Pasco County Florida public assistance and government aid.
Short term financial assistance may be offered for Pasco County residents. The Human Services office both coordinates resources with local non-profits and charities and the organization may also directly issue public assistance funds to qualified residents. Both general and emergency assistance may be offered. A focus is on the very poor, senior citizens, children, and disabled in Pasco County.
As with any publicly funded program, assistance is intended to be short-term, limited, and temporary in nature. Any grants or funds are issued to families and individuals in strict accordance with divisions and county rules, regulations and budgetary constraints. In addition, the county will help people who are out of all other options. So applicants need to have applied to or used up all other community and government resources. Those need to have been exhausted prior to the approval of any social services.
Funeral assistance is available from the Indigent Burial Services. While funding is limited, Pasco County Florida Human Services administers the regional Indigent Burial Program. This government resource provides cremation for residents who have financial resources or no life insurance to pay for the services on their own. Applicants to this program need to meet established asset, income, and other eligibility criteria in order to qualify for aid.
The state of Florida Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program, or EHEAP, provides cash assistance and public grants up to twice a year. The funds are issued to assist with past due electric bills for residents 60 or over and senior citizens. All applicants will also need to satisfy established income criteria and eligibility criteria contingent upon availability of government funds.
From time to time, some federal grants may be issued by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). This offers assistance with basic needs. It generally pays for past due rent and past due utility or cooling bills. This resource is contingent upon availability of federal government grant funds. Applicants need to meet income levels and other conditions.
Another Pasco County resource is the Emergency Solutions Grant Program. It is similar to above in that it can offer financial assistance and public aid with past due utility bills, housing costs, shelter, and rent. The Human Services department will also assist with rapid re-housing. Any aid is offered once during each contract period for residents who meet established income limits.
Some resources and mandated by the state of Florida. This includes Medicaid County Billing. Rules and regulations require Pasco County to participate in the cost of providing medical bill assistance and health care that is associated with certain types of services. It needs to be offered in partnership with Hospital, HMO inpatient, and Nursing Homes. The health care is offered for the county’s eligible Medicaid recipients and senior citizens. Payments are made directly to the State of Florida.
Another maybe lesser known program is the Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA). This requires the county to pay for out-of-county emergency inpatient hospitalization. Public funds will be used to pay the medical bills for indigent residents at participating hospitals or community clinics. Patients that request this assistance must meet all established income, asset and other conditions.
As mentioned, Human Services provides information and referrals to other Pasco County resources. This can include information on food pantries, clinics, SNAP food stamps, and regional low income housing. Social workers from the county do their best to help the poor and low income. So free referrals are readily available as well.
Contact information to get public assistance from Pasco County Human Services
For additional information on any services or public assistance that may be provided by Pasco County Human Services, call a center below. The main offices are at 8620 Galen Wilson Blvd., Port Richey, Florida 34668, dial (727) 834-3297 or call the office 13853 15th St., Dade City, Florida 33525, phone (352) 521-5173.
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