DHR

Autauga County residents use the Alabama Department of Human Resources, commonly called DHR, for programs involving food assistance, family financial assistance, child support, child protection, adult protective services, child care, foster care, and related family services. This article explains which DHR program handles common needs, how the county office fits into the statewide system, where to begin an application or case inquiry, what information to prepare, and how to avoid contacting the wrong division or using the wrong process.

Autauga County DHR Services

The Autauga County Department of Human Resources is part of Alabama's statewide DHR system. County offices are the local point of contact for many services administered by the department, particularly when a resident has an individual case, needs to apply for benefits available through a county office, or needs to report a child welfare concern.

The Alabama Department of Human Resources oversees programs that serve children, families, elderly adults, adults with disabilities, parents involved in child support cases, and households applying for financial or food assistance. The department also administers child care programs and supports foster care and adoption services.

Because DHR operates several different programs, residents should identify the service they need before contacting an office. A SNAP application, for example, is handled through Food Assistance, while a question about establishing or enforcing a child support order belongs with Child Support Enforcement. Reports involving suspected child abuse or neglect follow a separate Child Protective Services process.

County and State Responsibilities

County DHR offices handle many matters involving local applicants and individual cases. Alabama DHR specifically directs people with questions about individual cases to contact their county DHR office. Autauga residents can locate the appropriate local office through the state's county DHR contact directory, which includes Autauga County among the available county offices.

State divisions administer the underlying programs, establish statewide procedures, and provide specialized program information. The distinction matters when choosing where to direct a question. A statewide program page may explain eligibility or services, but an individual applicant or recipient may still need the Autauga County office for a case-specific issue.

The state's DHR contact page also separates contacts by program. This can help residents determine whether a question concerns Food Assistance, Family Assistance, Child Support, Child Care, Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, or another DHR function.

Food Assistance and SNAP

One of the most commonly used DHR programs is the Food Assistance Program, which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in Alabama. SNAP provides monthly benefits to eligible low-income households to help purchase food. Eligibility rules and benefit amounts are based on household income and household size under federal regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service.

Applications are available through county DHR offices, including the office serving Autauga County. Alabama DHR also provides information about applying online and offers a printable application through its Food Assistance program page.

Preparing for a SNAP Application

Residents should begin by making sure they are using the Food Assistance program rather than Family Assistance. Although both programs are administered by DHR and may use Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, they are separate programs with different purposes and eligibility requirements.

The state explains that SNAP eligibility and benefit amounts depend on income and household size. Applicants should therefore be prepared to provide complete and accurate household information requested during the application process. They should also follow the instructions associated with the application they use, rather than assuming that information submitted for another DHR program automatically satisfies Food Assistance requirements.

EBT Cards and Benefit Security

DHR issues SNAP benefits electronically through EBT. Alabama has also begun issuing chip-enabled EBT cards, which are intended to provide greater protection against theft of benefits.

Residents who believe SNAP benefits have been stolen should use DHR's official information about EBT fraud. The department states that reimbursement may be available in some situations involving the theft of federally funded SNAP benefits. A suspected theft of benefits is different from a routine eligibility or application question, so recipients should use the fraud-related process described by DHR rather than submitting a new benefit application.

Family Financial Assistance

Family Assistance is another DHR program, but it should not be confused with SNAP. The Family Assistance Division administers programs funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. These services are intended to assist needy families so children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives while also supporting job preparation and work.

The Family Assistance program includes temporary cash assistance for eligible low-income families with children. The program also includes the JOBS Program, which provides work and training services to parents receiving cash assistance.

Temporary Cash Assistance

According to DHR, temporary cash assistance is available for basic needs for qualifying low-income families with children under age 18, or age 19 when the child is a full-time student in a secondary school or equivalent vocational or technical training.

Family Assistance benefits are issued on EBT cards. DHR imposes restrictions on where cash assistance EBT cards may be used and what benefits may purchase. Recipients are not to use those cards in liquor, wine, or beer stores; casinos or other gambling establishments; strip clubs; tattoo or body-piercing facilities; or facilities providing psychic services. Benefits also are not to be used to purchase liquor, wine, beer, tobacco products, or lottery tickets.

