Atlantic County Launches AI Phone System for Social Services

When families in our community face emergencies—struggling to pay the electric bill, searching for emergency housing, or wondering where their next meal will come from—the last thing they need is to waste precious minutes navigating a confusing phone system.

Atlantic County is now making it easier for residents to access critical social services through a new artificial intelligence-powered telephone system that understands natural speech. Instead of pressing buttons and listening to lengthy menus, callers can simply explain their situation in their own words.

The Atlantic County Department of Family and Community Development recently rolled out the technology, developed by TipCo Automated Systems, a New Jersey-based company specializing in AI-powered customer service for government agencies. The virtual assistant, known as EVA (Electronic Virtual Assistant), identifies the appropriate program, answers common questions, or connects callers directly to the staff member who can help them.

"For residents seeking food and shelter for themselves and their family members, time is of the essence," County Executive Dennis Levinson said in a statement. "Being the second poorest county in the state, the number of residents in need continues to grow. We recognize the importance of providing efficient and responsive customer service. This new software is a tremendous tool that we are pleased to implement and have served as a model throughout the state."

The results from the system's first full month speak to the scale of need in our community. Throughout June, EVA handled more than 6,500 calls to the Department of Family and Community Development. Nearly half of those redirected inquiries requested callbacks, which staff completed within 24 to 48 hours.

County officials emphasize that the technology is designed to support—not replace—the caseworkers who provide personalized guidance to residents facing complex situations. By handling routine inquiries around the clock, EVA frees up staff to focus on cases requiring human judgment and deeper assistance. For residents calling during busy periods, this means less time on hold and faster access to information about emergency housing, food assistance, utility relief, and other county programs.

Atlantic County joins a growing movement of local governments embracing artificial intelligence to expand access to public services. Earlier this year, Union County introduced similar technology for its Department of Human Services. Counties in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida have also adopted AI systems to reduce wait times and improve service delivery.

Levinson credited the county's internal technology team for implementing the system and expressed optimism about expanding AI assistance to other departments. "With the support of EVA, staff can focus more of their time on case management," he said. "We look forward to identifying how other areas of our organization could also benefit from this new technology."

Residents needing help with Medicaid, emergency housing, SNAP benefits, family and foster care matters, and other services can now reach EVA 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For families in crisis, that round-the-clock availability could make all the difference.