Pay for Child Care, HEAP, Medicaid, Snap/Food Stamps, or Temporary Assistance
NOTE: OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER’S INFORMATION IS FOR PARTNERS OF DSS-ES & IS NOT DIRECTED FOR THE PUBLIC OR REGARDING INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC BENEFITS AND SERVICES.
THANK YOU
Commissioners Office
John H. Mulroy Civic Center
421 Montgomery St.
Syracuse NY, 13202
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.
TEMPORARY ABSENCE COVERAGE PERIODS:
March 16th through March 31st: Up to 15 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
April 1st-April 30th: Up to 30 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
May 1st-May 31st: Up to 22 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
June 1st-June 30th: Up to 22 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
July 1st-July 31st: Up to 22 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
August 1st-August 31st: Up to 22 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
Effective 9/1/20, the waiver for temporary absences has ended. Temporary absences will no longer be covered by the child care subsidy program.
Effective 1/1/21, the waiver for temporary absences has been reinstated.
January 1, 2021-January 31, 2021: Up to 20 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
February 1, 2021-February 28, 2021: Up to 20 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
March 1, 2021-March 31, 2021: Up to 20 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
April 1, 2021-April 30, 2021: Up to 20 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
May 1, 2021-May 31, 2021: Up to 20 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
June 1, 2021-June 30, 2021: Up to 20 days of absences for a subsidy approved child.
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.
Expand Allowable Closure Days due to a Positive COVID Exposure
Up to 20 days may be paid to eligible providers that are closed due to the effects of COVID-19 positive exposure.
Days will be paid for active recipients and not applicants for Childcare Subsidy
Days will be paid only to providers that were open and operating in the last 90 days and recently closed or partially closed due to a positive COVID test at their facility—Verification would need to be submitted with date established for reopening.
PAYMENT OF PROGRAM CLOSURES WILL APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM TYPES:
Day Care Center, Group Family Day Care, Family Day Care, and School Age Child Care.
Up to 20 days: March 1, 2021-June 30, 2021(End date may be extended).
RECERTIFICATION PERIODS 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 if not already processed. Child care benefits will continue to be provided during this extended redetermination period.
If your case was scheduled to be recertified by March 31, 2020, and did not get processed, your case must now be recertified by April 30, 2020. Your benefits WILL END if you do not recertify.
If your case was scheduled to recertify by April 30, 2020, and did not get processed, your case must now be recertified by May 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 June 30, 2020. Your benefits WILL END if you do not recertify.
If your case was scheduled to recertify by June 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 July 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.
If your case was scheduled to recertify by August 31, 2020, and did not get processed, your case must now be recertified by September 30, 2020. Your benefits WILL END if you do not recertify.
Effective 9/1/20, the extension for recertification period has ended. If your case needs to be recertified by 9/30/20, your benefits will end if you do not recertify and provide all requested documents by 9/30/20.
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 from March 16th through August 31, 2020 (End date may be extended).
The family share waiver has ended for September. Beginning the week of 9/7/20, the subsidy recipient will be required to pay the family share. DSS Child Care Subsidy will cover the family share for the week of 8/31/20.
Effective 1/1/21, The Family Share (a parent/caretakers contribution toward the cost of care) is waived for those families who have been impacted by COVID-19. The Family Share will be covered by DSS Child Care Subsidy for subsidy eligible families the first full week in January, starting 1/3/21 through 6/30/21 (End date may be extended).
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. This waiver has been extended through 6/30/21 (End date may be extended).