Family Assistance Documents

The state Family Assistance page provides an application, eligibility information, and document-submission options associated with Family Assistance and the JOBS Program. Applicants should make sure materials are submitted for the correct program. A Food Assistance application and a Family Assistance application address different benefits even though both programs are administered by DHR.

Residents with questions about an existing local case should use the county office rather than relying only on general state information. This is especially relevant when the question concerns information already submitted, a case-specific requirement, or the status of an individual benefit matter.

Child Support Services

DHR's Child Support Enforcement Program helps families establish paternity when necessary, obtain child support orders, and secure compliance with court-ordered support. Services are available to both custodial and non-custodial parents.

The Child Support Enforcement Division provides information about applying for child support services, establishing support orders, reviewing and adjusting orders, collecting and distributing payments, locating parents, and enforcing court orders.

Different Child Support Functions

Child support cases may involve several distinct steps, and residents should identify the part of the process that applies to their situation. DHR describes these functions separately:

Applying for Child Support Services.

Establishing a child support, medical support, or retroactive support order.

Reviewing an existing order to determine whether the amount complies with child and medical support guidelines.

Collecting and distributing child support payments.

Locating a non-custodial or custodial parent when necessary.

Enforcing child support, spousal support, or medical support obligations.

A payment question is therefore different from a request to establish an order or locate a parent. Using the correct service category can reduce confusion when contacting DHR.

Child Support Payments

Alabama DHR identifies ExpertPay and MoneyGram as payment methods for child support. The department also provides access to child support payment information through its voice response system and the Internet. Residents should distinguish a payment transaction from a case-management question; submitting a payment does not replace the procedures used for applying for services, changing an order, or requesting enforcement.

Child Protective Services

Child Protective Services handles reports and functions related to suspected child abuse and neglect. The DHR Office of Child Protective Services maintains Alabama's Central Registry on Child Abuse and Neglect, monitors protective-services grants, and provides case consultation services.

The state's Child Protective Services page provides reporting information, county DHR contacts, mandated-reporter training, Central Registry clearance information, and administrative review materials.

Reporting Abuse or Neglect

Suspected child abuse or neglect should be reported to the county Department of Human Resources or to local law enforcement. Alabama DHR specifically states that reports of suspected abuse or neglect should not be sent by email.

If the situation is an emergency, DHR directs people to contact local law enforcement or dial 9-1-1. Autauga County residents making a non-emergency DHR report should use the county contact information supplied by the department rather than choosing an unrelated state division.

Case Questions and Reports

A report of suspected abuse or neglect is not the same as a request for information about an existing case. Reporting instructions should be followed when a child may need protection. Questions about an individual DHR case should be directed to the appropriate county DHR office, as instructed by the state department.

This distinction is particularly important because the department tells the public not to send abuse or neglect reports through ordinary email channels. Residents should use the specified reporting route instead of a general correspondence address.

Adult Protective Services

Adult Protective Services protects elderly adults and adults with disabilities from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The program applies to adults who are unable to protect themselves because of mental or physical disabilities or advanced age.

Under Alabama's Adult Protective Services Act, DHR is responsible for receiving and investigating reports of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The department may also arrange protective services, petition in an emergency situation, and report to the court when required. More information is available through the official Adult Protective Services page.

Adult Abuse Reporting

DHR operates an Adult Abuse Hotline at 1-800-458-7214 for reports of suspected mistreatment. The Adult Protective Services program also provides an adult abuse reporting form and instructions, information about mandated-reporter training, and materials dealing with suspected financial exploitation.

Residents should distinguish protective-service reporting from general benefit assistance. An allegation that an elderly or disabled adult is being abused, neglected, or financially exploited belongs with Adult Protective Services rather than Food Assistance, Family Assistance, or Child Protective Services.

