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| | Q.
How do I get medical and dental care if I don’t have any money?
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You can apply for Medicaid, or someone can apply for you on your behalf, at:
Dutchess County Department of Social Services
60 Market Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 – 10:30 AM.
You can also apply at Dutchess County Community Action Partnership. The offices are open 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. (Closed for lunch from 12 noon to 1:00 PM)
An appointment is required. Call (845) 437-0222 to schedule an appointment at a Branch office near you.
POUGHKEEPSIE
84 Cannon Street
RED HOOK
44-46 E. Market Street
DOVER PLAINS
3414 Route 22
BEACON
544 Main Street
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How can I manage my child's asthma?
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The Dutchess County Department of Health has a program called Open Airways designed to help parents and children learn how to manage asthma. Program kits available throught the Mid-Hudson Library System. For more information call the department at (845) 486-3559 or click HERE to visit the website of the American Lung Association.
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| | Q.
What is Project Return?
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A transitioning service for youth at risk, or returning from out-of-home placement. Project Return’s services include two to three times a week life skills group sessions, community service, recreation and advocacy to link youth services, education or job training. Youth must complete six months of participation in the program to receive a diploma. Contact the Dutchess County Youth Bureau at (845) 486-3664 for more information.
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| | Q.
If I am being abused or neglected by my parent, guardian, or another family member (or want to call to report suspected child abuse) can I make a Child Abuse Report? Where can I get help?
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Yes, you can. The toll free hotline telephone number to make a report is 1-800-342-3720. Anyone (including the victim) can make a report and the Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When you call the Hotline you will be asked some questions about the abuse or neglect which has occurred. You do not have to reveal your name. A report can be made on behalf of any youth under the age of 18 years. Once a report is made, it is transmitted to the county (ies) in which the youth and family reside. An investigation into the allegations on the report commences within 24 hours. If you are not sure that what has happened is considered abuse or neglect, make the call anyway. The staff at the Hotline are trained to take the information and make this determination.
There is help available for youth who are being abused or neglected. In addition to making a hotline report, other options include going to the police or going to a trusted adult such as a family member, teacher, counselor or therapist, doctor, foster parent, friend or case manager for help. If you are in imminent danger call 911 or call your local police department for help.
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| | Q.
If I’m being physically or sexually abused or threatened by someone outside of my household where can I go for help? How old do I need to be to press charges against someone?
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The police are the first and foremost resource for anyone being abused or threatened by someone outside of the victim’s household. Some of the police contacts in Dutchess County include the following:
NYS Police Troop K Barracks 677-7300
Dutchess County Sheriff’s Dept. 486-3800
City of Poughkeepsie Police Dept. 451-4000
Town of Poughkeepsie Police Dept. 485-3660
City of Beacon Police Dept. 831-4111
Town of Hyde Park Police Dept. 229-2931
If you have an emergency situation or are in danger of being harmed by someone else, you should dial “911” on the telephone to reach an emergency response dispatcher.
Anyone can make a police report. However, to sign a complaint so the police can take action, you need to be eighteen years old. If you are under age eighteen, your parent must sign for you.
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| | Q.
What if I’m being physically or verbally abused or feel threatened by a boy friend/girl friend?
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If you are being abused or feel threatened by a boyfriend or girlfriend, there are several places to go for help, including the police. Other agencies in the Dutchess County area where help can be found include:
Crime Victims Assistance Program of Family Services - 452-1110
Battered Women's Services of Family Services
- 24-hour hotline 485-5550
Grace Smith House - 471-3033
If you have a Department of Social Services case manager, he or she can help you get the assistance you need. Remember, the first step to getting help is to tell someone about the abusive or threatening situation. If you stay quiet hoping these things will change, the situation is likely to just continue or get worse.
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If I’ve been raped or engaged in sex without consenting what can I do? Do I have to press charges? Do my parents need to know about it if I am under age 18?
