Overview of the Economic Self-Sufficiency Program for Community Partners

What is the Economic Self-Sufficiency Program? Medicaid Food Assistance Temporary Cash Assistance Technology

Food Assistance (FA) Program The Food Assistance Program is available to any single person or family who has met the federal technical and income qualifications.

Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) TCA is available to families with children under 18 (19 if full time student) who qualify for benefits that are based on technical, income, and asset factors. TCA is available to pregnant women in their third trimester who cannot work, or any pregnant women in her ninth month who qualify for benefits that are based on income, technical, and asset limits.

Medicaid Families, or caretakers with children within a certain degree of relation may qualify for Medicaid. Recipients must meet technical, income, and asset requirements. Disabled and aged persons may also be eligible for Medicaid programs

What is the criteria for eligibility? In order to receive assistance an individual has to meet certain criteria (i.e.: technical requirements, assets, work registrations, income).

What are technical requirements? Identity Citizenship Residency Social Security Numbers

What about Child Support? Custodial parents and custodial relatives must cooperate with Child Support Enforcement (CSE) to become eligible. If they do not cooperate, household members may not receive assistance.

What is income? Income includes: wages, tips, child support, alimony, social security, TCA, veteran’s payments, etc. All income must be reported and verified.

What are assets? Countable assets vary by program (for the SNAP household, assets do not count for most). Assets may include vehicle’s, bank accounts, life insurance, credit union accounts, and retirement accounts Some excluded assets are: homestead property and personal property All assets are counted at their net worth, i.e. vehicles which are not totally paid for.

What happens following submissions? Web applications are received by the ACCESS Florida System and assigned to a worker, who determines eligibility If additional information is needed, the worker will send the customer a letter requesting the information along with a due date The customer will also be contacted regarding the necessity of an interview

ACCESS FLORIDA WEBSITE

Processing Time Standards Processing time standards begin when the application is received by DCF Web Applications sent after the close of business are counted as received on the next business day The following time standards are used:  30 days for FA  7 days for Expedited FA  30 days for TCA and Medicaid  90 days for Disability Determinations

Customer Questions Customers may access account information on-line by using “My ACCESS Customer inquiries can also be directed to the Automated Response Unit and/or Customer Call Center Community Partners should not answer questions regarding case status or benefits

Customer Call Center If there are questions regarding the application process, the Customer Call Center ( ) has agents to answer customer questions during business hours.

Community Partners

Partner Questions Partner policy questions should be directed to your local DCF Community Partner Liaison

Additional questions? Please note that this presentation is not all inclusive. Determining eligibility remains the sole responsibility of the Department of Children and Families. No customer should be denied the right to apply based on potential ineligibility.