Hartford public and government aid.
Food, housing, and energy bill programs are just some of the benefits available in Hartford County from the Department of Social Services. This organization uses a combination of state and federal government funds to help the less fortunate in the county, and this includes seniors, the disabled, and families with young children. Some of the main public assistance programs administered are noted below.
Food programs
SNAP food stamps will help feed families and prevent hunger in the greater Hartford region. While there are some restrictions on what can be bought using the debit card, it can help residents meet their basic needs. Each month the family will be provided a certain dollar amount to spend on an EBT card, and they can shop at super markets, farmer markets, grocery stores, or other retailers for the items they need.
A separate public assistance resource is WIC, or Women Infants and Children. This is more restricted though, as it is a government benefit for households with young children, infants, or pregnant mothers. A voucher issued by the Hartford DSS can be used to pay for food and formula for the newborn, and other aid is also offered.
Government health care in Hartford
There are a few main services available. They will target the very low income, uninsured, and there are also options for the disabled and seniors. In general, public funds will pay for a portion of a medical bill, and the patient also needs to contribute.
- Medicaid is offered by the Department of Social Services. It can assist the disabled, senior citizens, working poor, and people living in poverty, among others.
- Prescription drugs for HIV patients in Hartford are issued from CADAP.
- Seniors can receive health care from Medicare, or they can get help with their medications from ConnPACE.
- Children and teenagers in Hartford County can enroll into HUSKY Healthcare, which is the state's main public health care program.
Cash from public aid programs
Hartford partners with government agencies to help very low income residents, or those with no other options, to continue to receive some form of benefits. Most are very limited in what they can offer, and the amount of time that cash will be paid out is short term in nature.
In order to apply for any of these resources, the applicant will need to prove their need as well as be actively seeking work. Or they could be enrolled into some form of job training. The bottom line is that these public aid programs will not likely assist families that are faced with chronic poverty.
- TFA - Temporary Family Assistance is for residents enrolled into Jobs First. There may be funds for certain, approved expenses such as work clothing, food, or a rent payment.
- Energy Bill Assistance is known as CEAP. Grants can be used for paying heating bills during the winter, with the goal of preventing a shut off of their power.
- Eviction prevention – DSS, partnering with community action agencies and non-profits in Hartford County, can help tenants pay any rent that is due so they can remain living in their home.
- Child care vouchers – Public assistance can be used to pay for a portion of expenses, if the parent is employed or in job training.
- Assistance for the disabled is available from SAGA as well as the social security department and their SSI service.
- Burial or funeral costs – This will be for the indigent only. The county can help cover cremation or other fees involved in this.
Job programs in Hartford
DSS will require any beneficiary to address the cause of their hardship, whether it is lack of employment or some other challenge. The primary resources for this include Senior Community Service Employment (for residents over the age of 55), and there are also other job centers in the county.
For those that need help in paying for any expenses as they work towards self-sufficiency, there is the Safety Net Services program to fall back on. This will use public funds to pay for work attire, transportation, classes, and other expenses. All of this is made available in an effort to help the client gain long term stability.
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