When you apply for public assistance you will be asked to provide proof or verification of several identification factors. They include:

• Identity (one form of photo ID if available, otherwise 2 forms of non-photo ID - For example, notarized statements from people who can identify you),
• age,
• social security number,
• citizenship and
• marital status.

The goal of the Child Support Enforcement Unit of the Department of Social Services is to ensure that legally responsible persons, to the best of their ability, contribute toward the support of their children.  Call the customer service helpline at (888) 208-4485 or visit www.newyorkchildsupport.com. 

Yes, there are certain TANF funded job training programs available for people who are TANF eligible.  You can find out about the current programs being funded by contacting Dutchess County BOCES, and the New York State Department of Department of Labor. 

If you are under 21, not living with your parents/guardian and have no children of your own you are not eligible for TANF funded services.

The Food Stamp Program helped put food on the table for some 10.3 million households and 23.9 million individuals each day in Fiscal Year 2004. It provides low-income households with coupons or electronic benefits they can use like cash at most grocery stores to ensure that they have access to a healthy diet. The Food Stamp Program is the cornerstone of the Federal food assistance programs, and provides crucial support to needy households and to those making the transition from welfare to work. It provided an average of $2.1 billion a month in benefits in Fiscal Year 2004.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers the Food Stamp Program at the Federal level through its Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). State agencies administer the program at State and local levels, including determination of eligibility and allotments, and distribution of benefits.

Households must meet eligibility requirements and provide information – and verification -- about their household circumstances. U.S. citizens and some aliens who are admitted for permanent residency may qualify. The welfare reform act of 1996 ended eligibility for many legal immigrants, though Congress later restored benefits to many children and elderly immigrants, as well as some specific groups. The welfare reform act also placed time limits on benefits for unemployed, able-bodied, childless adults.

Local food stamp offices can provide information about eligibility, and USDA operates a toll-free number (800-221-5689) for people to receive information about the Food Stamp Program. Most states also have a toll free information/hotline number.

To participate in the Food Stamp Program:

• Households may have no more than $2,000 in countable resources, such as a bank account ($3,000 if at least one person in the household is age 60 or older, or is disabled). Certain resources are not counted, such as a home and lot. Special rules are used to determine the resource value of vehicles owned by household members.
• The gross monthly income of most households must be 130 percent or less of the Federal poverty guidelines ($1,698 per month for a family of three in most places, effective Oct. 1, 2004 through Sept. 30, 2005). Gross income includes all cash payments to the household, with a few exceptions specified in the law or the program regulations.
• Net monthly income must be 100 percent or less of Federal poverty guidelines ($1,306 per month for a household of three in most places, effective Oct. 1, 2004 through Sept. 30, 2005). Net income is figured by adding all of a household's gross income, and then taking a number of approved deductions for child care, some shelter costs and other expenses. Households with an elderly or disabled member are subject only to the net income test.
• Most able-bodied adult applicants must meet certain work requirements.
• All household members must provide a Social Security number or apply for one.

Federal poverty guidelines are established by the Office of Management and Budget, and are updated annually by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Our new pre-screening tool will tell you whether you might be eligible for food stamps, and how much you might be eligible to receive, so you can see whether it would be worth your while to go to the local food stamp office and apply.

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance website provides detailed information about the Food Stamp (FS) Program.
    

Eligible households are issued a monthly allotment of food stamps based on the Thrifty Food Plan, a low-cost model diet plan. The TFP is based on National Academy of Sciences’ Recommended Dietary Allowances, and on food choices of low-income households.

An individual household's food stamp allotment is equal to the maximum allotment for that household's size, less 30 percent of the household's net income. Households with no countable income receive the maximum allotment ($393 per month in Fiscal Year 2005 for a household of three people). Allotment levels are higher for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, reflecting higher food prices in those areas.

USDA is committed to integrity in all of its nutrition assistance programs, and has put special emphasis on the Food Stamp Program because of its size and importance. However, in a program as large as the Food Stamp Program, it may be inevitable that some people will try to cheat the system.

