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Newton County DFACS highlights caseload growth and staffing limits during appropriation briefing
Summary
Kenya Wooden, Newton County DFACS county director, told commissioners caseloads for TANF, SNAP and child-welfare services have grown while the office operates with eight case managers; she asked commissioners to consider continued funding support that helps staff retention.
Kenya Wooden, county director for Newton County DFACS, presented caseload and staffing data to the Board of Commissioners during the FY26 appropriation workshop and urged continued county support to retain staff and serve families.
Wooden said recent February data showed 91 active TANF clients in Newton County versus 405 in neighboring Rockdale County and that monthly cash benefits reflected the larger caseload. She said Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) active clients in Newton County numbered about 20,261 and that the state distributed roughly $4.29 million for SNAP support in Newton County during the period referenced. Wooden also described the agency's social-services caseload breakdown: 78 children in foster care currently served by four case managers, two case managers handling CPS investigations with roughly 58 cases, and family preservation caseloads of about 31. She stressed the office operates with eight case managers overall and that on-call rotations mean those staff frequently work extended periods.
Wooden described improved retention compared with earlier years: staff tenure has lengthened with several case managers now in their second to fourth years, whereas the office previously experienced high turnover. She said county supplements help retain staff and that the office fields urgent weekend work and 24/7 on-call responsibilities.
Commissioners thanked Wooden for the work and expressed appreciation. The presentation concluded with no formal motions; commissioners noted the DFACS data will be considered in the FY26 budgeting process.
Ending: Wooden asked the commission to factor caseload growth and limited case-manager capacity into budget deliberations; DFACS offered to furnish audits and additional financial materials on request.
