The Jackson progress-argus. (Jackson, Ga.) 1915-current, December 30, 1976, Image 7

The Jackson progress-argus., December 30, 1976, Image 7

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Newspaper Page TextCaseworkers Face Multitude Of Problems in Daily Work It’s called casework. To the 2300 people in Georgia who call this their job, it’s old people with no place to go and families too poor to buy food. It’s a battered child and a deserted mother with five children. It is faces and names. It is people. Since 1937 Georgia’s needy have gone to County Depart ments of Family and Children Services for help. Commonly known as welfare departments, these offices are located in every county in the state and are a part of the Georgia Department of Hu man Resources. Its basic objective over the years has remained the same: to help people who are unable to help themselves. But programs have grown from certifying for public assistance checks and hand ling foster care and adoption, to food stamps, Medicaid, and protective services for adults and children. Each month over a quarter million people receive over $8 million in public assist ance. It is the caseworker who decides who is and who is not eligible to receive that money and accompanying services. For Simone Johnson who started at the Dougherty County Department of Family and Children Ser vices as a caseworker in 1959 the years have meant adjustment and challenge. “One caseworker used to do everything,” she says. “We had general public assistance or welfare, aid to the aged, blind and disabled and services such as adop S the old year slips away, we turn to greet the New Year with happy expectations. Hope it's prosperous, peaceful to all in thecommunity. Warm gratitude for the patronage shown us. Mclntosh State Bank MEMBER FDIC tion and foster care. We did it all.” In 1970 programs were separated into benefits pay ments (public assistance, Medicaid and food stamps) and social services (pro tective services for children and adults, adoption and foster care). Each has its own staff. The federal government through the Social Security Administra tion assumed responsibility for the Aid to Aged, Blind and Disabled in 1974 and re named it Supplemental Se curity Income. “In 1959, we had 25 caseworkers in Dougherty County. Today there are 120 and we are still under staffed,” says Mrs. Johnson. “But the county caseload was smaller then and we had more time to spend with people. It was a personal thing between the casework er and the people on her caseload. We learned about their families and their problems and they learned something about us. We didn’t have the variety of assistance programs that we have now and so we had to be more resourceful. There was, for instance, no Medi caid. One of the hospitals in Albany set aside money for a charity fund. But if the fund ran out, the family had to pay for care or we had to try to find a doctor who would treat them without cost. We didn’t have food stamps so the family had to purchase food at store prices. If you were old and sick and without family, you managed as best you could at home. If you didn’t have a home, you went THE JACKSON PROCRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA io Central State Hospital at Milledgeville. There were no nursing homes to take care of indigent, ill people, even in the late ’sos and early ’6os.” Thedral Morris who has been in casework for 22 years remembers that the resi dency requirement for Dougherty County was one year. If a family had not lived there that long they had to get by the best way they could. Caseworkers relied on community resources more, she recalls. "We appealed to doctors for medical care, landlords for housing,” she says. "When we worked out individual budgets for our cases, we had to spell out in detail exactly what they needed-right down to soap or diapers. If we left an item off, the family did without.” Caseworkers today still make out budgets to meet a family’s needs. But casework itself has become highly complex and complicated. Persons needing help from Family and Children Ser vices Offices are first seen by an intake worker who takes down background informa tion and then decides what kinds of services the family may be eligible for. Persons are then referred to an eligiblity worker for certifi cation of public assistance or to a food stamp worker or to a social services worker for support services such as day care and family planning. Often, a family may be referred to all