The main agency for providing financial public assistance ("welfare") in Rockland County is:
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES (DSS) 364-3100
Bldg. L, Sanatorium Rd., Pomona 10970
The DSS operates an information and referral office which is the central information point for all components of the Rockland County Community Health Center.
INFORMATION AND REFERRAL (DSS) 364-3410
Bldg. M, Sanatorium Rd.,Pomona 10970 or 362-1155
Unit provides services to all county residents regardless of income, makes referrals to the public assistance units and to the service teams of the Department of Social Services, provides information and linkage to various community agencies and resources, does weekly outreach at senior centers, and addresses groups on request.
A "Handbook for Clients" is available which describes theway the agency works, what is available and what a possible client must bring when he/she applies for aid. Call Information and Referral. 364-3410.
Direct cash assistance through DSS can be of two types: Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) for minor children (under 21 years) in families without sufficient means of support and Home Relief (HR) for those in need who don't qualify under ADC or Supplementary Security Income (SSI). (SSI is federally-funded social security assistance to those not eligible for help under normal Social Security availability, e.g., the blind and disabled regardless of age and elderly who are not covered through salary contributions.)
DSS provides a number of services in addition to direct financial aid. Through the "case management system," a particular social worker or assigned to a family (or individual) seeking help and attention is given to total needs.
Some of the additional services are in:
Adult Home x3583
A non-profit, 41-bed facility at the Dr. Robert L. Yeager Health Center in Pomona, offering a secure, stimulating environment for adults who cannot live independently, but who do not need medical or nursing care.
Child/Teen Health Program x3482 (Formerly CHAP)
Unit provides comprehensive preventive health care (including dental) for children 0-21 years in families eligible for Medicaid. Focus is on early detection of child health needs.
Child Support Enforcement Unit x3214
Unit establishes paternity; locates absent parents; obtains, collects and enforces child support payments to welfare and non-welfare families.
Community Alternative Systems Agency (CASA) x3987
Unit offers community-based health care as an alternative to institutionalization. Adult Services provides social home evaluations, assessments and case management.
Day Care Unit x3411
Unit authorizes day care subsidies for working parents receiving public assistance, and low-income working parents not receiving public assistance. Family day care homes are registered throught his unit.
Emergency Assistance x3318
Aid is given when one or more of the basic life necessitiesare unavailable (food, clothing, shelter, warmth). Does not require being on public assistance.
Employment Unit x3143
This unit wokr to restore public assistance applicants and recipients to gainful employment through a variety of employment programs, approves vocational exemptions for school attendance, monitors clients in training programs, and monitors the attendance of alcohol and drug abusers in rehabilitation programs.
Food Stamps x3487
Unit establishes eligibility for food stamps for low income households.
Fraud Unit x3202
Unit investigates all complaints regarding welfare abuse, audits cases in which a high probability of fraud exists, and attempts to recover overpayments to clients.
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Unit x3478
This unit administers the energy program which help county residents with low-incomes pay their utility or fuel bills.
Housing Unit x3299
This unit works to get people who are at risk of being homeless or are homeless transitional and permanent housing.
Medicaid/SSI Unit x3040
Unit establishes Medicaid eligibility and recertification for families not on public assistance, as well as authorizes issuance of Medicaid cards to all SSI clients.
Nursing Home Unit x3990
Unit serves Medicaid-eligible individuals who require long term institutional care. The long term home health care program provides help to those who can remain at home with supportive health services.
Nutrition Education Program x3405 Nutrition (PAN Project)
Volunteer Services Unit x3239
Coordinator: Gloria Botwinick
Liaison between charitable agencies and clients; overseas clothing depots, used furniture distribution, shopping help for the elderly, friendly visitor program, holiday toy and gift collection, and food baskets; coordinates campership Adopt-a-Family program.
Public Information Unit x3218
This unit provides the general public, other government agencies, and the media with information about DSS programs and services.
Teen Age Services Act x3379 (TASA) Program
The TASA Unit coordinates a full range of social and community services to pregnant adolescents and teenage parents who are receiving or have applied for public assistance. Program also help adolescents to remain in school and/or attend vocational training programs. Steps-to-Success in the East Ramapo school district has similiar services for those students who do not receive public assistance.
Children's Services x3520
Bldg. C, Pomona 10970
Admin. Supervisor: Marion Keller
Intake x3518
Voluntary Placement, independent living and court placements (JD/Pins).
Foster and Adoption Home Finding x3535
Foster home-finding and certification. Adoption home finding and supervision. Undercare. Supervision of children in foster homes, group homes and institutions.
Protective Services x3554
Bldg. C, Pomona 10970
Admin. Supervisor: Pat Fornario
Child Protective Services x3512
Investigates reports of child abuse and neglect. Provides services to protect the child and rehabilitative services to the family.
Adult Protective Services x3578
Services for ages 18 and up who have physical, mental or emotional impairment; are in danger of exploitation or self-neglect and have no one willing or able to assist them.
Adult Services x3557
Provides CASA (community based assessment team focusing on helping the elderly avoid institutional placement) and PISP (Post Institutional Services Program serving former residents of RPC and Letchworth) services.
Preventive and Special Services x3305
Admin. Supervisor: Florence Langer
Preventive teams provide counseling, supportive and rehabilitative services to families with children 18 and under who are under stress. Goal is to enable the family to live together and avert foster care placement of the child.
ROCKLAND COUNTY GUIDANCE CENTER 358-9390
83 Main St., Nyack 10960
Career counseling, career workshops, Sixty-Plus employment group for senior citizens, and displaced homemaker program which includes counseling and help with job placements.
