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Social Services Director
215 M. L. King Building
317 Oak Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403
423-209-6840
FAX 423-209-6841
Our mission is to provide responsive quality community social services while assuring the best possible use of county dollars.

We connect with people by: 
  • Surmounting short term crises in meeting the basic essentials of life 
  • Practical parent know-how in early childhood development that leads to children’s readiness for school 
  • Various community social services that are accountable and address needs
Functions
The Hamilton County Social Services Department achieves these goals through the following programs:
Community Social Services: The Social Services Department contracts with private non-profit agencies to provide:
  • Group homes for children
  • Delinquency prevention services
  • Children's emergency/runaway shelter care
  • Services for the physically/mentally disabled
  • Audiology and speech pathology services
  • Developmental diagnostic services
  • Child care
  • Advocacy services
  • Family support services for the disabled
  • Mental health services
  • Planning services
  • Homeless Services
  • Ex-offender Employment
  • Senior Services
Emergency Assistance Program: This program provides temporary help with shelter, utilities, food, and prescriptions in times of emergency to residents of Hamilton County who live outside the city limits of Chattanooga.
Parents Are First Teachers: Modeled after a nationally acclaimed early childhood family support program, Parents Are First Teachers provides support to parents in their role as a child's first teacher and gives children the best possible start in life. The program is intended to strengthen the foundations of later learning and serves as a primary prevention program.