Contact: Temporary Assistance/Emergency Assistance – 518-884-4144

Objectives: To provide temporary financial support and emergency assistance to individuals and families who meet income and resource eligibility criteria.

Service Provides: Temporary Assistance benefits include cash, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), medical assistance, HEAP, and daycare.

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00AM – 4:00PM

Target Population: No income, low income

Eligibility Criteria: Income and resource eligible

How To Apply For Services: Telephone for information and application requirements at 518-884-4144

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 as “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 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), 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:

  • http://www.nysnavigator.org – The NYS Kinship Navigator’s website offers legal fact sheets, state and local kinship resources, and other information. In addition, the Navigator operates a toll free phone line at 1-877-454-6463. Kinship Specialists are available from 10:00am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday. A message may be left during non-business hours and calls will be returned when business hours resume.
  • http://otda.ny.gov/programs/ – the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).
  • http://www.mybenefits.ny.gov – MyBenefits is an online tool to help you learn about eligibility for financial assistance and other benefit programs. A simple, 10 minute prescreening from any computer with Internet access at any time, determines whether you are likely to qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), HEAP, the Earned Income Tax Credit, child dependent care credits, school lunch and other programs.
  • http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/kinship/default.asp – The NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) provides contact information and links to the Kinship Caregiver Programs funded through OCFS, as well as a variety of resources for families and staff, including the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP), a subsidy program available to kinship caregivers who are foster parents.

Your local Social Services District (SSD) and local area Office for the Aging (OFA) are also resources for information on kinship care.

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