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The following are a list of Services. The Food Stamps program supplies food benefits to needy persons and families. This area is responsible for the evaluation and determination of eligibility of all families and individuals in need of financial assistance. The Welfare Examiners monitor the changing circumstances and make adjustments to each case as necessary. Families and individuals who qualify for cash assistance are usually eligible for Medicaid and Food Stamps. The Screening area was formed March 29, 1998, the time of our office reorganization. The focus of the area is to meet with customers as soon as they come to our agency requesting assistance. We explain the program requirements for financial aid, food stamps and Medicaid. In cases of emergency, the customer need assistance as soon as possible with child care, housing or transportation to remain employed they are processed in this area. Supportive services offer short term solutions to help retain or obtain employment. Medical Assistance (Medicaid) provides essential medical services to those unable to meet the cost of health care. In most cases, you may be eligible to receive medical assistance if you are in receipt of temporary assistance (TANF), receive supplemental income (SSI) or if you meet certain income, resource, age or disability criteria. There are also expanded eligibility levels, if you are pregnant or if you have a child. As a visionary in leadership, New York State has instituted a health insurance plan for children up to 19 years of age who do not qualify for Medicaid. This insurance is called Child Health Plus. The Third Party Health Insurance Unit (TPHI) has, as its function, the reduction of Medicaid costs through the utilization of all private health insurance resources. Foster Care Services include temporary out of home care and permanency planning for children whose legal custody has been transferred to the Commissioner of Social Services. We serve birth families and those wishing to be foster care providers. Adoption Services assist children to secure an adoptive family by providing services to birth families who cannot provide a permanent home for their children and to those who wish to adopt. Day Care subsidies are provided to low income families to enable a parent to engage in work activities, to enable a teen parent to attend high school, and for certain child protective or preventive cases. Our day care unit registers family day care and school age child care providers. Personal care aides enable individuals to remain in their own homes. Eligibility includes Medicaid, physician's orders and joint assessment by Social Services and the Health Department.
Raising children without the financial support necessary results in undo hardships for both the custodial parent and the child. The primary goal of Child Support Enforcement is to secure support for All from any person who is legally liable for such support. Child Support Enforcement services are available to persons needing to establish paternity or secure support from another person who is legally responsible for that support. The Child Support Enforcement Area also maintains the child support record for enforcement and modification as needed.
Child Protective Services
investigates suspected child abuse or maltreatment and determines services
necessary to ensure the safety of the child and reduce future risk to the child. Supportive and rehabilitative services are provided to children and families to keep families together and to prevent foster care placement or to return the children from foster care earlier than would otherwise be possible. Adult Protective Services are provided to assist individuals age 18 or older who, because of physical or mental impairments, can not provide for their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter or medical care, or protect themselves from neglect, abuse or hazardous situations; and who have no one willing and able to help in a responsible manner. Youth and their families who are experiencing difficulty with adolescent issues receive services including PINS Diversion (Persons in Need of Supervision) Preventive Services and TASA case management (Teenage Service Act) A Domestic Violence Liaison conducts an assessment and determination regarding the need for waivers for temporary assistance due to safety issues when domestic violence is an issue. Referrals to appropriate services are made as well. Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Heap is a federally funded program designed to help low income households to meet energy costs. Heap payments are generally made in the form of a voucher directly to the energy provider. Heap is divided into two program areas - regular HEAP and emergency HEAP. We insure that the integrity of the Social Service System is not compromised. We accomplish this by alleviating fraud, waste and abuse by Social Service clients and vendors |