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ATLANTA – State Representative Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) recently received the Distinguished Service Award at the Georgia Conference on Children and Families.
“I am honored to receive this award,” said Rep. Dempsey. “It is a privilege to work with all who are dedicated to improving the lives of Georgia’s most precious resource: our children and families.”
The Distinguished Service Award is given annually to a legislative advocate who has demonstrated outstanding vision for change and leadership in advocating for children and families that are at-risk and the providers who care for them. Ron Scroggy, Executive Director of Together Georgia presented Rep. Dempsey with the award. He highlighted Rep. Dempsey’s recent work that has impacted Georgia’s children and families. Some of her work that led to her nomination includes the replacement of funds for the state’s addiction services, helping increase funds for the Marcus Autism Center, and initiating the restoration of funds for elder needs. He also discussed the importance of Rep. Dempsey’s contributions to foster children. Scroggy said:
“Rep. Dempsey realized that foster care service providers had not had a rate increase in ten years. Through an appropriation of $4.8 million, foster care providers from all over the continuum received a 3% increase in their service rates. This increase applied to relative care placements, foster care placements, as well as 2,200 special needs foster children in the state with significant physical, emotional, and behavioral needs. Clearly, Rep. Dempsey has a heart for children and families. As you can see, she has stood up for Georgia’s children and families in a multitude of circumstances. She recognizes that the best way to have a strong state is to have strong families. Her support has helped Georgia’s families in more ways than you can count.”
The Georgia Conference on Children and Families is the largest annual interdisciplinary event in Georgia designed to bring together the community that serves children and families. The conference featured specialized tracks, plenary sessions and networking opportunities with the goal of improving outcomes for the children and families in the state.
Representative Katie Dempsey represents the citizens of District 13, which includes portions of Floyd County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2006, and currently serves as the Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources. She also serves on the Rules, Economic Development and Tourism, Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications, Health and Human Services, and Higher Education committees.
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