SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is the nation’s most important anti-hunger program. SNAP provides nutritional support for low-income seniors, people with disabilities living on fixed incomes, and other individuals and families with low incomes. SNAP is a federal program administered by the Florida Department of Children and Families Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS). ESS is responsible for determining eligibility for SNAP using federal guidelines.

Ways to Protect Your EBT Benefits

Households can use food assistance benefits to buy breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, poultry, dairy, and plants and seeds to grow food for your household to eat. Households cannot use food assistance benefits to buy nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, household supplies, grooming items, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, food to eat in the store, or hot foods. For more information on SNAP Benefits, go to Food Assistance Program Factsheet.

For Out of State Agencies seeking to verify information with Florida’s Department of Children and Families Economic Self Sufficiency Program regarding a client, please send an email to D11.SFL.CallCenter@myflfamilies.com.

SNAP eligibility rules and benefit levels are, for the most part, set at the federal level and uniform across the nation, though states have flexibility to tailor aspects of the program. Individuals must pass all eligibility rules to receive food assistance benefits.

SNAP eligibility rules and benefit levels are, for the most part, set at the federal level and uniform across the nation, though states have flexibility to tailor aspects of the program. Individuals must pass all eligibility rules to receive food assistance benefits. Some of the eligibility rules are:

• Identity – Applicants must provide proof of their identity.
• Work Rules – Individuals aged 16 – 59 must meet General Work Requirements for SNAP unless exempt, such as being unable to work, caring for young children or incapacitated persons, or being a student. Additionally, adults aged 18 – 59, unless exempt, must work or participate in the SNAP Employment and Training Program (SNAP E&T). For additional information on Work Rules or Able Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDs) visit Frequently Asked Questions
• Income – Most households must pass a gross income limit less than or equal to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
• Deductions – Some household expenses may be subtracted from the total monthly income in the food assistance budget. The budget may subtract for shelter expenses, dependent care, medical expenses, child support paid, utility deductions, and earned income deduction.
• Residency – Individuals must be a resident of Florida.
• Citizenship – Individuals must be a U.S. citizen or have a qualified noncitizen status.
• SSN – Individuals must provide a Social Security Number or proof they have applied for one.
• Child Support Cooperation – Certain individuals must cooperate with the state’s child support enforcement agency to prove a child’s legal relationship to their parent and to get the court to order child support payments.
• Assets – Most food assistance households may have assets such as vehicles, bank accounts, or property and still get help. Households with a disqualified member must meet an asset limit of $2,500 ($3,750 if the household contains an elderly or disabled member.

Reporting Changes – Households must report when their total monthly gross income exceeds 130% of the Federal Poverty Level for their household size and when work hours of able-bodied adults fall below 80 hours per month.  The household must report these changes within 10 days after the end of the month of the change.

Reasons for SNAP ineligibility include:

• Conviction of drug trafficking,
• Fleeing a felony warrant,
• Breaking SNAP Program rules,
• Noncitizens without a qualified status, or

Students attending an institution of higher education at least half time, in some circumstances.

SUNCAP

The SUNCAP Program is a special Food Assistance Program for individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). You may be eligible to receive food assistance benefits through the SUNCAP Program without any additional application, paperwork, or interviews. If you already receive food assistance benefits in the regular Food Assistance Program, you may be automatically put in the SUNCAP Program when you become SSI eligible. If your food assistance benefits will go down because of SUNCAP, you may choose to continue receiving your food assistance benefits under the regular Food Assistance Program.

For more information, go to the SUNCAP Brochure

Did you know as of May 2021, Walmart, Amazon, Aldi, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Freshfields Farm, Hitchcock’s Markets, Publix, Mt. Plymouth IGA and Whole Foods are accepting SNAP payments online? More retailers may join the online purchasing pilot as it progresses. Updates and other important information will be shared with all SNAP benefit recipients as soon as it is available. You would place your order through the online retailer’s website. Upon check out there will be a section asking if you are using SNAP benefits and you would follow the prompts on the screen.

To determine if grocery delivery is available for your location, please visit the retailers’ websites. The available delivery zip codes indicate where retailers are able to provide their full line of groceries, including perishable items.

Please note: the use of EBT cards for the purchase of groceries is restricted for approved grocery items only and cannot be used for delivery fees.

The use of your EBT card online will still require your unique personal identification number (PIN). All retailers participating in the online purchasing pilot are using compliant methods of encrypted-PIN entry to ensure secure transactions.

