Cash Assistance

Temporary Assistance is a financial assistance program that offers temporary help to individuals and families on a short-termed basis until the household is able to achieve self-sufficiency. The programs are Family Assistance for families with minor children and Safety Net Assistance for individuals, childless couples, and households who have met their 60-month time limit.

Family Assistance (FA)

Family Assistance (FA) provides cash assistance to eligible families in need that have minor children living with a parent or caretaker. It operates under the TANF guidelines with time limits of five years.

Safety Net Assistance (SN)

Safety Net Assistance (SN) provides cash assistance to individuals, couples, and families not eligible for FA due to time limits. Cash benefits are limited to two-year time limits. After two years, non-cash assistance vouchers are issued.

Emergency Assistance to Families (EAF)

Emergency Assistance to Families (EAF) and Emergency Safety Net Assistance (ESNA) provide assistance to families with crisis situations that are threatening the family such as:

Diversion payments to sustain the household from applying for ongoing assistance
Evictions
Utility shut-offs

Emergency Adult Assistance (EAA)

Emergency Adult Assistance (EAA) provides emergency assistance to individuals on SSI with emergencies beyond their control, such as emergency housing, catastrophes such as fires and floods, and replacement of SSI checks if verified loss due to theft.

Non-Parent Caregivers (Grandparents, Other Relatives, Friends) Caring for Children

Non-parent caregivers, who are caring for children without a parent living in their home, may be eligible for Temporary Assistance. Temporary Assistance for children not living with a parent is often referred to a "non-parent caregiver" or "child-only" grants, and includes Medical Assistance (MA). If the non-parent caregiver wants assistance only for the children, the non-parent caregiver’s income is not used to determine eligibility and there are no Temporary Assistance work requirements for the non-parent caregiver. Non-parent caregivers may apply for temporary assistance at their local social services office.

In addition to financial assistance, non-parent caregivers (also called kinship caregivers) often have a need for information and assistance related to food stamps, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), custody, guardianship, foster care, adoption, schooling, school enrollment, and other forms of assistance such as child care, social security, respite, case management and service programs.

For information about services and assistance programs please visit the following websites:

www.nysnavigator.org www.nybenefits.ny.gov

http://otda.ny.gov/programs/ http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/kinship/default.asp

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)