The Department has already taken a number of steps to make it easier to catch and punish people who misuse food stamp benefits. The welfare reform act of 1996 included several provisions, originally proposed by USDA, to more closely scrutinize food retailers who apply for food stamp authorization, and to more closely monitor retailers once they are participating in the program. Retailers who violate program rules can face heavy fines, removal from the program, or jail. Individual food stamp recipients who sell their benefits can also be removed from the program.

One of the most promising developments in the fight against food stamp fraud has been the increasing use of electronic benefit transfer--EBT--to issue food stamp benefits. EBT uses a plastic card similar to a bank debit card to transfer funds from a food stamp benefits account to a retailer's account. With an EBT card, food stamp customers pay for groceries without any paper coupons changing hands. EBT eliminates paper food stamps and creates an electronic record for each transaction that makes fraud easier to detect.

If your EBT card is lost or stolen, you should report it IMMEDIATELY by calling your State’s toll-free customer service number. A new card will be reissued to you within 2-5 days.

Any benefits that you have remaining in your Food Stamp EBT account at the end of the month WILL be carried over into the next month.

However, if you have not used your EBT card at all for one year, the State will begin the process of permanently removing your food stamp benefits from your EBT account. There are also some States that will begin permanently removing your benefits after 9 months of inactivity to your account. Please refer to the State training materials you received at certification to find out if your State permanently removes benefits after 9 months or after one year.

As part of the commitment to program integrity, USDA works closely with the States to ensure that they issue their benefits correctly. State workers carefully evaluate each application to determine eligibility and the appropriate level of benefits. USDA monitors the accuracy of eligibility and benefit determinations. States that fail to meet standards for issuing their food stamp benefits correctly can be sanctioned by USDA, and those that exceed the standard for payment accuracy can be eligible for additional funding support. People who receive food stamp benefits in error must repay any benefits for which they did not qualify.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

There is a great need for more foster homes and more adoptive applicants for school age children. Foster parent requirements include:

• Attending one of our monthly Orientation Meetings
• You must be at least 21 years old
• You can be married, single, or living in partnership.
• Have your own source of income (job, public assistance, or Social Security)
• Have a bed for each child
• Have working smoke detectors
• Provide a safe and healthy home
• Each person in the home 18 years or older must be fingerprinted
• Each person in the home 18 years or older must be cleared through the Child Abuse Registry

See our brochure on how to become a foster parent or contact us at the following numbers for more information:

     (845) 486-3086
     (845) 486-3069
     (845) 486-3071

Call the Department of Social Services Fraud Hotline 1-800-936-3728.

Go to the Department of Social Services located at 60 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, New York or call them at (845) 486-3000 to discuss your needs and services available.  You can also use the NYS Office of Temporary Assistance website at https://www.mybenefits.ny.gov/selfservice/ to see if you are eligible for these benefits.

The Department of Social Services is located at 60 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, New York.  Doors open at 8:30 A.M. and applications are accepted on a first come first served basis.  (There are some exceptions due to emergencies and staff size.)   The department DOES NOT schedule appointments.

The following information is required: verification of identity, date of birth, marital status, citizenship/alien status, social security number, residence, shelter, income and resources.  Please call the department at (845) 486-3000 so that they can help you to determine what documents to bring.

You can give someone written permission to apply for you.  You may also be able to go to a clinic to apply, if you are pregnant, or, you can schedule an appointment with Dutchess County Community Action at (845) 452-5104.

You can call the Medicaid office at (845) 486-3340.

Many types of services are available through the Department of Social Services, 60 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, New York.  The department also maintains adequate knowledge of community services to act as a referral source.  See the Department of Social Services' annual report, come to our office, or call us at (845) 486-3000 to discuss your needs and services available.

This is a question that is not easily answered.  Please see our annual report on our web site, come to our office at 60 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, New York, or call us at (845) 486-3000 to discuss your needs and services available. 

You can find more specific eligibility information at the State Department of Health's (SDOH) website: http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/.

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.

No, however, you will have to cooperate in obtaining medical support from the child’s absent parent.  You will need to furnish:

• Birth Certificate(s)
• Social Security Card(s)
• Marriage Certificate
• Divorce Papers
• Death Certificate
• Proof of income (4 weeks wages, if employed).  If self employed, last income tax returns and copies of current ledgers
• Proof of resources (bank book, checking account statements, life insurance policies, stocks, bonds, etc.)
• Proof of shelter expenses (rent receipt, mortgage statement, fuel bills, electric bills, taxes, water bills, etc.)
• 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.

