---
title: O.C.G.A. § 49-3-6. Functions of county department.
collection: code
id: 49-3-6
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 49-3-6 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-3-6
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-3-6.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-3-6/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t49-t50-ch1-12-(v38)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=54e3505_0#page=5
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: SOCIAL SERVICES / COUNTY AND DISTRICT DEPARTMENTS, BOARDS, AND DIRECTORS OF FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 49-3-6. Functions of county department.

(a) The primary purpose of county departments shall be to protect children. To achieve this primary purpose, the county departments shall, in accordance with rules and regulations of the Division of Family and Children Services of the department:

(1) Investigate reports of abuse or neglect;

(2) Assess, promote, and support the safety of a child in a safe and stable family or other appropriate placement in response to allegations of abuse or neglect;

(3) Work cooperatively with law enforcement regarding reports that include criminal conduct allegations;

(4) In collaboration with the family treatment court division planning group, if one exists, establish a written protocol to assess cases involving substantiated reports of abuse or neglect for possible referral to a family treatment court division. Such protocol shall be consistent with the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia’s certification requirements and include sufficient criteria to determine the need for substance abuse treatment; and

(5) Without compromising child safety, coordinate services to achieve and maintain permanency on behalf of the child, strengthen the family, and provide prevention, intervention, and treatment services pursuant to this title.

(b) In addition to the purpose in subsection (a) of this Code section, and subject to the rules and regulations of the board, the county department shall be charged with the administration of all forms of public assistance in the county, including home relief; indoor and outdoor care for those in need; temporary assistance for needy families; old-age assistance; aid to the blind and otherwise disabled; the care and treatment of dependent and neglected children; and such other welfare activities as shall be delegated to it by the Division of Family and Children Services of the department or by the county commissioners.

## History

Ga. L. 1937, p. 355, § 13; Ga. L. 1995, p. 1302, § 14; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1021, § 7; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, §§ 2-2, 2-3/HB 228; Ga. L. 2015, p. 422, § 5-100/HB 310; Ga. L. 2015, p. 552, § 3/SB 138; Ga. L. 2017, p. 585, § 1-5/SB 174; Ga. L. 2025, p. 1029, § 49(1)/SB 153, effective July 1, 2025.

## Amendments

The 2025 amendment, effective July 1, 2025, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted “Council of Accountability Court Judges” for “Council of Accountability Courts” in the second sentence of paragraph (a)(4); and substituted “board” for “Board of Human Services” in subsection (b).