Georgia Department of Human Services

What Georgia Department of Human Services does

The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) is the state government agency of Georgia, headquartered at 47 Trinity Ave. S.W., Atlanta, responsible for administering the state's human services portfolio across three operating divisions: the Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS), the Division of Aging Services (DAS), and the Division of Child Support Services (DCSS). DHS delivers SNAP food assistance, TANF cash assistance, Medicaid eligibility, foster care and adoption, child support enforcement, kinship care, aging and disability services, and energy assistance (LIHEAP) to eligible Georgia residents through a network of county DFCS offices, Area Agencies on Aging, and local child support offices covering all 159 Georgia counties. The department employs approximately 9,000 people and serves 1.3+ million SNAP recipients alone, with FY 2020 outcomes including 34,970 child abuse/neglect investigations, 18,449 children in foster care, and 1,421 adoptions.

DHS operates a core technology stack anchored by the Georgia Gateway integrated eligibility system (online portal for applying to and managing SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, and childcare benefits), the RCC TRAILS licensing and incident-reporting platform for residential child care providers, and the EPPICard prepaid debit card for distributing public assistance benefits. Additional platforms support background eligibility verification and benefit fraud investigation through the Benefit Integrity and Recovery Unit (BIRU). The department is currently scoping a major modernization through an Integrated Eligibility System (IES) Request for Information initiated in February 2023.

DHS's funding model is government appropriations — a mix of state budget allocations and federal matching funds tied to entitlement programs — not commercial revenue. The FY 2027 proposed budget is $1.12 billion, a 5.4% increase over FY 2026, with the agency currently navigating a projected $85.7 million FY 2026 shortfall in child welfare that has triggered contract terminations and tighter service-approval controls. Services are delivered free of charge to eligible residents, and the department's "customers" are in fact Georgia citizens requiring food, cash, child welfare, child support, or aging support. Strategic vendor and community partners include Conduent (SNAP call center, currently strained after a July 2025 cyber incident), Goodwill of North Georgia (largest SNAP Employment & Training provider), the Multi-Agency Alliance for Children, and the University of Georgia J.W. Fanning Institute.

Name

Georgia Department of Human Services

Legal name

Georgia Department of Human Services

Website

https://dhs.georgia.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Georgia Department of Human Services is the state's human services agency, administering SNAP, TANF, foster care, child support, and aging services across all 159 Georgia counties through three divisions, serving over 1.3 million SNAP recipients with an approximately 9,000-person workforce and a $1.12 billion FY 2027 proposed budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Administration of Public Health Programs (923120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Human Services & Benefits Administration (Welfare, Disability, Child & Family) (BPAIABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Care & Long-Term Care Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAK), Family & Child Benefits Administration (Child Allowance, Parental Leave) (BPAIAKAD)

Keywords

• Social services administration
• Public assistance programs
• Child welfare services
• Food assistance benefits
• Aging and disability services

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriations: State and federal funding through annual budget appropriations. FY 2027 proposed budget is $1.12 billion, a 5.4% increase from FY 2026. Primary funding sources include federal matching funds for SNAP administration and foster care programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Georgia Department of Human Services is a state government agency that administers human services programs for Georgia residents through three primary divisions: the Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS), the Division of Aging Services (DAS), and the Division of Child Support Services (DCSS). It delivers food assistance (SNAP), cash assistance (TANF), foster care, adoption, child support enforcement, kinship care, aging and disability services, and energy assistance (LIHEAP) at no direct cost to eligible recipients. The agency operates statewide through county offices, regional Area Agencies on Aging, the Georgia Gateway online portal, and community partnerships.

