Dec. 7, 2017
The Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services (FCDJFS) Director has been asked to serve on a national committee for an organization that is often consulted on important issues facing the country.
FCDJFS Director
Joy Bivens is now serving on the
National Association of Counties' (NACo)’s
Human Services and Education Policy Steering Committee. NACo officials notified Bivens about her nomination this week; she began her work immediately.
Bivens was appointed to the FCDJFS position by the Franklin County Commissioners in April 2016. She also serves on the Whitehall School Board, a position she has held since 2013.
NACo President Roy Charles Brooks wrote Bivens saying that said Congress and federal agencies: “often look to NACo for feedback on legislative policy decisions being made in Washington D.C. This nomination to a NACo steering committee also presents a great opportunity to share with and learn from county colleagues.”
He extended his congratulations and added that NACo committees will be working in 2018 on an initiative called “Serving the Underserved: Counties Addressing Poverty.”
Bivens accepted the position saying she was honored.
“There is a lot more work we need to do here and across this country to combat some of the systemic problems behind poverty. I am honored to lend my voice to the national discussion,” Bivens said.
In her role, she will be required to participate in monthly phone conferences, attend two national NACo conferences, and stay informed on legislation and regulatory action dealing with Human Services and Education.
Bivens is a graduate of Capital University and lives in Franklin County with her husband and two children. She oversees FCDJFS which has more than 600 employees who work to improve the lives of Franklin County residents by ensuring that no one is forced to go without the basic essentials of food, clothing, shelter, medical care and other services.