Fresh Access Bucks (FAB), an initiative of Feeding Florida, is a USDA funded statewide nutrition incentive program that encourages SNAP recipients to redeem their benefits at farmers markets, produce stands, CSAs, mobile markets, and community grocery outlets to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Find out more about Fresh Access Bucks here: https://www.feedingflorida.org/food-access/fresh-access-bucks

Thank you for visiting the Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS) Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) Quality Control Webpage. If you received a letter in the mail regarding your SNAP case being reviewed by Quality Control, the questions and answers below will provide you with information regarding the Quality Control process.

The SNAP Quality Control Unit performs reviews for households receiving SNAP benefits and measures the program for correct eligibility determinations and payment accuracy (the amount of SNAP benefits approved per household).

Data collected by the Quality Control staff is analyzed and used for future program improvements.

Please note that participation in the Quality Control review is mandatory if your case is selected.  If you refuse to cooperate, your SNAP case will be sanctioned, and you will not be eligible for SNAP benefits until you complete the review.

Affidavit of Fraudulent Use of an EBT Card

The Stolen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits Program, implemented and funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) ended December 20, 2024. If your benefits were stolen on or before December 20, 2024 due to skimming and/or cloning, you may be eligible for reimbursement. To submit a claim, you must report the theft within 90 days of the date the benefits were stolen. Claims must be submitted by March 20, 2025.

How to check your EBT history:

• Review your EBT history online or by downloading the FIS ebtEDGE mobile app (available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store).
• Call the toll-free EBT Customer Service line at (888) 356-3281.

Please note, if your SNAP benefits have been skimmed and have not reported your EBT card lost or stolen, your account is likely still at risk. No replacement benefits may be issued until you have reported your compromised EBT card lost or stolen. To report your card stolen, request a new card, and change your PIN, please call EBT Customer Service at (888) 356-3281 or log in to your MyACCESS account.

The Department will review your claim. If your claim is approved, the stolen benefits will be reimbursed, either the exact amount stolen or the equivalent of two months of SNAP benefits before the theft, whichever is less. Once your claim is validated, the benefits will be available for use on your Electronic Benefit Transfer card the following day.

Please visit the Florida Department of Children and Families website at the following link for more information.

https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/public-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/stolen-snap-faq

The TCA program provides cash assistance to families with children under the age of 18 or under age 19 if full time secondary (high school) school students, that meet the technical, income, and asset requirements. The program helps families become self-supporting while allowing children to remain in their own homes. Pregnant women may also receive TCA, either in the third trimester of pregnancy if unable to work, or in the 9th month of pregnancy. Parents, children and minor siblings who live together must apply together.

A person must pass all eligibility rules to get TCA benefits. Some of the eligibility rules are:

• Time Limits – Cash assistance is limited to a lifetime total of 48 months as an adult (except for child only cases, which have no time limit).
• Work Rules – Some people must participate in work activities unless they meet an exemption. Regional Workforce Boards provide work activities and services needed to get or keep a job.
• Income and Deductions – Gross income must be less than 185% of the Federal Poverty level and countable income can’t be higher than the payment standard for the family size. Individuals get a $90 deduction from their gross earned income.
• Citizenship – Individuals must be U.S. citizens or qualified non-citizens.
• Residency – Individuals must live in the state of Florida.
• SSN – Individuals must provide a Social Security Number or proof they have applied for one.
• Assets – A family’s countable assets must be equal to or less than $2,000. Licensed vehicles needed for individuals subject to the work requirement may not exceed a combined value of $8,500.
• Relationship – A child must be living in the home maintained by a parent or a relative who is a blood relative of the child.
• Child Support Cooperation – The parent or the caretaker relative of the children must cooperate with child support enforcement to identify and locate the parent(s) who do not live in the child’s home, to prove a child’s legal relationship to their parent and to get the court to order child support payments.
• Immunization – Children under age 5 must be up to date with childhood immunizations (shots).
• Learnfare – Children age 6 to 18 must attend school and parents/caretakers must attend school conferences.

This program provides monthly cash assistance to relatives who meet eligibility rules and have custody of a child under age 18 who has been court ordered dependent by a Florida court and placed in their home by the Department of Children and Families Child Welfare/Community Based Care (CW/CBC) contracted provider. The monthly cash assistance amount is higher than the Temporary Cash Assistance for one child, but less than the amount paid for a child in the foster care program.

