Mention of the Department of Family and Children Services usually doesn’t conjure positive thoughts, but Gordon County’s director, James Binnicker, is seeking to change that.

Binnicker, who has been the local DFCS director for the past year, told Kiwanis Club members on Wednesday that the department graded each year and has scored poorly in the past.

“Thirteen months ago, Gordon County had seven F’s on the report card,” Binnicker said.

The annual grades measure the outcomes of various programs and services they offer.

Since then, the grades have shaped up and a C letter grade has been their lowest score.

Binnicker said the grades improved by rearranging staff depending on their work ethic, drive and dedi-cation.

“We began to change the way we do our work,” he said.

Once he established a positive work environment, Binnicker sought to improve the way DFCS helps their clients.

He explained that nearly 3,000 food stamps and Medicaid vouchers are given a month, but the process to receive the assistance was tedious.

“I didn’t understand why it was slow. Then I went through the process myself,” he said.

“We removed parts of the process and now have a walk-in system. You are seeing that day,’ he added.

For Binnicker, getting the job done efficiently is a small part of the picture. He mentioned that a larger part of the picture has been changing the public perception of DFCS as just a foster care agency.

“We have one opportunity to inspire and engage people, and when we miss it, it’s gone forever,” he said.

He said DFCS has also partnered with other agencies and renewed their connections to the local school system and community through awareness and joint programs.