Child Care Programs

DHR also administers child care programs. The Child Care Services Division is Alabama's administrator for the Child Care and Development Fund and is responsible for the child care subsidy program and quality initiatives. The division also monitors and licenses child care centers and homes for compliance with applicable performance standards.

The state's Child Care Services information includes resources for families and providers, a child care provider map, a statewide directory, licensing information, child care subsidy information, and the Time and Attendance System used to record attendance for children at participating providers.

Subsidized Child Care

The subsidized child care program is intended to give eligible low- and moderate-income families access to affordable child care while participating in work, education, or training activities. This service is separate from the cash assistance provided under Family Assistance, even though child care may also be relevant to parents participating in employment or training programs.

Licensing and Facility Complaints

Questions involving child care facilities, performance standards, health and safety guidelines, or complaints against child care facilities fall under Child Care Services. Providers also have separate reporting responsibilities for accidents, incidents, and injuries. Families should avoid directing these facility-regulation issues to Child Protective Services unless the concern itself involves suspected child abuse or neglect.

Foster Care and Adoption

DHR's child welfare responsibilities also include foster care and adoption. Foster care serves children who cannot currently live safely with their birth families because of circumstances that may include neglect or physical or sexual abuse. Placements may be needed for a short period or until a child can return to family or another permanent plan is made.

Prospective foster parents are subject to an approval process. Alabama DHR states that applicants must be at least 19 years old, provide a safe and comfortable environment, have sufficient space, meet state standards for foster family homes, and have household members willing to participate. Adults in the home must undergo a background check, and applicants complete a 30-hour preparation course.

DHR also recruits and prepares adoptive families for children in foster care who need permanent homes. The department states that it charges no fee for the adoption home study, including the required training, or for placement of children through DHR. Families generally remain responsible for costs associated with criminal-history checks and medical examinations of household members.

DHR Case Management Systems

Alabama DHR uses specialized administrative systems for different functions. Residents should not assume that every DHR service uses the same account, case record, or process.

The department's Family, Adult, and Child Tracking System, known as FACTS, is a statewide automated case-management tool used for Child Welfare and Adult Protective Services. DHR describes FACTS as Alabama's Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System. It supports family, child, and adult services but is not described as the application system for every DHR benefit program.

Food Assistance and Family Assistance, meanwhile, use EBT to issue eligible benefits. Child support has its own payment and case processes. Keeping these functions separate helps prevent common mistakes, such as treating an EBT issue as a child support payment problem or expecting a child welfare case-management system to handle a SNAP application.

Choosing the Correct DHR Program

A practical way to identify the correct Autauga County DHR service is to focus on the action needed rather than simply searching for a general DHR contact.

For SNAP or food benefit applications, eligibility, or EBT-related Food Assistance matters, use Food Assistance.

For temporary cash assistance or the JOBS Program, use Family Assistance.

For establishing, collecting, reviewing, or enforcing child support, use Child Support Enforcement.

For suspected child abuse or neglect, use Child Protective Services and the county reporting process.

For suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, use Adult Protective Services.

For child care subsidies, facility licensing, or child care standards, use Child Care Services.

For foster parenting, foster care services, or adoption through DHR, use the appropriate foster care or adoption program.

When the issue concerns an existing individual case, Alabama DHR directs residents to their county office. General state program pages are useful for understanding services and statewide requirements, but they do not replace county-level case communication.

Common DHR Mistakes

Contacting the Wrong Division

DHR programs often serve the same household but perform different functions. A parent may simultaneously have a SNAP case, a Family Assistance case, and a child support matter. Those are not interchangeable cases. Each program should receive questions and documents associated with its own process.

Confusing SNAP and Cash Assistance

SNAP provides food assistance, while Family Assistance may provide temporary cash benefits to eligible families. Both may involve EBT cards, but they are governed by different program rules. Applicants should use the application and eligibility information for the benefit they actually need.

Emailing Child Abuse Reports

DHR specifically instructs the public not to send reports of suspected child abuse or neglect by email. Reports should go to the county DHR or local law enforcement, with emergencies directed to 9-1-1.

