Dear Providers:

With Hurricane Helene approaching the Florida panhandle later today, much of Southwest Georgia is under a hurricane warning. Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency yesterday, Sept. 24. The storm is expected to travel northeast, affecting areas across our state with damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding. Please stay tuned to weather alerts from the National Weather Service. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) website also has updates on evacuation orders and tips for securing property in preparation for the storm.

Please watch the DHS website and emails from the Office of Communications for timely updates. 

DHS leadership will close DAS, DCSS, and DFCS offices in the following counties at noon on Thursday, Sept. 26:

Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Bleckley, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crawford, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glynn, Grady, Harris, Houston, Irwin, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lanier, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, Long, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, McIntosh, Miller, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Muscogee, Peach, Pierce, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Screven, Seminole, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Turner, Twiggs, Ware, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkinson, and Worth.

We are actively monitoring the situation and will provide an update about Friday operations tomorrow, Sept. 26.

*A reminder for child welfare staff: If a caregiver has to evacuate their home, they need to contact the CICC (1-855-GA-CHILD, then select Option #1), and advise them of their new location. Caregivers will be asked questions regarding their location, contact information, household composition / members, and any unmet needs for the children in their care.

**Providers should also report any significant events related to the storm and/or relocations to OPM. 

Thank you,