Welcome

Accounting

Adult Services

Child Support

Child Welfare

Day Care

Fraud

HEAP

Medicaid

SNAP

Stop DWI

Temporary Assistance

Essex County Department of Social Services – Temporary Assistance

7551 Court Street, PO Box 217
Elizabethtown, NY 12932

Hours: 8:00 am- 4:00 pm Monday – Friday

Phone: (518) 873-3441

Main line for Temporary Assistance: (518) 873-3470

Fax: (518) 873-3472

Temporary Assistance is the term used in New York State for public assistance (welfare) programs. Temporary Assistance provides families and individuals with short-term help while they work toward self-sufficiency.

In New York State there are three financial assistance programs:

Family Assistance (FA)
This program provides money for families with children. Cash benefits are limited to five years in a recipient’s lifetime. After five years a Family Assistance case may continue to receive benefits if an adult is disabled and cannot work or may be required to apply for assistance through the Safety Net category.

Safety Net Assistance (SNA)
This program provides money for basic living expenses for single adults and childless couples or families who have used up their 5-year limit of FA. Cash benefits are limited to two years including any cash benefits received through Family Assistance. After two years, the non-cash Safety Net Assistance voucher system provides benefits.

Emergency Temporary Assistance
An emergency is an urgent need or situation that has to be taken care of right away. Emergency Assistance for Families (EAF), Emergency Assistance for Adults (EAA), and Emergency Safety Net Assistance (ESNA) provide assistance for crisis situations. Services such as prevention of evictions, moving expenses, utility shutoffs, help with food expenses and diversion payments to help individuals avoid the need for ongoing assistance are available.

Some examples of an emergency are:
You are homeless.
You have little or no food.
Your landlord has given you a written eviction.
You do not have fuel for heating during cold weather*
Your utilities are shut-off or are about to be shut-off, or you have a 72-hour disconnect notice*
You or someone in your family has been beaten, abused or threatened with violence by a husband, wife, partner or other member of the household.

How to apply

Applications are given in person or through the mail upon request from the receptionist by calling 873-3441. Once a completed signed application is received, an appointment for an interview is scheduled at the DSS building in Elizabethtown. Interviews take approximately 1 hour or more to discuss and obtain documentation which allows eligibility to be determined.

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants are subject to income and resource limit guidelines. Benefits vary depending on household size, available income and household expenses.


Traffic Safety

Youth Bureau

Youth Bureau Programs