Only the child’s income and assets are counted when determining eligibility and payment amounts. Payments are based on the child’s age and any countable income. Monthly payments for children with no countable income are as follows:

• Age 0 through 5 – $242 per child
• Age 6 through 12 – $249 per child
• Age 13 through 17 – $298 per child

Only the child must pass all eligibility rules to get Relative Caregiver benefits. Some of the eligibility rules are:

• Citizenship – Individuals must be US citizens or qualified non-citizens.
• Residency – Individuals must live in the state of Florida.
• SSN – Child must have a social security number or prove they have applied for one.
• Assets – Child’s countable assets must be equal to or less than $2000.
• Relationship – Relative caregiver must be within the specified degree of relationship to the parent or stepparent of the child.
• Income – Child’s net countable income cannot exceed the payment standard for the child’s age(see payment amounts above).
• Child Support Cooperation – Relative caregiver must cooperate with child support enforcement to identify and locate the parents, to prove a child’s legal relationship to their parent and to get the court order child support payments.
• Immunizations – Children under age 5 must be current with immunizations.
• Learnfare – Child age 6 to 18 must attend school.

Detailed information about the Temporary Cash Assistance Program is available in the Temporary Cash Assistance Program Fact Sheet.

For information about other ACCESS Florida programs, visit Medicaid and Food Assistance.

The Optional State Supplementation (OSS) Program provides monthly cash payments to indigent elderly or disabled individuals who live in special non-institutional, residential living facilities, including assisted living facilities, adult family care homes and mental health residential treatment facilities.  To qualify for OSS, an individual must need assistance with the activities of daily living due to physical and/or mental conditions.  The program provides a monthly check that supplements the individual’s income so they can pay the facility a provider rate established by the Department.

You can use your EBT card at locations that display the QUEST logo  and supported remarks such as “EBT Accepted Here”

Your EBT card can be used to buy breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, poultry, dairy, and plants and seeds to grow food for your household to eat.

It cannot be used for food assistance benefits to buy nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, household supplies, grooming items, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, food to eat in the store, or hot foods.

A PIN (personal identification number) is a secret numeric password shared between a user and the EBT system.

To select your PIN code call the EBT Customer Service at 1-888-356-3281. You have to have a PIN before you can use your card.

It is important to keep your PIN number secret, don’t write your PIN on your card, or on anything you keep with your card and/or share your PIN with anyone else.

If someone takes your card and knows your PIN, they can use ALL your benefits. These benefits cannot be replaced.

• You have 3 attempts to enter your PIN correctly. After the third try, you will not be able to use your card until the next day.
• If you cannot remember your PIN, or if someone knows your PIN, call EBT Customer Service immediately and select a new PIN.
• If you need to update your DOB or SSN, you can do so by logging on to the ESS self-service portal.

Florida Law prohibits the use of EBT cards at Liquor Stores, Package Stores, Bars, Adult Entertainment establishments, pari-mutuel facilities, Slot Machine facilities, Commercial Bingo, Casinos, and Gambling facilities.

If you know of any location that accepts the Florida EBT card for payment  as described above, please report it!

Quest 

• Sales tax cannot be charged on items bought with SNAP benefits.
• Cash benefits can be withdrawn at ATM’s displaying the Quest Logo

Quest

• Cash Benefits can be withdrawn with no ATM fees at the below locations:
  • Bank of America
  • Chase
  • Citibank
  • Bank of West
  • Capital One
  • Flagstar Bank
  • Presto
  • S Bank
  • Wells Fargo
• Items can be purchased with cash and cash back with a purchase is allowed where available.
• Cash benefits cannot be used outside of the State of Florida for more than 30 days
• Food Assistance can be used in all 50 states

This page provides informational resources for agencies required to report state expenditures that will be counted towards the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Maintenance of Effort requirement.

