Welcome to the Onondaga County
Department of Social Services – Economic Security
Key Information for the Public in need of or in receipt of Public Benefits during the Covid-19 pandemic:
Temporary Assistance/Emergency Assistance/SNAP/HEAP/DAYCARE
People are asked to call 315-435-2700 if they want to apply for any of the above programs. The public is asked to only come to the Civic Center in an emergency. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Clients can also email us paperwork through a link on the DSS-ES website at http://www.ongov.net/dss/
People applying for SNAP benefits (food stamps) can apply by going to mybenefits.ny.gov.
LDSS-5165 (Rev. 3/20)
NOTICE TO ALL RECIPIENTS OF
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or
Temporary Assistance Cash Benefits (TA) with
Medicaid (MA)
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is automatically extending certain TA/MA/SNAP and SNAP only recertifications scheduled to expire in March, April and May for a period of three (3) months (see below). The COVID-19 pandemic prevented some households from submitting recertification forms in a timely manner.
For the certification periods ending 3/31/20, 4/30/20 and 5/31/20, a three (3) month extension of SNAP or TA/MA/SNAP benefits has been approved for cases throughout the State.
March Recertifications: Only cases whose certification periods were scheduled to end in March 2020 and were NOT processed for recertification have been extended. If your recertification was processed and the district determined your case to be no longer eligible for SNAP or TA/MA/SNAP benefits due to excess income, failure to provide required documentation or another reason, your household was not eligible for an extension. Those cases eligible for the extension will automatically be authorized for three (3) additional months of SNAP or TA/MA/SNAP benefits, allowing time for a recertification determination to be made.
If your case was scheduled to recertify by March 31, 2020, and did not get processed, your case must now be recertified by June 30, 2020. Your benefits WILL END if you do not recertify
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If your case was scheduled to recertify by April 30, 2020, and did not get processed, your case must now be recertified by July 31, 2020. Your benefits WILL END if you do not recertify.
If your case was scheduled to recertify by May 31, 2020, and did not get processed, your case must now be recertified by August 31, 2020. Your benefits WILL END if you do not recertify.
Child Support
All Child Support appointments at the Civic Center have been cancelled. If you have a previously scheduled appointment, a Child Support employee will contact you to conduct a phone interview.
Anyone with questions should call 315-435-6839. If you would like to email us documents, send to ChildSupportDocs@dfa.state.ny.us
Medicaid/Chronic Care
- If you have questions about your open Medicaid in Community or Chronic Care case, please call 315-435-2928
Applying for Medicaid:
- If under 65 and not certified disabled, call NYSOH at 1-855-355-5777 or apply online at nystateofhealth.ny.gov
- If 65 or older, and/or certified disabled, mail an application to the Medicaid office at 600 S. State St., 7th fl. KOB, Syracuse, NY 13202 or email it to: Medicaid Community - MACOMMDocs@dfa.state.ny.us
- If you need to apply for Nursing Home or Home Care services, mail an application to the Medicaid office at 600 S. State St. 6th fl. KOB, Syracuse, NY 13202 or email to: Medicaid Nursing Home & Home Care- MACCDocs@dfa.state.ny.us
- You may request an application be mailed to you by calling 315-435-2928 and leaving a message. You may download a Medicaid application at NYS Medicaid Application/Health Insurance Application- Health.NY.gov.
Indigent Burials
Anyone requesting an indigent burial needs to call 315-380-0948 for information or go to this website: http://www.ongov.net/dss/documents/2016IndigentBurialInformationandApplication.pdf
JOBSplus! (Temporary Assistance Employment)
JOBSplus! Clients should not come in, but please call (315) 442-3242 and we will connect you to a staff person to assist you. All JOBSplus! appointments will be conduct over the phone. A JOBSplus! employee will contact you.
Day Care Subsidy Application Process
Day Care Unit contact information
Address: 421 Montgomery St – 5th Fl, Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: 315-435-5683 or 315-435-2700 prompt #4
Fax: 315-435-5682
Email Address: daycaredocs@dfa.state.ny.us
Website: http://www.ongov.net/dss/dayCare.html
Where can the application be obtained?
- Online at http://www.ongov.net/dss/dayCare.html (bottom half of the page)
- Call us at 315-435-5683 and we can mail you one.
- Applications are also available at Social Services. Currently, we recommend calling or visiting the website.
How can I submit my completed application and/or other necessary documentation for my case?
- Mail the application to 421 Montgomery St – 5th Fl, Syracuse, NY 13202
- Fax the application to 315-435-5682
- Email the application to daycaredocs@dfa.state.ny.us
- Drop the application in the DSS drop-box located on State Street (outside of the KOB).
- Bring the application in to Social Services and deliver by hand. Currently, we recommend utilizing one of the other methods of submittal above.
Do I need to complete a face-to-face interview?
- No interview is needed to process a day care subsidy application. The application and relevant documentation are all that is needed.
How long does the application process take?
- Regulations state applications must be processed within 30 days of receipt. We do our best to process applications quickly and will continue to do everything we can to provide timely decisions, given the circumstances.
ONONDAGA COUNTY
TEMPORARY CHILD CARE SUBSIDY POLICY CHANGES FOR FAMILIES AND PROVIDERS IMPACTED BY COVID-19
TEMPORARY SUBSIDY ABSENCE PAYMENT POLICY
Onondaga County DSS will make subsidy payments to the following eligible providers that remained operating during the recovery period on behalf of a child who is temporarily absent from child care due to extenuating circumstances resulting from the child or parent being quarantined due to the effects of COVID-19. The maximum total number of paid absences will be 15 days through March 31st, 2020 (the number of absences and end date will be expanded/extended with additional waiver requests to OCFS to cover the duration of the pandemic). Payment of absences will apply to the following program types: Day Care Center, Group Family Day Care, Family Day Care, and School Age Child Care. Providers should clearly note, in CCTA or on attendance sheets, the days the child was scheduled to be in care but was not due to illness. This includes families that are self-quarantined to slow the spread or no longer working because the employer has temporarily closed due to Covid-19.
RECERTIFICATION PERIOD EXTENDED
Families not currently receiving Temporary Assistance that are due to have their child care subsidy benefit redetermined have been allowed an additional 30 days to complete their recertification. Child care benefits will continue to be provided during this extended redetermination period through 4/30/20 or until further notice.
FAMILY SHARE WAIVED FOR THOSE IMPACTED
The Family Share (a parent/caretakers contribution toward the cost of care) is now waived for those families who have been impacted by COVID-19.
INCOME GUIDELINES TEMPORARILY INCREASED (ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL)
This income standard increase applies to employees considered “essential personnel” only. The income guidelines used to determine if a family is income-eligible for the subsidy program has been temporarily increased from 200% of the Federal Poverty Level up to 85% of the State Median Income.
Mobile Document Upload
Onondaga County Department of Social Services-Ecominic Security (DSS-ES) is pleased to inform county residents that a free mobile device application, called NYDocSubmit, is available for individuals to use to submit necessary documents at any time. This mobile application provides individuals who have applied for or are receiving DSS benefits to submit documentation to the DSS in a simple and fast way. The mobile application is available for download on Google PlayTM or the Apple App Store TM and can be used to take photos of documents and upload them to Onondaga County DS-ES. During this time of restrictions, having the ability to submit necessary documentation from the comfort of home is essential to continue supporting families in Onondaga County.
Food Pantries and Meal sites:
https://foodbankcny.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=88f8058d6e194e54a22c2c7f75ad842e
2020-2021 Onondaga County Employment Plan
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