assist families affected by domestic violence and trafficking; she recognized District Attorney Sonya Allen in the audience. Cupid cited other court and justice programs, including family law clinics, youthful pretrial diversion and a magistrate court housing stability court graduation that partnered with the Center for Family Resources and Cobb Bridge Aid.

Cobb Emergency Management and partner MUSS operated an inclement-weather shelter program that supported about 3,000 individuals this past winter, Cupid said. She also summarized senior-services outputs: 22,000 meals, 10,000 rides, 2,500 hours of in-home services, $33,000 in material aid and $120,000 in financial aid to help seniors avoid homelessness.

Officials said these initiatives are part of a broader push to improve access and coordinate county and nonprofit services. No new program appropriations were approved during the speech; county leaders asked residents and partners to use the FindHelp portal and to support ongoing shelter and senior-service efforts.