three workers. “To someone who comes to this office for the first time, especially someone who is undereducated or illiterate -- this can be a bewildering experience,” says Virginia Cadden, director of the Dougherty County DFACS. “People may not know what services they need and so this is why it is important to have a skilled worker on intake -- a person who can zero in on a problem and find out just what kinds of help a family needs. That sort of thing hasn't changed over the years.” Neither have the people needing help. For instance, there is Bill Grimes. He is married, has two children, rents what barely passes for a home in the country. Because of a bad heart Bill has not worked in 10 years. Because of illness, his wife is also unable to work. Ask Bill what he does to pass the time and he”l tell you he sits on the sagging front porch most of the day. He like the country, he says. Lived there all his life. “But the house is bad. Real bad. If it’s a cold winter, we’ll be in trouble. I just got to find a better place.” But it’s now November and he hasn’t. Dougherty County DFACS is doing a routine six month review on Bill Grimes. He pulls a chair out on the porch for the caseworker and answers her questions. Does he have any other income besides his monthly SSI check? No. Does he own any property? No. Does he own a car, truck or boat? No. The review takes about 20 minutes. At the end of the interview, the caseworker give Mr. Grimes a list of social services that he is eligible for. His daughter will read the list he says. Maybe someone at the Department can help him with housing. He sure would like to find a better place to live. He thanks the casework er for stopping by and signs the casework review forms. His signature is an X. At age 50 Bill Grimes can neither read nor write. Me Too “/ just got out of prison this morning," a traveler told his fellow-passenger as they were riding the same bus together. “ It's going to be tough facing old friends . ” “/ understand what you mean,” said the other. “ I’m a Congressman returning home from my first session inWashington." CROSSWORD PUZZLE 40 Whole 41 Tuesday DOWN 1 Electronic sentinel 2 Spanish province 3 Hannibal Hamlin was one (2 wds.) 4 Nigerian city 5 Popular newspaper name 6 Circumvent 7 One is original 8 Ad interim (3 wds.) 9 Cleansed ACROSS I Ecstatic review 5 Withstand II Eager 12 Show 13 Las Vegas table items 14 Synagogue singer 15 Tavern tap 18 Tel Aviv airport 17 Attila, for one 18 Ecstatic joy 20 Pitcher’s statistic 21 Famed fan dancer 22 Hebrew measure 23 Soap or horse 25 Impover ished 28 Tammany tiger cartoonist 27 horse (2 wds.) 28 Ivy Leaguer 29 Potpourri 32 Youngster 33 Mining find 34 Cap 35 Form a thought 37 Not on tape 38 American jurist, Sherman 39 Prayer ending • 2 3 4 j|||| 5 fa 7 e 9 IO >8 19 Ic CL. —- 26 32 |j| II jpp 54 35 sfc 36 gig Gov. Busbee Gets Help On Solar Project Governor George Busbee today announced that Georgia's bid for selection as the site of the National Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) has been joined and supported by the Midwest Solar Council, a group consisting of 11 midwestern university campuses. “I am most excited and pleased to report this most significant development, a breakthrough which can only serve to strengthen and enhance Georgia’s applica tion and our manager operator consortium,” Bus bee declared. Under the arrangement announced by Busbee, Mid west Solar Council will be represented on the Board of Directors of Solar Consor tium (SOLCON). Georgia’s proposed manager-operator group consisting of General Motors. Georgia Tech, West inghouse Electric Corpora tion. Ebasco Services, Sverdrup, Parcel & Asso ciates and A. O. Smith Corporation. “Each member institution of Midwest Solar Council has indicated its intention to participate actively in the management of SERI if the institute is located in Georgia,” Busbee declared. Dr. Ardath Emmons, vice From this point on what do you know about building a building? You've got your lot. now what? Well, there are clearances, permits, rights-of-way, planning, budgeting, designing, con tracting, clearing, excavating, constructing, roofing, finish ing, interior finishing, grounds work, landscaping, etc., etc. You can learn about all these things yourself. Or you can get in touch with us. We take care of every detail-front the first steps to the last. As much as you want us to handle, we’ll handle. So give us a call when you’re ready to build. Even if you don’t have your lot