You asked what type of assistance might be available to a single mother of four who is working. She currently receives only Food Stamps.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) administers the Food Stamps program. Since DSS uses a single application for most of its major programs, we presume that the agency has made a determination that your constituent does not qualify for cash or medical assistance. But we will describe them here in case her circumstances change. We are not including those DSS programs that assist people with disabilities as your letter did not indicate that your constituent has a disability.

SUMMARY

DSS either runs or funds a number of assistance programs that could potentially help your constituent. These include cash and medical assistance, child care, housing, and energy assistance. Each program has its own eligibility criteria. In addition, the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides a refundable tax credit to working people with lower incomes.

ASSISTANCE

DSS Programs

Temporary Family Assistance (TFA). The TFA program generally provides 21 months of cash assistance to families with very low incomes and limited assets. Able-bodied adults are expected to participate in a work-related activity as a condition of receiving cash assistance. Working recipients can receive the full benefit ($731 for most five-person families living in Connecticut) as long as their incomes do not exceed 100% of the federal poverty level (currently $20,670 for a family of five).

Medicaid and Other Health Care. Families receiving TFA benefits can receive Medicaid. In addition, those families who previously received benefits, lost them, but begin work or continue work begun while receiving TFA, can receive “transitional” Medicaid benefits for an additional two years once their TFA benefit stops. Medicaid covers virtually all medical services a family might need and families do not have to contribute towards the cost.

Families who do not qualify for TFA, and those who do but have exhausted their transitional benefits, can receive subsidized health care for their children under age 19 through the HUSKY program, the services from which essentially mirror those in the Medicaid program. (The HUSKY program uses a separate application.)

Families with incomes under 185% of the FPL pay nothing for HUSKY services; families with incomes between 185% and 300% of the FPL have premium and coinsurance requirements. Parents and caretaker relatives of children whose family income is no more than 185% of the FPL can also get coverage provided their income does not exceed 150% of the FPL. Families with incomes above the 300% level can get child coverage, but it is unsubsidized.

Child Care. DSS funds the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which actually consists of four child care subsidy programs. The first, Work Related Child Care, is available to families receiving TFA benefits who are working. The maximum benefit is $325 per child per month. The Job Connection Child Care Subsidy provides the same benefit to TFA recipients who are not working but are engaged in a Department of Labor- approved training program. Families who are no longer receiving TFA benefits and are working can get Transitional Child Care subsidies. Their income cannot exceed 75% of state median income (currently $47,568 annually for a family of three). Finally, the Child Care Certificate program offers child care subsidies to working families who do not qualify for the other three programs. Family income cannot exceed 50% of the state median for initial eligibility but this can rise to 74% of the median once families begin receiving assistance.

For the Transitional and Child Care Certificate programs, families are responsible for paying a share of the monthly approved amount. The contribution rises as income rises. Families receiving the other two subsidies have no co-payment requirement.

To apply for these programs your constituent should call either 1-800-226-8400 or 1-860-947-9978.

Housing Assistance. Two housing programs provide subsidies to low-income families. DSS runs the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and DSS and local housing authorities run the federal Section 8 program. These subsidies are generally available to families with incomes under 50% of the area median income. Both programs are presently closed. RAP's closure is due, in part, to an increase in subsidy amounts to more adequately cover housing costs.

Energy Assistance. DSS administers the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), but local community action agencies (CAAs) take applications. (The CAA serving Ellington is called A.C.C.E.S.S. and is located at 1315 Main Street in Willimantic.) To qualify, an individual must either be receiving cash assistance from DSS, have gross income at or below 150% of the FPL, or be receiving Food Stamps. Homeowners with liquid assets over $10,000 and all other households with assets over $7,000, are ineligible for benefits, unless a combination of household income and the amount of assets is within 150% of the FPL limit.

Although the benefits for the upcoming heating season are not yet official, the minimum basic benefit is expected to be $335 for “vulnerable” households (one or more household members is elderly, disabled or under age six) and $235 for non-vulnerable ones. Renters' benefits, which are available to income-eligible households paying over 30% of their gross income towards rent, are expected to be eligible for a minimum $60 benefit. (Families with higher incomes may also qualify for energy assistance if the state receives excess federal energy funds.)

Other Programs

Earned Income Tax Credit. The EITC is a tax benefit for low- and moderate-income working people with or without children. To qualify, your constituent must provide Social Security numbers for everyone in the household, and file a federal tax return, in particular Schedule C, even if she does not owe any taxes. To claim the credit for the 2000 tax year, which can be a refund for people who have no tax liability, people with more than one “qualifying” child can receive the credit if their adjusted gross income was no more than $31,152. (Workers can also receive their refund in advance in their paychecks.) The money from this credit does not count as income in the TFA, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, or public or subsidized housing programs.

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