• This document summarizes the basic provisions of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program.
  TANF Overview
• This document is a collection of the statutory and regulatory provisions of federal law related to the TANF Maintenance of Effort Requirement.
  MOE Resource Material
• This is the Annual Report submitted.
  TANF Report for 2021-2022
• Quarterly Reporting Form is for the reporting of quarterly information as required by various provisions of the 2007 – 2008 General Appropriations Act.
• All agencies budgeted for TANF MOE contributions should complete and submit reports in accordance with these instructions.
  Instructions for Completion of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Report

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) State Plan
• Domestic Violence
• Refugee Assistance
• ACCESS Florida Forms
• Brochures and Publications
• Standard Reports
• ESS Program Policy Manual

If you are convicted of trafficking in food assistance benefits of $500 or more, you will be disqualified permanently. Trafficking of food assistance includes:

1. Buying, selling, stealing, or exchanging benefits for cash;
2. Exchanging firearms, ammunition, explosives, or illegal drugs for benefits;
3. Buying sodas, water, or other items in a container to get the cash deposit;
4. Buying an item with food assistance and then purposely selling the item for cash; and
5. Trading cash for items paid for with food assistance benefits.  If you are convicted of these acts, depending on the severity, you may be fined up to $250,000, imprisoned for up to 20 years, or both.

The average poverty level for one person is around 27,000.  More information in regards to the federal poverty levels can be found at the following link.

https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf

Medicaid provides medical coverage to low-income individuals and families. The state and federal government share the cost of the Medicaid program. Medicaid services in Florida are administered by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Medicaid eligibility in Florida is determined either by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Social Security Administration (for SSI recipients).

Parents and other caretaker relatives of children

• Children up to age 18 who live with them may be eligible for Medicaid if the family’s countable income does not exceed certain income limits.
• Individuals who receive Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) are eligible for Medicaid. Individuals who are eligible for TCA, but choose not to receive it, may still be eligible for Medicaid.
• Families who lose Medicaid eligibility due to earned income may be eligible for up to twelve (12) additional months of Medicaid, if they meet certain requirements.
• Families that lose Medicaid eligibility due to the receipt of alimony may be eligible for four (4) additional months of Medicaid.

Children

• Parents and caretakers may apply for Medicaid on behalf of children under age 21 living in their home, if the family income is under the limit for the age of the child.  There is no requirement for a child to reside with an adult caretaker to qualify for Medicaid.
• Children under age 19 who become ineligible for Medicaid may remain on Medicaid for up to twelve months after their last eligibility review.
• Children eligible for Medicaid may enroll in the Child Health Check-up Program.  This program provides regularly scheduled health checkups, dental screenings, immunizations and other medical services for children.  For information on the Child Health Check-up Program, visit the Agency for Health Care Administration’s information page at https://ahca.myflorida.com/
• Families may also apply for medical assistance for children through Florida KidCare.

Pregnant Woman

• A pregnant woman may qualify for Medicaid if her family’s countable income does not exceed income limits.  Once eligible, a pregnant woman remains eligible throughout her pregnancy and for a twelve-month post-partum period, regardless of a change in income. For pregnant women who do not meet the citizenship requirements for Medicaid, see the information below about Emergency Medical Assistance for Non-Citizens.
• Presumptively Eligible Pregnant Women (PEPW) is temporary coverage for prenatal care only and eligibility is determined by Qualified Designated Providers (QDP) based on limited information from the pregnant woman.  During the temporary coverage period, the pregnant woman will need to submit an application to have her ongoing Medicaid eligibility determined.
• Women with family income over the limit for Medicaid may qualify for the Medically Needy Program.  For more information, see the Family-Related Medicaid Factsheet.

Foster Care Individual

Individuals who are under age 26 may receive Medicaid if they were in foster care under the responsibility of the State and receiving Florida Medicaid when they aged out of foster care.  There is no income limit for this program.

Non-Citizen with a medical emergency

Non-citizens, who are Medicaid eligible except for their citizenship status, may be eligible for Medicaid to cover a serious medical emergency.  This includes the emergency labor and delivery of a child.  Before Medicaid may be authorized, applicants must provide proof from a medical professional stating the treatment was due to an emergency condition.  The proof also must include the date(s) of the emergency.

Note: Applicants approved for emergency Medicaid are not eligible for post-partum coverage

Aged or Disabled individual not currently eligible

Medicaid for low-income individuals who are either aged (65 or older) or disabled is called SSI-Related Medicaid.

Florida residents who are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are automatically eligible for Medicaid coverage from the Social Security Administration.  There is no need to file a separate ACCESS Florida Application unless nursing home services are needed.

Individuals may apply for regular Medicaid coverage and other services using the online ACCESS Florida Application and submitting it electronically.  If long-term care services in a nursing home or community setting are needed, the individual must check the box for HCBS/Waivers or Nursing Home on the Benefit Information screen.  HCBS/Waiver programs provide in-home or assisted living services that help prevent institutionalization.