Product overview

Georgia Department of Human Services operates as a state government agency providing a comprehensive suite of social services through three primary divisions: the Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS), the Division of Aging Services (DAS), and the Division of Child Support Services (DCSS). The department delivers services including SNAP food assistance, TANF cash assistance, foster care, adoption, child support enforcement, kinship care support, and aging services. Key technology platforms include Georgia Gateway for benefit applications, the RCC TRAILS system for residential child care licensing, and the EPPICard for benefit distribution. Programs like Connected by 21 and Georgia CREW support youth in foster care, while SHIP and LIHEAP provide specialized assistance to seniors and low-income households respectively.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Georgia Gateway Online portal for applying for and managing public assistance benefits including SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, and childcare applications for Georgia residents.
• SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Federal food assistance program providing eligible low-income Georgians with benefits to purchase food at authorized retailers.
• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Cash assistance program providing financial support to eligible low-income families with dependent children.
• Foster Care Services Temporary out-of-home care for children who cannot safely remain with their families, working toward reunification or adoption.
• Adoption Services Services facilitating the adoption of children from foster care, including home studies, matching, and finalization processes.
• Kinship Care Program Program supporting relatives raising children, including navigation services, support groups, and connections to community resources.
• Division of Aging Services (DAS) Division providing services for older adults including Adult Protective Services, community care, elder rights, and aging support programs.
• Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) Division administering child support services including paternity establishment, order establishment, enforcement, and payment collection.
• Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) Division responsible for child welfare services including child protective services, foster care, adoption, and family support programs.
• Connected by 21 Program supporting youth aging out of foster care with education, employment, housing, and life skills to achieve independence.
• Georgia CREW Work readiness and employment training program for foster care youth and TANF-eligible teenagers, providing workshops and summer work experiences.
• Afterschool Care Program Program providing safe supervision and enrichment activities for children when school is not in session, including tutoring and meals.
• Georgia SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) Medicare counseling program providing free information and assistance to help Medicare beneficiaries understand their options and benefits.
• LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) Program helping eligible elderly and low-income Georgians with home heating costs, weatherization, and other energy needs.
• Georgia EPPICard Prepaid debit card for distributing public assistance benefits including TANF, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Refugee Cash Assistance, and child support payments.
• RCC TRAILS (Residential Child Care Tracking, Residential Applications, Incidents & Licenses System) Web-based application for RCCL providers to submit waiver/variance applications, incident reports, and manage licensing documentation.
• It's My Turn Now Program providing information about children available for adoption in Georgia's foster care system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34,970 reports of child abuse or neglect investigated in SFY 2020
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Goodwill of North GeorgiacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 November 2025Goodwill of North Georgia is the largest SNAP Employment & Training provider in Georgia, operating programs at its own expense during federal funding freeze. Provides job-readiness support to thousands of Georgians, bridging workforce development with food assistance access.
• ConduentcoreTechnology or Integration · 29 October 2025Conduent operates Georgia's SNAP call center, which experienced a cyber attack in July affecting over 1.3 million recipients. The call center remained offline months later, causing disruption to benefit access. DHS has engaged in legal reviews and strained relations with Conduent over the incident.
• Multi-Agency Alliance for ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner collaborating with DFCS on adoption celebrations and youth support programs for children in foster care.
• University of Georgia J.W. Fanning InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner that collaborated with DFCS on youth townhall listening sessions for development of the Connections Extension of Foster Care program policies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance: OTDA administers New York's SNAP, TANF, and disability assistance programs and oversees the state's social services districts. It is a direct peer in administering federal means-tested benefits with strong emphasis on integrated eligibility technology (myBenefits) and statewide county-administered delivery.
• Tennessee Department of Human Services: Tennessee DHS is a direct peer administering SNAP, TANF, child support, and child welfare services across Tennessee's 95 counties. Operates a comparable integrated eligibility platform (TN Compass) and shares similar demographic and rural-service-delivery challenges with Georgia DHS.
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission: Texas HHS is the closest functional peer, operating as a state-level umbrella human services agency administering SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, child welfare, and aging services across Texas. Comparable scale, organizational structure (umbrella commission overseeing multiple program divisions), and program mix make it the most directly comparable state DHS entity.
• South Carolina Department of Social Services: South Carolina DSS is a direct peer administering SNAP, TANF, foster care, adoption, and adult protective services across South Carolina's 46 counties. Closely comparable in program scope, organizational structure, and Southeastern U.S. demographic context.
• Florida Department of Children and Families: Florida DCF is a direct peer, administering SNAP, TANF, child welfare, and adult protective services through a regional office structure across Florida. The agencies share the same core program portfolio (SNAP, TANF, foster care, child support) and similar challenges with vendor management and benefit access technology.
• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: NC DHHS is a direct peer combining health and human services administration across SNAP, Medicaid, child welfare, aging, and disability services. Comparable in operating model and scale, and shares the same federal-state funding structure and integration challenges that Georgia DHS faces.
• Pennsylvania Department of Human Services: Pennsylvania DHS administers SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, child welfare, and aging services through county-level offices. It is a structural peer to Georgia DHS given the shared organizational model of a state umbrella department overseeing multiple program divisions with county-administered delivery.
• California Department of Social Services: California DSS is a direct peer administering statewide SNAP, CalWORKs (TANF), foster care, adoption, and child support programs across California's 58 counties. It shares Georgia DHS's county-administered delivery model, scale, and the integration challenges of operating integrated eligibility systems across large caseloads.

Emerging players

• Conduent State Healthcare & Human Services: Conduent is a vendor providing SNAP call center, eligibility, and benefit disbursement technology to state agencies including Georgia DHS. It is an emerging/commercial peer in the integrated eligibility technology and BPO space that Georgia DHS depends on for service delivery—relevant for understanding vendor risk and modernization roadmaps.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF): ACF is the federal umbrella agency that funds and oversees TANF, SNAP E&T, child welfare, and child support programs that Georgia DHS administers. It is a broad incumbent/funder peer, providing the regulatory framework, federal matching funds, and program guidance that drive Georgia DHS's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gadhs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/dhscomm/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/GeorgiaDepartmentofHumanServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/22297684
• Instagraminstagram.com/ga_dhs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Georgia Department of Human Services