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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Chilton County social worker Kaylan Jacobs was awarded the 2024 Alabama Spirit of Adult Protective Services Award by the Alabama Department of Human Resources. Jacobs, a vital member of the adult protective services (APS) division of the Chilton County Department of Human Resources since 2020, is the most recent recipient of the award that is given annually to a front-line worker who exemplifies the spirit of adult protective services with their drive behind what they do on a daily basis.

“Kaylan’s commitment to safeguarding the dignities of vulnerable seniors is a reflection of love in action,” Nancy Buckner, Alabama DHR Commissioner, said. “The Spirit of APS award celebrates not only her achievements but the lives she has touched in the state of Alabama.”

A press release from the Alabama DHR said the award is given to the recipient who “through his or her initiative and innovative ideas, makes substantial contributions to the growth and development of the APS program.”

“I am honored, and a little bit surprised,” Jacobs said. “I am appreciative of the opportunity to win an award, and also that so many people felt that I exemplified those qualities.”

Jacobs’ journey began in 2011 as she obtained her bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She joined the Shelby County DHR Child Welfare Division as a case aid after graduation, but soon realized she wanted to take her career a step further. Jacobs got involved in the healthcare field at nursing homes and hospice facilities for several years, and she returned to school and earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of Alabama in 2019.

Jacob’s work in nursing homes and hospice facilities expanded into the COVID-19 pandemic. It was during that time she decided to get back to her roots and join the APS division of the Chilton County DHR after witnessing the isolation that residents in nursing homes and hospice care went through during the pandemic. Jacobs wanted to serve people as a whole, provide them with resources to hopefully improve their way of living and give them a better quality of life.

“Her work is a beautiful reminder that true strength lies not in the muscles we flex, but in the hearts that we heal,” Marilyn Colson, Chilton County DHR Director, said. “Ms. Jacobs demonstrates the spirit of APS each day, and it was my pleasure to nominate her for the 2024 Spirit of APS Award.”

Since her career at the Chilton County DHR began, Jacobs has developed relationships with community partners such as local attorneys, dignitaries, law enforcement and adult care facilities to meet the needs of clients. She was a huge part in establishing the first adult foster home in Chilton County, and also started a program to provide funds for presents on holidays for them.

“I feel like what I do is a calling, and I feel like I have a gift for what I do,” Jacobs said. “This is something that was gifted to me through God in a way to serve him while serving people in the community. It reiterates that what I do truly does make a difference, and that even though sometimes things feel overwhelming, we just keep moving forward and helping one person at a time truly makes a difference.”

As the winner of the 2024 Alabama Spirit of APS Award, Jacobs is also nominated for the Spirit of the National Adult Protective Services Association Award. The winner will be announced in September.