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

The Medicaid eligibility worker at the Department of Social Services will determine if you are eligible for any Medicaid program including the FPBP.  Be sure to notify your interviewer at Social Services if you need the application to remain confidential and designate an alternate mailing address if you don’t want correspondence to go to your home address.

Look in the newspapers, go on the Internet, search community bulletin boards, ask friends.

You must be 21.

You may apply for assistance at the Dutchess County Department of Social Services 60 Market Street Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Your situation will be evaluated and a decision made on your eligibility.

Stay with a friend temporarily and attempt counseling. Resources available to you depends on your age.  Call the Department of Social Services at (845) 486-3000 to discuss your needs.

You may apply for assistance at the Dutchess County Department of Social Services 60 Market Street Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Your situation will be evaluated and a decision made on your eligibility.

Yes.

You may apply for assistance at the Dutchess County Department of Social Services 60 Market Street Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Each situation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

It may be true, depending on the situation. They or you would need to come in and file an application at the Department of Social Services, 60 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY.

It may be true depending on the circumstances.

Contact the Department of Social Services at: 60 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, Voice (845) 486-3000   Fax (845) 486-3090.  After hours, call Community Action at (845) 437-0050.

The Department of Social Services also administers H.E.A.P.- Home Energy Assistance Program- a federally funded seasonal program intended to assist low-income households in meeting their energy expenses.  Call Dutchess County Heap Department  (845) 486-3249 for more information. 

As long as you are willing to file a support petition in Family Court against each parent, you may be eligible for assistance. The Department of Social Services (60 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY) will contact your parents and verify that they cannot or will not support you or provide you with a home. If this is verified, the Department will assist you in filing support petitions and provide you with public assistance. If you cannot file petitions for fear of your safety, the Department of Social Services will refer you to its Children's Services Unit to assess this and to locate alternate supportive housing.

Wanting to leave and needing to leave are different. If you are under 21 and "want" to leave, the Department of Social Services (60 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY)will not provide you with the assistance to do so. The Department will deny you assistance and suggest that you return to your parents. If you are under 21 and "need" to leave due to a bad living situation such as drugs or domestic violence, the Department will refer you to its Children's Services Unit (845) 486-3012 to assess your claim and assist you in any locating alternate supportive housing. In most cases the Department will not set you up in a private apartment while you are under 21. 

Adoption and birth records are confidential but there is a New York State Adoption Information Registry at the New York State Department of Health, PO Box 2602, Albany NY 12220 (518) 474-9600.  Click Here to visit their web site which can provide some assistance for an adoptee who was born and adopted in New York.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Crime Victims Assistance Program offers many kinds of assistance to victims of crime and can be a source of support, advocacy and information.  The Crime Victims Assistance Program 24-Hour Hotline is (845) 452-1110.  See also our Victims' Resources and Services webpage for more information.

Adult Protective Services offers assistance to people 18 years of age and older.  There are three criteria for getting assistance; the adult must have a physical or mental impairment, must have at least one or more un-met need and have no one else available to responsibly assist them in meeting the need.

Adult Protective Services offers many types of assistance including case management and advocacy services, financial management and help with housing issues.

To make a referral for Adult Protective Services, a call should be made to the Department of Social Services in the county in which the client resides.  In Dutchess County the number to call is (845) 486-3300. After a referral is accepted, an assessment is completed to determine whether the client meets the eligibility criteria and requires on going assistance.  Assistance may be given during the assessment period to resolve the presenting problem(s) or to connect the client to other appropriate services in the community.  At the conclusion of the assessment period, which can take up to 60 days, the case will either be closed or opened for on going case management and advocacy services.

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.

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.

You would be eligible for TANF funds rather than Safety Net funds. Otherwise, the same eligibility criteria apply. You would also be expected to file a support petition against the father of each of your children.

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

The eligibility criteria for the Community Solutions for Transportation Program are:

• 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
• 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
• 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.