Resources for Jackson County
DFCS Office
County Director – Lauren Edenfield
456 Athens Street Jefferson, Georgia 30549-0526
Direct Office Number (706) 367-3000
Training
FaithBridge Online Training FaithBridgeU
Support
Piedmont CASA, Inc. (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
Michelle Black, Executive Director
P.O. Box 605 Jefferson, GA, 30549
Phone: 470-429-5055
Email: mblack@piedmontcasa.org
Daycare
CAPS- Childcare and Parent Services
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE
Suite 670, East Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334
1-833-4GACAPS (1-833-442-2277)
http://families.decal.ga.gov/ChildCare/Search
The CAPS program in Georgia provides assistance to foster parents in paying for licensed child care services. Individual facilities must be licensed and approved, as well as accept CAPS as a form of payment for foster parents to utilize this service. Below is a list of daycares that have, at the time of posting, accepted CAPS payments. This is NOT an all-inclusive list. Below you will also find an instruction page on how to search online for a CAPS approved provider through the state website.
CAPS online search instruction page
Georgia Dept. of Early Childcare and Learning (DECAL)
Georgia DECAL web page
The Academy of Jefferson, LLC
695 Lynn Ave
Jefferson, GA 30549
Phone: 706-367-2222
Storybrook Academy of Jefferson
1988 Washington Street
Jefferson, GA 30549
Phone: 706-708-2381
Dragon Academy LLC
21 Nelson Street
Jefferson, GA 30549
Phone: 706-680-6299
Redstone Children’s Academy
8144 Jefferson Road
Athens, GA 30607
Phone: 706-310-8090
Elite Academy
67 Boone Road, Hoschton, GA 30548
Phone: (706) 658-2343
Suwanee Prep Academy Braselton
59 Charlie Smith Road, Braselton, GA 30517
Phone: (706) 684-0063
Healthcare
Jackson County Health Department
623 South Elm Street Commerce, GA 30529
Phone: 706-335-3895 706-621-1245 Fax: 706-335-6307
Find which Amerigroup providers are in your area by clicking this link: https://providers.amerigroup.com/pages/providerdirectory.aspx
Babies Can’t Wait
202 Ben Burton Cir. Bogart, Ga 30622
Phone: (706) 369-6101 Fax: (706) 369-5709 Referral: (706) 369-6105
Ruth Newcomb Ruth.Newcomb@dph.ga.gov
Babies Can’t Wait provides a coordinated, comprehensive and integrated system of services for infants and toddlers with special needs, birth to 3 and their families. Babies Can’t Wait provides early identification and screening of children with developmental delays and chronic health conditions. Babies Can’t Wait strives to improve the developmental potential of infants and toddlers birth to age 3, with developmental or chronic health conditions.
Children 1st
202 Ben Burton Circle Bogart, Ga 30622
Phone:(706) 227-7182 Fax:(706) 227-7184
Robin O’Donnell Robin.O’Donnell@dph.ga.gov
Children 1st is a population-based system in the State of Georgia, designed to serve as an entry point into all public health services for children, birth – 5 years old. Children 1st facilitates early identification of at-risk children and links them with early interventions services, as well as other public health services and community based resources.
The Jackson County School System offers a full range of special education services for disabled school-age children. This includes programs and related services for students who are learning disabled, emotionally/behaviorally disordered, speech impaired, visually impaired, physically impaired, hearing impaired, intellectually disabled, autistic, traumatic brain injured, significantly developmentally delayed, other health impaired, and hospital/homebound. Any disabled child, age three (3), as of September 1st, through age eighteen (18), or age twenty-one (21), dependent upon completion of his/her program, is eligible for special education services.
In addition, center-based and homebound services are available for preschool disabled children from age three (3) through age five (5). These programs are provided at no cost to the parent.
Who Should Be Referred? Children ages 3 through 5 who are not doing what most children their age are able to do. This could include delays in speaking, hearing, following directions, moving independently, thinking, understanding or behaving appropriately.
How Do I Refer A Child For Preschool Services? You may contact Stacey Perry via telephone at 706-387-7386. The Special Education Department Offices are located with Central Registration at the Empower College and Career Center.
Parents of children younger than three years old can receive early intervention for their child by contacting Babies Can’t Wait at 706-369-6101.
How Much Do These Services Cost? There is no charge for any preschool service. The Preschool Special Education Program is part of the local school system and is financed by local, state and federal money.
Where Is the Preschool? Teachers interact with the student in the child’s home, in private daycares/preschools and in classrooms at elementary schools. Together, the preschool staff and family decide the location that best meets the child’s needs.
What Are the Preschool Hours? A variety of programs and classes are offered to meet the unique needs of each child. An individual plan, which includes location and number of hours, is arranged for each individual student.
How Is Transportation Handled? Children who attend the preschool classrooms are eligible for free bus transportation to and from classes. The buses are staffed with a driver and a monitor and are equipped with seat belts, child car seats, wheelchair lifts, and wheelchair restraints.
Does The Preschool Provide Any Other Services? The Jackson County School System provides physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and vision and hearing specialist to eligible children who require therapy in order to be successful in a school setting.
Children’s Medical Services
645 Meigs Street Athens, Ga 30601
Phone:(706) 389-6923 Fax:(706) 552-4536
Jill Stewart Jill.Stewart@dph.ga.gov
Kwon Pediatric Dentistry
4009 Winder Hwy #200
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
678-696-2200
Testing/Inspections
Jackson County Environmental Health (Water and Septic Inspections)
260 Lee Street Jefferson, GA 30549
Phone: 706-367-3643 Fax: 706-367-8070
Drug Testing/Lab Work
Foster family applicants can visit this website, order the drug screen, pay for the drug screen directly through the site, locate a testing location near them, go to the testing location and get drug tested. The results will come directly to FaithBridge.
https://labtestingsolutions.screenmenow.com/Default.aspx?c=SLLT_00266
Supplies
Foster Care Support Foundation – Distribution Center (Serves all counties)
115 Mansell Place, Roswell, GA 30076
Phone: 770-641-9591
Request an application and appointment by emailing appt@fostercares.org
WIC
Jackson County Health Department
623 South Elm Street Commerce, GA 30529
Phone: 706-335-3895 706-621-1245 Fax: 706-335-6307
The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program is a federally-funded health and nutrition program© for Infants and Children age 1 to 5 years (including foster children).
What WIC Provides
· Special checks to buy healthy foods from WIC-authorized vendors – milk, eggs, bread, cereal, juice, peanut butter, and much more (see Authorized Foods) including formula.
· Information about nutrition and health to help you and your family eat well and be healthy