The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) continues to provide essential services to clients in areas affected by storm related damage across the state.

Several offices along the coast and the Olympic Peninsula are closed; calls to those offices are routed to alternate offices to help with the services people need. DSHS offices that are closed include those that help clients' access food and cash assistance, provide services for vulnerable adults, services for abused and neglected children, and services for individuals with disabilities.

The following offices were closed as of Monday, December 3, 2007:

• Aberdeen Offices, 415 West Wishkah Street and 503 West Heron Street
• South Bend Office, 307 East Robert Bush Drive
• Forks Office, 71 North Spartan
• Long Beach Office,  2601 Pacific Highway
• Shelton Office, 2505 Olympic Highway North, Suite 440
• Neah Bay Office, 1001 Bay View Avenue
• Chehalis Office, 151 NE Hampe Way

DSHS clients in these areas needing help with food and cash assistance can use the DSHS call center number at 1-877-980-9180. The calls will be routed to staff who will ask callers for their zip codes, home address, and identity information.

Reports of child abuse and neglect are also being rerouted. Callers are urged to report abuse to local numbers or 1-866-EndHarm (1-866-363-4276).

The processing of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards (food stamps) should not be affected by outages at local grocery stores and markets. Retail outlets, that accept EBT, have manual transaction alternatives, allowing the store personnel to write down customer purchases.

Residential and other client care facilities such as Western and Eastern State Hospitals, the Special Commitment Center, Fircrest and Rainier Schools and Juvenile Rehabilitation institutions have back-up generators in the event that power is disrupted. No residential facilities, operated by DSHS, so far have been impacted by structural damage from the storm.

"Emergency preparedness has been high on our list of priorities and it shows in how quickly staff members have been able to continue to work with clients even when computers are down and buildings are closed," said Robin Arnold-Williams, the DSHS secretary. "DSHS workers in the field continue their steadfast commitment to their clients assisting wherever needed during the current emergency situation."