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Northumberland Department of Social Services outlines $32 million in client services, describes programs and limits
Summary
Agency leaders told supervisors the county used about $695,000 in local match to deliver $32 million of state and federal benefits in 2024; program details for TANF, SNAP, Medicaid and energy assistance were presented, along with barriers the office sees to employment and childcare.
Jackie Clayton, director of the Northumberland County Department of Social Services, and Lisa Butler, benefit program specialist supervisor, told the Board of Supervisors that county residents received roughly $32,000,000 in state and federal client services in 2024. Clayton said the county provided about $695,000 in local matching funds to leverage those benefits.
Clayton and Butler walked the board through the division’s core programs and local data. Butler said Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) currently serves about 16 families in the county; those families receive an average of about $234 per month and the program carries a five‑year lifetime limit for most recipients. Butler described the VUE work component of TANF, noting work and training hour requirements for cash‑assistance recipients.
The presenters said SNAP (food‑assistance) provided about $2,800,000 to county recipients last year; average household benefits are near $300 per month and SNAP is designed as a supplemental benefit. Clayton said Medicaid spending in the county totaled roughly $28,800,000 in the latest year; she noted that long‑term care drives much of the Medicaid spend and that about 56% of recipients are age 65 or older.
Clayton also described energy‑assistance programs that provided fuel, repair and cooling support; she said those programs brought about $206,000 into the county and that much of that spending pays local fuel companies and repair contractors. The department described work‑support partnerships — including Rappahannock Community College and local workforce development — and noted transportation and childcare waitlists as persistent barriers to employment.
Board members asked for eligibility thresholds and timing details for fuel assistance; the department said crisis season runs from November through mid‑March, with equipment repairs eligible beginning in November and supplemental fuel notices typically sent to vendors around mid‑December.
Ending: Clayton invited board members and residents to visit the DSS office for detailed statistics and case‑level questions; the presentation closed with board thanks for the department’s work delivering services.