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If you are raped or engaged in sex without consenting, help is to be found by calling the police or Crime Victims Assistance Program. Dutchess County also has a Rape Crisis Hotline, which is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and can be reached by calling (845) 452-7272. Services available include crisis intervention, advocacy, referral information, counseling and accompaniment to the hospital, police and / or court.
No, it is your choice about whether to press charges.
Generally for a young adult to receive services from the Crime Victims Assistance Program or the Rape Crisis Hotline a parent does not need to be notified. However, there are some circumstances, about which your parent may need to know. Talk to the person who is assisting you to see whether your parent needs to know and how this can be handled.
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How can I get Public Assistance if I don’t want my parents involved?
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If you are under the age of 21 and you are living with your parents you cannot get public assistance unless they also apply. All of their income and resources would be included in determining the eligibility of the household.
If you are under the age of 21 and living alone you cannot get public assistance unless you are willing to file a support petition against your parents. However, if the Department of Social Services’ Child Protective Services verifies that it would not be safe for you to live with or file petitions against your parents, you could receive public assistance and the Department would find you a supportive living situation until you turn 21.
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If I’m under age 21 am I eligible to receive TANF, Emergency Assistance, Emergency Housing or Medicaid? How would I apply and what would I need to bring?
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You may be eligible for TANF or Emergency Assistance. If you are under 21 and your parents are unwilling to allow you to return home and they are unable or unwilling to support while you are living on your own, the Social Services Department would require you to file a support petition against. both parents as an eligibility requirement. If your parents have been abusive in the past or you fear abuse currently, the Department’s Public Assistance unit would make a referral to Children's Services to assess your situation. If Children’s Services agrees that it would be unsafe for you to return home or file support petitions, the Department would help you locate a supportive living situation, an adult willing to take you in and provide the support needed until you are 21. You would not be eligible for TANF funds unless you were under 19 or you had a child of your own. You would however, be eligible for Safety Net assistance.
Emergency housing is available to anyone who is homeless. The Department would explore all family and community resources before placing anyone in a homeless shelter.
You would be eligible for Medicaid, but the same rules apply for filing support petitions against your parents.
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| | Q.
If I am under 21 am I eligible to receive Medicaid?
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Individuals under 21 are eligible to apply for Medicaid. If they are under 21 and living with their parents, their own income and their parents’ income and resources would also be taken into account. If they are NOT living with a parent only their own circumstances would be used to determine eligibility. However, they would be required to file for Medical Support against each parent.
For the new (10/02) Family Planning Benefit Program, (FPBP) if an individual under 21 years of age does not have access to parental financial information or doesn’t want their parents to know about the application for this program, the Department will determine eligibility based on the child’s income. The Department of Social Services (60 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY) will NOT require the applicant to file for medical support against his/her parents.
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If I am under 21 and have a child, does it change the eligibility for the above (i.e. Medicaid) and what do I need to bring in as proof of eligibility?
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No, however, you will have to cooperate in obtaining medical support from the child’s absent parent. You will need to furnish:
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Birth Certificate(s)
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Social Security Card(s)
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Marriage Certificate
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Divorce Papers
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Death Certificate
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Proof of income (4 weeks wages, if employed). If self employed, last income tax returns and copies of current ledgers
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Proof of resources (bank book, checking account statements, life insurance policies, stocks, bonds, etc.)
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Proof of shelter expenses (rent receipt, mortgage statement, fuel bills, electric bills, taxes, water bills, etc.)
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Proof of health insurance (policy number, amount of premium, insurance carrier, etc.)
For the new (10/02) Family Planning Benefit Program (FPBP), if an individual under 21 years of age does not have access to parental financial information or doesn’t want their parents to know about their application for this program, the Department will determine eligibility based on the child’s income. The Department of Social Services (60 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY) will NOT require the applicant to file for Medical Support against her parents.
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How would I apply for assistance such as TANF, Emergency Assistance, Emergency Housing or Medicaid and what would I need to bring?