SPRING VALLEY PREVENTIVE SERVICES TEAM 352-7900
14 N. Main St. , Spring Valley 10977
WEST NYACK PREVENTIVE SERVICES TEAM 358-3301
44 Village Square , West Nyack 10994
HAVERSTRAW PREVENTIVE SERVICES TEAM 429-4951
85 N. Main St., Haverstraw 10927
Adolescent Services Unit 364-3370
Bldg. M., Pomona 10970
Teenage services, STEPS to Success, PINS Adjustment Services and Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICES 426-3441
333 Sneden Place West, Spring Valley 10977
Under the auspices of the Archdiocese of New York, Counseling Services at low-cost (ability to pay only; welfare recipients exempt) are offered for family, marital and individual counseling; crisis intervention; advocacy for entitlements; food vouchers given for emergenices only; information and referral.
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF ROCKLAND COUNTY 627-3050
24 Highview Ave., Nanuet 10994
Executive Director: Leah N. Meir
Individual, marital and family therapy for residents of Rockland County. Other services include: information and referral, support groups and refugee resettlement. Fee: Sliding scale available.
SAINT DOMINIC'S 359-3400
Western Highway & Convent Ave., Blauvelt 10913
Director: Sr. Joseph Mary
Special education for emotionally handicapped adolescents; community based temporary care group home for 13 to 18 year olds; community residence and supportive apartment housing programs for young adults (18-35) who are chronically, mentally ill; community residence and intermediate care residential program for developmentally disabled young adults. Fee: None.
ST. AGATHA HOME OF NEW YORK FOUNDLING HOSPITAL 623-3461
135 Convent Road, Nanuet 10954
Director: Rosemarie Cristello
24-hour residential care in cottages, foster homes, non-secure detention, intermediate care facilities and group homes; services include individual and group therapy, casework, recreation, education, vocational training, respite for handicapped children, parent aide, runaway hot line and host homes, diagnostic evaluations, medical, nursing, physical and speech therapies. Fee: Sliding scale for respite care only.
FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM 947-1000 x2413
Whitman Bldg., Letchworth, Thiells 10984
Director: Betty Meisler
Income eligible volunteers provide one to one supportive services to children with special needs at twenty-two (22) health and education related settings throughout Rockland County.
CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION 429-7085
E. Kirkbride Rd., P.O. Box 1000, Thiells 10984
Contact: Phyllis Morena
Educational programs including family financial management, care of home and grounds, remodeling and retrofitting, youth development including 4H-clubs, protecting natural resources and family interaction.
HAITIAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, INC. (HACSO) 352-8096
300 N. Main St., Spring Valley 10977
Director: Dameus Denis
Advocacy, employment counseling, classes in English as a Second Language (ESL), literacy training, translation services, immigration services, youth groups.
MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER (MLK) 425-8910
110 N. Bethune Blvd., Spring Valley 10977
Director: Stella Marrs
Licensed afterschool program, summer day camp including computer literarcy workshops, Senior Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), community health program, Town of Ramapo Youth Counseling Services, WIC (six times a month), Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, instruction in PSAT, SAT, GED adn ESL. Fee: Sliding fee
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (NAACP)
Betty Brown - Spring Valley Chapter 425-6726
Frances Pratt - Nyack Chapter 358-1497
Support, advocacy for human rights.
ROCKLAND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (RCDC) 352-1400
22 Main St., Monsey 10952
Director: Mendel Hoffman
Outreach Center: youth programs, social services including housing, senior citizen centers, employment, and family counseling; information and referral.
ROCKLAND COUNTY CHAPTER AMERICAN RED CROSS 358-0833
143 North Broadway, Nyack 10960
Director: Warren McCook
Emergency services, disaster relief, aid to military.
SALVATION ARMY 352-9577
179 N. Main St., Spring Valley 10977
Director: Lt. Michael HImes
Emergency food, recreational youth and senior citizen programs, spiritual counseling, advocacy.
SALVATION ARMY FOOD PANTRY 942-2232
Stony Point Service Unit
c/o The Trinity United Methodist Church, 47 Main St., Stony Point 10980
Food cupboard, advocacy.
HISPANIC COALITION OF ROCKLAND COUNTY 429-6050
7 Broadway, P.O. Box 721, Haverstraw 10927
Bilingual (Spanish/English) referral service for substance aubse and other problems.
HOGAR-Housing Opportunities, Growth, 429-1100
7 Broadway, P.O. Box 577, Haverstraw 10927
Community development organization whose services include: first time home buyers program, JOB LINK program, translation services for non-English speaking community, advocacy for under-served populations in North Rockland and economic revitalization projects for Haverstraw.
AWAKE (Asian Women's Alliance for Kinship and Equality) 634-1980
Community organziation for Asian women and their families; information and referral services for job opportunites, career planning, and child care services; welcome group; supportive services for victims of domestic violence; teenage and youth counseling services.
Konbit Neg Lakay 425-2167
P.O. Box 1438, Spring Valley
Chairman: Renold Julien
Haiitian group which aims to raise the awareness of the Haitian and other Caribbean cultures in Rockland and promotes understanding between people.
"Emancipation" is a legal term describing a minor who assumes the rights and responsibilities of adulthood. It releases parents from their rights and duties, including the right to custody and control of their child, the right to receive his or her earnings, and the duty to support and educate their child.
Marriage and membership in the armed services emancipate a minor automatically. Otherwise, emancipation may be either by court order or by implication, and the conditions are generally the same for both-the minor is over the compulsory school age (16), leaves home, sets up an independent household, has his or her own source ofincome, or manages his or her own affairs.
After 18, a youth can sign leases, car purchases, etc. but, generally, parents are responsible for their children until they are 21.
Call DSS, Information and Referral (364-3410) or Robert Kassel, Rockland Representative of the ACLU, 358-5750 or Student Advocacy Inc., 948-5600 or 358-3803 for more complete information.