Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30A.M. to 4:45 P.M..
Thursday Late Night - Office hours are from 8:30 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. 

Applications for all Public Assistance Programs are taken at this site.

After an application is filed, an appointment will be made for an eligibility interview.  The applicant will be asked to supply documentation to verify the information on the application form.  All household members aged 18 years or older will be finger imaged.  Determination of the application is made within 30 days, and the applicant will be notified of the decision by letter.  Individuals who have an immediate, emergency need will be interviewed on the date of application and the need will be met for those eligible applicants.

Who are NOT eligible for Public Assistance?

  Who are under the age of 18 and not married with a child over 12 weeks of age in their care and who have not successfully completed high school or its equivalent. However, you will satisfy the educational requirement if you are working towards a high school diploma or its equivalent, or participating in an alternative program approved by your worker.

  Who have been convicted in federal court of having made a fraudulent statement or representation with respect to their place of residence in order to receive Temporary Assistance from two or more states. The period of ineligibility is for ten years.

  Who are fleeing to avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement for a crime, or attempts to commit a crime under the laws of the place from which the individual flees. This is true if the crime is a felony under the laws of the place from which the individual flees. In the case of the State of New Jersey, a crime is a high misdemeanor under the laws of such state. 

  Who are violating a condition of probation or parole imposed under federal or state law. 

  Who are illegal aliens, undocumented aliens or aliens with a temporary immigration status.

Temporary Assistance Substance Abuse Treatment Requirements

  all adult applicants/recipients and heads of households be screened for alcohol/drug abuse issues; 

  all adult applicants/recipients and heads of households who screen positive must be assessed (the assessment may include drug testing as a SSD option) by a person who bears an alcohol/substance abuse counselor credential, currently in good-standing, issued by the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) for alcohol/substance abuse problems; and 

  all adult applicants/recipients and heads of households who are determined to be not employable due to alcohol/drug abuse (as determined by the formal assessment) must participate in appropriate alcohol/drug rehabilitation treatment as a condition of eligibility for public assistance. 

Definitions

  Be licensed or certified by OASAS or operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and be determined by the social services official to meet the rehabilitation needs of the individual. 

  Provide the social services district, at a minimum of every three months, a treatment progress report for each public assistance recipient. 

  Request the approval of the social services district responsible for payment prior to changing an individual's level of treatment care. 

What is the purpose of the screening? 

The screening is conducted to identify adult members of households or heads of households who potentially have a alcohol/drug abuse problem that may impact their employability. 

When are public assistance recipients screened for alcohol/substance abuse issues? 

Public assistance recipients (heads of households and all adult members) are screened at time of application and, at a minimum, whenever there is evidence to indicate potential alcohol and/or substance abuse. Social Services Districts may routinely screen public assistance recipients on a schedule determined by the SSD, provided the policy is applied consistently and is no more frequently than every six months. 

Does the social services district use a standardized form to screen individuals? 

Yes, all districts use a screening form (DSS-4571), which was developed by OASAS as required by New York State law. 

If an adult member of a household screens positive, must he/she participate in a formal assessment? 

Yes, if the adult screens positive, they must participate in the formal assessment, or they will be removed from the public assistance case. 

What is the purpose of the formal assessment? 

The formal assessment is to determine if: 

  if the individual is abusing alcohol/drugs; and 

  if abuse is found, whether the individual is able to work or not, and

  if abuse is found and the individual is unable to work because of the abuse, the appropriate level of care. 

If the assessment determines that the individual is not employable as a result of their alcohol/drug abuse problem, must they comply with prescribed treatment? 

Yes, if the individual is determined not employable as a result of their alcohol/drug abuse problem, he/she must comply with appropriate treatment or be removed from the public assistance case.

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