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Q&A
Potential for combining city benefit program applications
1:48:33
ยท
119 sec
Administrator Scott French discusses the potential and limitations of combining applications for various city benefit programs. He explains current practices and expresses concerns about creating a universal application.
- Primary benefits like cash assistance, SNAP, and Medicaid cannot be easily combined into a universal application
- Where possible, DSS has simplified application processes (e.g., cash assistance applications automatically apply for SNAP and Medicaid)
- DSS uses data from one program to fast-track eligibility for others (e.g., SNAP data for Fair Fares eligibility)
- There are concerns about creating a broader universal application due to state and federal requirements
- DSS is open to further discussion and assessment of possibilities for combining applications
Diana Ayala
1:48:33
Does DSS believe that there are city benefit programs for which applications can be combined?
Scott French
1:48:41
I think we would want to do a further sort of assessment, but, you know, the primary benefits that people come to us to would not be able to be, you know, combined into a universal application such as cash assistance, SNAP, Medicaid.
1:48:56
So we would need to look at the other benefits that are both HRA and also provided by other agencies to determine that.
1:49:04
Where we can, we have tried to simplify the application processes.
1:49:08
So for individuals who apply for cash, they also are automatically applying for SNAP and Medicaid because in most instances if you're eligible for cash, you're eligible for those two benefits as well and you'll be enrolled.
1:49:20
If for some reason you're not eligible for cash, we'll automatically do a separate determination for SNAP and Medicaid separately to determine if individuals, right, are eligible for that.
1:49:32
We also utilize SNAP, you know, to determine if someone may be potentially eligible for fair fares.
1:49:39
And if someone is that we've determined they meet the income requirements, we will actually fast track those individuals where we will inform them that you are eligible for this benefit.
1:49:49
You just need to agree to the terms and conditions and we'll automatically enroll you in that.
1:49:54
And we try to do a similar thing with Heap, which is the state heating benefit for individuals who apply for cash and SNAP.
1:50:03
We'll determine if we think they may be eligible for the heating benefit and if they are we would auto enroll them.
1:50:09
That's usually for most people a one time benefit of 25 to $50.
1:50:15
Those are things we've been able to do within sort of the state and federal requirements we have and working closely with our state and federal oversights to get agreement.
1:50:24
We do have concerns about trying to create a much broader universal application, but also happy to sit down and discuss further through that and
Diana Ayala
1:50:33
Isn't that what Access NYC does though?