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You can apply for assistance by appearing at the Dutchess County Department of Social Services’ office at 60 Market Street, Poughkeepsie any morning at 8:30. You will need to complete an application for assistance. The Public Assistance division interviews that day anyone who applies between 8:30 AM and 12:00 PM. Anyone who appears after noon is asked to return the next day prior to noon. The Department keeps the application to preserve the date. If an emergency exists that cannot be met without an interview, or if the individual works or has transportation issues, the Public Assistance division will interview that individual in the afternoon. All applicants are seen on a first come first served basis unless they have a medical reason not to be able to wait.
You will need to bring the identification described in the Basic Identification section of this guide as well as proof or verification of:
- Income - both earned and unearned
- Resources - bank accounts, vehicles, trust funds, etc.
- Residence
- Household Composition
- Shelter expenses
- Fuel and/or utility expenses
- Information about any legally responsible relatives
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If I am under 21 can I choose to leave foster care?
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Yes, after age eighteen you may choose to sign yourself out of foster care. However, you may be encouraged to stay in foster care even after age 18 so that you may continue your education while in a safe structured setting and perhaps save some money to give yourself the best start possible when you do leave foster care. Once age twenty-one is reached, you must leave foster care. Youth between the age of 18 and 21 who remain in foster care must be in an educational, vocational or work program.
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Is there such a thing as a trial discharge from foster care?
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For youth being discharged to independent living, a trial discharge period is generally planned by the Department of Social Services. This is a period during which a youth has been discharged from foster care but remains in the custody of the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services and continues to participate in case management services. The trial discharge period usually lasts for six months, but can be longer. There may be some circumstances where a trial discharge period is not planned, for example if custody is terminated by a court order or the youth does not agree to accept services.
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If I leave foster care to live on my own can I return to foster care if things don’t work out?
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If you are still in the trial discharge period it is possible to re-enter foster care. However, after the trial discharge period is complete, the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services loses custody. Once a youth is age 18, the Department can no longer file a petition in family court to request custody, so there would be no way to place the youth back into foster care.
Even after the completion of the trial discharge period, if you are having difficulty in some area of your life, for example housing or finances, you may contact your former case manager who can provide guidance or advocacy.
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If I leave foster care am I eligible for Medicaid, financial support, or any other help?
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When you leave foster care, you are eligible for Medicaid for 12 months after the last time your Medicaid case was re-certified. Your foster care case manager can tell you the date your Medicaid will expire, and also inform you of other options for medical coverage such as Child Health Plus or Family Health Plus. On going assistance with Medicaid, financial support through Public Assistance, Food Stamps or HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) is based on income eligibility. This means that your income must be below certain dollar amounts to qualify. To find out if you qualify and to obtain assistance, you must fill out a Department of Social Services application form and come into the office for an interview. Applications are available at the Dutchess County Department of Social Services, 60 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, and phone # (845) 486-3000.
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If I stay in foster care and I am accepted into college, how will I pay for my education?
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Foster children who are attending college generally pay for their education through government financial aid programs, education loans and scholarships. The Foster Care unit at Dutchess County Department of Social Services cannot pay for college tuition. However, case managers and foster parents can help you explore the options available to fund your education, and every college has a financial aid office whose staff can be a resource to explore options for payment. For youth who plan to attend college and live on campus, the Department of Social Services can pay room and board to the college, up to the dollar amount a foster parent would get.
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What are the eligibility criteria for the Community Solutions for Transportation Program?
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The eligibility criteria for the Community Solutions for Transportation Program are:
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the applicant must be financially responsible for a minor child who is under the age of 18 or under the age of 19 and attending secondary school or an equivalent level of vocational or technical training, and
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the applicant must be in receipt of Family Assistance through the Department of Social Services or have income less than 200% of the poverty level, and
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the applicant must have a have a work-related transportation need.
Generally, minor-age children without children of their own are not eligible for TANF services. The best thing to do is to apply for the CST service and the program administrator will determine your eligibility.
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Printable version
Youth Services