Public assistance and social services in Jefferson County Colorado.
The main place to turn to for government and public benefits in Jefferson County Colorado is the local Human Services Department. The government entity provides services for numerous needs, including care for seniors, children, energy bills, housing, and other aid and support.
The county has an office that focuses on the needs of veterans. Staff can assist military veterans and their families in applying for benefits and public assistance that they, or their dependents, may be eligible to receive. This ranges from low income housing, medical care, to funeral assistance. 303-271-4205.
During the cold winter months, many lower income families request heating and utility bill help from the federally funded Low Income Energy Assistance Program, or LEAP. This was created to help low income and working poor Jefferson County households who meet income eligibility requirements. Government grants and funds can be used to pay for home heating costs, including gas bills, propane, and electricity. LEAP will only pay a small portion of an energy bill.
Tenants may benefit from dispute resolution services. This is arranged for free to Jefferson County Colorado residents and persons. The county will arrange for sessions to resolve landlord-tenant problems, neighbor-neighbor conflicts, unsafe housing, and other issues. This is a form of mediation that is coordinated by Human Services.
There are several financial and cash assistance programs for income eligible families, disabled Jefferson Colorado residents, and seniors that meet state mandated requirements. The programs include Old Age Pension (OAP), Aid to the Needy and Disabled (AND), TANF, Colorado Supplemental Income, Medicare Savings, and many more. Public aid can be issued to pay for basic needs.
- Colorado Works TANF distributes cash assistance and grants to pregnant women and low-income eligible Colorado families.
- General Assistance is short term, emergency public assistance to eligible, low-income Colorado residents who meet the eligibility criteria. Funds can be used to pay rent, prescriptions, transportation, utility bills and burials/cremations.
- Aid to the Needy and Disabled is for unable to work due to a disability condition. Public assistance may be given to them. A similar government resource is Aid to the Blind.
- The Kinship Relative Care offers a number of different options for medical bill assistance and financial for kinship care families, which is someone from Jefferson County Colorado that is taking care of a child that has a significant relationship to the child.
- Funeral and Burial Assistance can give cash assistance to eligible, low-income residents to help with paying the cost of a burial, cremation, or funeral.
- Medicaid and CHP Plus - Assistance with medical bills for eligible low-income Colorado families, the uninsured and pregnant women.
- Medicare Savings coordinates financial assistance to low-income and seniors who currently receive Medicare.
- The Old Age Pension may offer aid to low-income residents who are 60 years of age or older or elderly.
- Rental assistance as part of SOAR is available. It provides housing and/or rental assistance to adults who are facing eviction, that are homeless, or at risk of eviction. It is for those in Jefferson County that are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or the federal government Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Employment services and assistance is arranged to help people gain self-sufficiency and get off public assistance. This can include sessions with employment specialists, vocational guidance and job referrals. Resources are for the unemployed, persons with disabilities, youth, veterans, seniors and other job seekers. There are also job centers in the county.
Jefferson County Human Services can help arrange for Long Term Care. Staff from the county assess the individual using a functional assessment and public funds from Medicaid. Residents, seniors, and the disabled may receive assisted living, nursing facility, adult day care center, personal care, non-medical transportation and other health and long term care services through various community based programs.
Motel vouchers may be provided by the county. This will be for a limited program, is for homeless people (Men, Women, Couples, Families) and is only available (if funding allows) during severe weather. This can include very cold spells during the winter months.
The Head Start Program is an education program for preschool aged children. The county will provide a range of individualized services in the areas of early childhood development, education, medical, dental, mental health, family support, nutrition and parent involvement. Children from low income families can help get on the right path for long term success.
Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP, uses government and public assistance to households that meet income-eligibility guidelines. They also need to be working, in job training, or otherwise need to be found eligible. The county subsidize licensed or unlicensed care may be subsidized for those that qualify. Participants from Jefferson County Colorado are also given referral information on child and day care providers.
Food assistance is widely available for the working poor and low income families. This was formally known as Food Stamps. The government benefit can assists eligible low-income Colorado residents or families with the cost of purchasing healthy groceries, vegetables, fruits, and canned food. Participants will be issued a voucher that they can use to shop at local grocery and retail stores. This is also combined with Employment First, which will increase employment opportunities for food assistance participants through support, referrals, accountability and community work.
Contact for Human Services applications in Jefferson County CO
For more details on public assistance and to contact Human Services in Jefferson County, dial the office at 303-271-1388.
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