The total number of Pierce County residents accessing DSHS (Department of Social and Human Services) programs and their percentage within the total population of Pierce County has risen dramatically since the year 2000.  Rising from 158,445 (23%) of the population to 253,003 (33.5%) in 2005.  In 2006 both the number and percent of Pierce County residents accessing DSHS services fell slightly to 246,427 (31.9%) ranking Pierce County 26th in the state for percent of residents accessing services.   During state fiscal year (SFY) 2006-2007, the number and percent of residents accessing DSHS services fell again slightly to 27th in the state serving 245,695 (31.1%) clients in Pierce County. In SFY2008, 253,135 (32.02%) Pierce County residents accessed DSHS and increase of 7,440 residents over the previous number.

State fiscal year 2009 brought a dramatic 44.7% increase in the number of clients served in Pierce County.  Between July of 2009 and June of 2010, 366,534 or 45.1% of the total population were served by DSHS.