Medicare Savings Programs (Medicare Buy-In) help Medicare beneficiaries with limited finances pay their Medicare premiums; and in some instances, deductibles and co-payments.  Medicare Buy-In provides different levels of assistance depending on the amount of an individual or couple’s income.  Individuals may apply for Medicare Buy-In coverage only by completing a Medicaid/Medicare Buy-In Application.

Print the form, complete it and mail or fax it to a local Customer Service Center.

Individuals eligible for Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program are automatically enrolled in Social Security’s Extra Help with Part D (Low Income Subsidy) benefit for the remainder of the year.  An individual may also apply directly with Social Security for the Medicare Extra Help Program.  Individuals who do apply directly for the Medicare Extra Help Program have the option of having the same application consideration for the Medicare Savings Program.  If the individual takes the option of having the Medicare Extra Help Program application considered for the Medicare Savings Program, the Social Security Administration will send information electronically to Florida and the individual will be contacted.

More information about Medicaid programs for aged or disabled individuals is available in the SSI-Related Fact Sheets. Information for Medicaid providers who need to communicate with DCF about SSI-Related Medicaid eligibility status is contained in the SSI-Related Provider Communication Guide.

Income and asset limits may be found on the SSI-Related Programs Financial Eligibility Standards.  Important information for individuals seeking Medicaid for long-term care services in a nursing home or community setting is available in the Qualified Income Trust Fact Sheet.

To determine your monthly maximum income limit, you must first determine:

• Your Coverage Group; and
• Your Family Size.

Step 1: Determine Your Coverage Group

Which of these Coverage Groups describes the person applying for Medicaid?

• Under age 1.
• Ages 1 to 5.
• Ages 6 to 18.
• Age 19 or 20.
• Parent or caretaker.
• Pregnant woman.

Step 2: Determine Your Family Size

To determine your Family Size, answer the following questions:

1. Are you a child who is not filing a tax return?

If yes, then your Family Size includes all of these individuals:

• You, and
• Your parents who live in the same household with you (including step-parents and adoptive parents), and
• Your siblings who live in the same household with you and are under 19 or are full-time students under 21. This includes step-siblings, half-siblings, and adopted siblings.

Now go to Step 3.

If no, then go to the next question.

1. Will a parent or spouse claim you as a dependent for the current tax year?

If yes, then your Family Size includes all of these individuals:

• You, and
• Your spouse, and
• The individual filing the tax return (also called the tax filer), and
• The tax filer’s spouse, and
• All of the tax filer’s other tax dependents.

Now go to Step 3.

If no, then go to the next question.

1. Do you expect to file a tax return for the current tax year?

If yes, then your Family Size includes all of these individuals:

• You, and
• Your spouse, and
• Your tax dependents.

Now go to Step 3.

If no, then your Family Size includes all of these individuals:

• You, and
• Your spouse, if your spouse lives in the same household with you, and
• Any of your children who live in the same household with you and are under 19 or are full-time students under 21. This includes step-children and adopted children.

Step 3: Determine Your Maximum Monthly Income Limit

Once you know your Coverage Group and your Family Size, you can use this table to determine your maximum monthly income limit:

Effective April 2024

• The quickest way is to Apply for Benefits online.
• At one of the Department of Children and Families community partners. A listing of community partners can be found online at:
  https://access-web.dcf.state.fl.us/CPSLookup/search.aspx
• At a Department of Children and Families customer service center.
• Complete a paper application by downloading and printing from here. The completed paper application can be mailed to ACCESS Central Mail Center, P.O. Box 1770, Ocala, FL, 34478-1770, or it can be faxed or hand-delivered to a customer service center

Applying for public assistance benefits is free. Clients can apply online for free by using the Office of Economic Self Sufficiency Self Service Portal or by visiting a DCF Community Partner. If you believe you have been charged a fee inappropriately or have suspected fraud to report, please do so here.

The quickest way to make changes or check the status of your Government Assistance, while avoiding a wait time, is to use the MyACCESS Portal, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition to around the clock access to your case, you can also submit requested verification to the Department using the document upload feature on your MyACCESS account. Log into your account. If you have not registered for an account register here today

A variety of MyACCESS instructional videos are available on the Department’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MyFLFamilies. The channel features a range of tutorials, covering topics such as how to apply for Government Assistance, how to link a case, how to create an account, how to report a change, and more.