yet. K-D-S Construction Cos. I*2o Access Road, Route 7 n n Phone: builder 922-3232 Answer To Today’s Puzzle on Back Page 10 Grouped in threes 16 Moon (Lat.) 19 Pastry item 22 Greek mountains 23 Former (hyph. wd.) 24 “Have Gun, Will Travel" name 25 African river 27 Placid 29 Drive 38 Judge's symbol 31 Correct a text 36 “Will be back 37 Statute president for research at the University of Missouri and chairman of the Midwest Solar Council, said in a statement that the 11 Midwestern Campuses “are delighted with the invitation to join the Georgia applica tion for the National Solar Energy Research Institute. We feel that we can add in educational and research strength to an already very' strong Manager-Operator Consortium." The member campuses of Midwest Solar Council are Washington University, St. Louis; Kansas State Univer sity. Manhattan, Kansas; Southern Illinois University- Carbondale: Southern Illi nois University-Edwards ville; St. Louis University; Ohio State University, Ames, Ohio; University of Missouri Institutions at Columbia, Kansas. Missouri. Rolla and St. Louis: The University of Oklahoma. Norman, Okla homa: The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas; The University of lowa, lowa City, and Oklahoma State University, Stillwater. Okla homa. "I am most pleased to have the Midwest Solar Council join our Manager-Operator Team," Busbee declared. "There is no question that Georgia's proposal contains a blend of the resources necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives of SERI. The addition of the Midwest Solar Council significantly THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1976 enhances our education and research resource strength. We have tried to pull together a mix of industry and academic resources as well as provide a balanced national geographic repre sentation. The participation of the Midwest Solar Council further compliments these objectives.” Busbee and representa tives of SOLCON met recently with the Federal SERI Site Evaluation Team. F armers Spend American farmers spend about $125 million of farm and off-farm income each year for production and family living expenses. Over 9% million Americans are on the Payroll Savings Plan. Maybe they know something youdorft Maybe they know it’s easier to save money you never see. So they sign up for the Payroll Savings Plan. And specify an amount to be set aside from each paycheck to buy U.S. Savings Bonds. And maybe they know Bonds are one of the best ways to feel secure about your savings. Because you always get back what you paid. Plus interest. So maybe you’d better talk to your payroll people. And join the 9'i million already on the Payroll Savings Plan. Soon. . stock . m/^nenca. Join the Payroll Savings Plan. Q™ RALPH & GINNY FREEMAN HAVE RE-PURCHASED THE KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN STORES IN GRIFFIN and new customers. Have a barrel of fun \ with original recipe *f| / or extra crispy \ |jp fr / KENTUCKY FRIED PHIPKFN Have a Barrel of Ftin.. OlllvllkM Ongrwi Recipe or Extra Crispy. CALL AND YOUR ORDER WILL BE READY WHEN YOU ARRIVE!! THAT'S SUDDEN SERVICE. COLONEL SANDERS' RECIPE Kentucky fried OF GRIFFIN 131 East Solomon Street, Griffin 1477 West Mclntosh Road, Griffin Phone 227-3678 Phone 228-2432 7UE SMALL FUEL FILTERS that ARE L/SEP IN MOST CARBURETORS HAVE A NASTY HAB/T OE PLUC&/NC ORREETR/CT/NC FLOtV AT THE MOST INOPPORTUNE VMES. PART OF THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE UMITEP CAPACITY OF THESE SMALL \ A BET7ER SouJToN /\\ \\ IS To REMOVE THE f\\ M j 3 —- small carp F/cme j j j / AND INSTALL 4 0!& \) / I / CAPACITY /N-L/NE ° FILTER IN THE FUEL L/NE. * C>/asses Beg > ratine soon Call Carole Imu/rehCQ y 775- 7706 ■, j Notice To Taxpayers The Butts County Taxpayers Pro tective Association is now opening its roll to new members. This is the group that fought for, and obtained, a size able reduction on the 1975 tax assess ments of its members. If you are interested in joining this organization that is dedicated to fighting for fair and equitable assess ments on all Butts County property, please complete and return the ap plication blank below. Gentlemen: I am interested in becoming a member of the Butts County Taxpayers Protective Association. Enclosed is my membership fee of SIO.OO Name Address Butts County Property Owned Please mail application, with membership fee, to: Butts County Taxpayers Protective Association Enclosed is my membership fee of SIO.OO. Jackson, Georgia 30233