Using General Contacts for Cases

The state contact page is useful for identifying divisions, but DHR directs questions about individual cases to the appropriate county DHR office. Autauga County residents should therefore use the county directory when their question involves a specific case rather than a general explanation of a statewide program.

Mixing Payment and Case Procedures

Child support payments, SNAP benefits, and Family Assistance benefits use different systems. ExpertPay and MoneyGram are identified by DHR for child support payments, while EBT is used to issue SNAP and Family Assistance benefits. Using the correct system for the correct program reduces the risk of directing information or payments to the wrong place.

Preparing Before Contacting DHR

Before contacting the Autauga County office, residents should first identify the program involved and review any application, notice, case document, or correspondence they already have. This helps separate a new application from an existing case question and can clarify whether the matter belongs with Food Assistance, Family Assistance, Child Support, Protective Services, or Child Care.

When completing an application, residents should provide the information requested by that specific program and follow the submission instructions associated with the official form or online process. DHR's program pages distinguish between applications, eligibility materials, document submissions, payments, reporting forms, and other procedures. Using the correct document for the correct program is preferable to sending general correspondence and expecting it to be routed internally.

People contacting DHR about an existing case should use the county office identified for Autauga County and refer to the information contained in their case materials when appropriate. For protective-services concerns, residents should follow the reporting procedures rather than waiting for a routine case inquiry response.

DHR Departments and Offices

Alabama Department of Human Resources Adult Protective Services Division
50 N. Ripley St.
P.O. Box 304000
Montgomery, AL 36130-4000
(334) 242-1350

Alabama Department of Human Resources Child Care Services Division
50 N. Ripley St.
P.O. Box 304000
Montgomery, AL 36130-4000
(334) 242-1425

Alabama Department of Human Resources Child Support Enforcement Division
50 N. Ripley St.
P.O. Box 304000
Montgomery, AL 36130-4000
(334) 242-9300

Alabama Department of Human Resources Family Assistance Division
50 N. Ripley St.
P.O. Box 304000
Montgomery, AL 36130-4000
(334) 242-1773 or (334) 242-1950

Alabama Department of Human Resources Food Assistance Division
50 N. Ripley St.
P.O. Box 304000
Montgomery, AL 36130-4000
(334) 242-0143 or (800) 382-0499

Alabama Department of Human Resources Resource Management Division
50 N. Ripley St.
P.O. Box 304000
Montgomery, AL 36130-4000
(334) 242-1650

DHR FAQs

Can I request a hearing if I disagree with a DHR decision?

Some DHR matters include administrative hearing rights when a person is entitled to due process under the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act. The department’s Administrative Hearings function handles qualifying disputes involving areas such as child abuse or neglect findings, adult services, licensing, and other covered decisions. If you receive a notice explaining that you may request a hearing or administrative review, follow the deadline and filing instructions printed on that notice. Do not assume that calling the county office automatically starts an appeal. The Alabama DHR directory identifies Administrative Hearings and other divisions that may be involved.

Is there a simpler SNAP application for older households?

Possibly. Alabama DHR offers the Alabama Elderly Simplified Application Project, or AESAP, for households in which every household member is age 65 or older and no member has earned income. This is a specialized Food Assistance process, so households should check whether they meet those conditions before using it. Applicants who do not meet the AESAP requirements should follow the regular SNAP application process. Official Food Assistance information, including AESAP and eligibility materials, is available on the Food Assistance page.

Why is my SNAP case selected for quality control?

DHR’s Quality Control Division reviews a sample of SNAP cases each month to determine whether eligibility and benefit amounts were calculated correctly by county departments. A quality-control review is therefore different from submitting a new application or reporting a change. If your household is selected, carefully follow the instructions in the review notice and provide the requested information by the stated deadline.

Can DHR provide language or accessibility assistance?

Yes. Alabama DHR provides free communication assistance and publishes program information in multiple languages. The department also states that it works toward Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA. Residents who need communication assistance should use the accessibility and language options provided through the official Alabama Department of Human Resources website when reviewing forms, notices, or online program information.