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Suffolk DSS Rental Supplement Program for individuals and families experiencing homelessness

RSP Flyer Single 01.03.24 RSP Flyer families 01.03.24

The Public Health Emergency Has Ended!

The Public Health Emergency Has Ended! New York State has begun the process of resuming annual renewals for Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan. Anyone […]

May 2023 Public Benefits Alert!

Public Benefits Alert! As of May 12th, 2023, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) updated its policy pertaining to non-citizens who are considered permanently residing […]

HEAP Benefits Update: 2022-2023 Cooling Assistance benefit is scheduled to open SOON!

The Emergency and Second Emergency HEAP benefit for 2022-2023 closed on April 28th, 2023. The 2022-2023 Cooling Assistance benefit is scheduled to open on May 1, 2023. If […]

SECOND Emergency HEAP benefit of 2022-2023 opened on February 27, 2023!

The 2022-2023 SECOND Emergency benefit opened on February 27, 2023. If you are eligible, the Emergency HEAP Benefit can help you heat your home if you […]

Emergency Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Benefit Open as of January 3, 2023

The 2022-2023 Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefit opened on January 3, 2023. If you are eligible, the Emergency HEAP Benefit can help you heat […]

New Medicare Enrollment Rule as per January 2023

New Medicare Enrollment Rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services! Beginning in January 2023, the rule establishes several new special enrollment periods (SEPs) that allow […]

2023 Update on SNAP “skimming” scams!

Do you have a client who had their SNAP or cash benefits stolen due to a “skimming” scam? Fraudsters “skim” credit and debit card information by secretly […]

Medicaid Changes for 2023!

Medicaid Changes for 2023: (1) The Medicaid Income Eligibility level for people 65 and over and people with disabilities will rise to 138% of the federal […]

The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) started new program year on October 1, 2022

The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) started its new program year on October 1, 2022. LIHWAP helps low income households pay the cost of […]

Update on Pandemic EBT Food Benefits

Update on Pandemic EBT Food Benefits. New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) will continue issuing the emergency benefits at least through February 2023. All […]

Update for Medicaid Recipients!

Medicaid recipients be on alert! The Public Health Emergency has been extended until January 11, 2023. One of the many moratoriums in place during the Covid-19 pandemic […]

Housing Update regarding 2022 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Benefits

The 2022-2023 Regular Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefit is scheduled to open on November 1, 2022. If you are eligible, you may receive one regular HEAP […]

Update on Pandemic EBT Food Benefits

Update on Pandemic EBT Food Benefits. New York State continues to distribute Pandemic EBT food benefits to all households with eligible children who receive free school lunch […]

Updates on income that can’t be counted for Medicaid or SSI financial eligibility

Updates on income that can’t be counted for Medicaid or SSI financial eligibility. ‏‏‎ ‎ Economic Impact Payments (EIP) (stimulus payments) first authorized by the CARES ACT […]

SNAP standard allowances will be adjusted effective October 1st, 2022.

The standard allowance for: heating/cooling has been adjusted from $792 to $932. Electricity utility costs not for heat/cooling has been adjusted from $311 to $366 Telephone […]

New Electric and Natural Gas Bill Relief Program

Electric and Natural Gas Bill Relief Program! In the 2022-23 state budget, New York provided $250 million in funding to eliminate pandemic-related utility arrears for residential households, […]

Increased Income Eligibility Levels for Child Care Assistance

Higher income levels eligible for Child Care Assistance! Starting August 1 2022, households with incomes up to 300% of the State Income Standard are eligible for the […]

May 2022- Medicaid Renewal Updates

Medicaid Renewal Updates: During the COVID-19 emergency, no Medicaid cases will be closed for failure to renew or failure to provide documentation. Any case that is closed for […]

2021-2022 Cooling Assistance Benefit

Cooling Assistance Benefit- The 2021-2022 Cooling Assistance benefit opened May 2, 2022. If you are eligible, you may receive one Cooling Assistance benefit per applicant household for […]

Public Assistance Standard of Need and Medicaid Levels 2022 Chart

  Please see our updated, as of June 2022, Public Assistance and Medicaid Levels Chart 2022

Attention Medicaid recipients: The Public Health Emergency has been extended

Medicaid recipients be on alert! The Public Health Emergency has been extended until July 13, 2022. One of the many moratoriums in place during the Covid-19 pandemic […]

Deadline to apply for Community-Based Long Term Care without a lookback period is quickly approaching!

Deadline to apply for Community-Based Long Term Care without a lookback period is quickly approaching! Applications filed for Medicaid  in order to obtain any community-based long term care service […]

Am I Eligible for WIC?

Visit the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services to find out if you are eligible for WIC Benefits: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/frequently-asked-questions

How do I apply for SNAP Benefits?

Apply Online The State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance recently announced that Nassau and Suffolk County residents can now apply directly for food stamps online […]

How can I apply for Public Benefits?

ONLINE Use this Online Pre Screening website to see if you qualify for any of the following benefits: https://www.mybenefits.ny.gov/mybenefits/begin Help with buying food Temporary Assistance (TA) […]

Lump Sum Payments

A lump-sum payment is a one-time only payment such as an insurance settlement, a lawsuit settlement, an inheritance, lottery winnings, or retroactive Social Security Disability benefits […]

Information for Welfare to Work Recipients – Suffolk County

Medical Coverage Medicaid will cover children under 19. Income levels are based on the child’s age. Spend Downs are always available for children over income. Resources (bank accounts, […]

What is a SNAP Household?

A SNAP household can be a person living alone, or a group of people living together (they do not have to be related) who buy food […]

Earned Income Disregard

Can I earn money and receive public assistance? Maybe, because of “earned income disregards”, the Department of Social Services (DSS) will not count some of what […]

Fair Hearings – Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Website

Visit the OTDA Website for Information on the following topics: Fair Hearings How to Request a Fair Hearing Request an Adjournment or Reopening How to Cancel […]

Earned Income Tax Credit

The Earned Income Tax Credit, EITC or EIC, is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. To qualify, you must meet certain requirements […]

Prescreen for SNAP Eligibility Online

Use this website as prescreening tool to find out if you are eligible to receive: Help with buying food Temporary Assistance (TA) Special tax credits Home […]

What are “Expedited SNAP” benefits?

What are Expedited Food Stamps and how do I know if I am eligible for them? Expedited Food Stamps are food stamps you can get quickly. […]

Public Benefits for Immigrants

Immigrants and their children may be eligible for a variety of public benefits, depending on their status, length of time in the United States and other […]

What is an authorized representative?

What is an authorized representative? Applying for Food Stamps; Completing Work Registration forms; Buying food for your household with your Food Stamps. The representative should be […]