You can also get information about your application or benefits by using our automated response system at (850) 300-4323. Your case number or Social Security Number and date of birth are required to access your case information.

On average, it takes about 30 minutes for most of our customers to complete the online application. This is the quickest way to apply. Once you finish filling out the application, you may submit it to DCF automatically by using our e-signature option.

It may take up to 30 days to process your application (longer if you need a disability determination). We encourage you to opt-in for email notifications. Once you opt in, you will receive an email alert when we post a notice in your account. If you do not sign up for email notification we will send your notices by post.

STEP 1: Your application is reviewed to see if you need an interview.

• If you need an interview:
  • Not every application will require an interview. If an interview is required, the Department will send you a pending notice based on your preferred method of communication, either electronically or to the address you provided. You can receive your pending notices faster by electing to receive electronic mail or by accessing notices in your MyACCESS account.
  • During your interview, you will be asked about your household situation and you may be asked questions to verify your identity
  • For additional information on preparing for your interview you may visit: Interview Tips.

STEP 2: You may need to provide additional information.

• We will give or send a notice to you showing what is needed.
• The notice will give you a deadline to provide the required information. Some examples are:
  • Proof of identity, citizenship, and noncitizen status.
  • Proof of earned and unearned income for each household member (such as last four weeks of check stubs, child support, notices from Social Security or Veteran’s Administration)
• You can mail, fax, upload your documents in your MyACCESS Account, or turn in information at a local office or community partner. Please write your ACCESS # or case #, name, date of birth, phone number, etc., on all of the information you give us.
• Allow 3 days for your account to show your information was received.

STEP 3: Your information has been received and your application is being processed.

• Your needs are important to us and we want to ensure every family receives the correct benefit, but it may still take up to 30 days to finish your application (longer if you need a disability determination).

STEP 4: Your eligibility is determined.

• Food Assistance or Cash Assistance:
  • If you are eligible for the first time, and your case is approved, you will be mailed an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card with a brochure that tells you how to use your card.
  • If you received benefits in the past 24 months and still have an EBT card, you can use that card if your case number is the same and the card is not expired (see Good Thru date on the card).
  • If you no longer have your EBT card or your card has expired, please contact EBT customer service at 1-888-356-3281 for a replacement.
  • If you are reapplying and it has been more than 24 months since you received food or cash assistance, a new EBT card will automatically be mailed to you.
• Medicaid:
  • If you are eligible for Medicaid you will receive a gold card in the mail for eligible household members. The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will send Medicaid Choice Counseling information to you if you need to select a managed care plan.
• If you are not eligible for one or all benefits (food or cash assistance or Medicaid):
  • You will receive a notice in the mail and in your ESS self-service portal with the reason(s) you are not eligible.

More services are available to you from other agencies and organizations. Click here to see a list of other state and federal programs you may find helpful.

The Department of Children and Families’ Refugee Services Program is federally funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Department of Health and Human Services to assist refugees to achieve economic self-sufficiency and social adjustment within the shortest possible time after their arrival in the United States.

While in recent years the number of arrivals has decreased nationwide, the State of Florida’s refugee program is the largest in the nation, receiving more than 5,000 refugees, asylees, and Cuban/Haitian entrants each year.

Refugee Services’ clients all have a legal immigration status. Some are admitted to the United States by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) through its refugee “Reception and Placement” program. DOS contracts with national refugee resettlement agencies to assist resettled refugees during their first three months in the United States. However, only about 8% of Florida’s refugee client population enters the U.S. through the DOS program. A majority of our refugee clients are Cuban entrants who enter the United States through other programs or channels.

Many people are not familiar with the different immigration classifications for individuals entering this country. The term “immigrant” encompasses a wide range of people who enter the United States through different channels, both regular and irregular, and who have different immigration statuses. Congress determines which groups are eligible for benefits and services provided through the Refugee Services program. All eligible Refugee Services clients have one of the following legal immigration statuses:

Refugees:

The U.S. Refugee Act of 1980 defines a refugee as:

• a person who is outside his or her country
• is unwilling or unable to return to his or her home country, and
• is able to demonstrate persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

Refugees who come to the United States through the State Department’s Refugee resettlement program were accorded refugee status by the United Nations in another country after fleeing their country of origin. They are interviewed and approved for resettlement by the U.S. State Department and vetted by the Department of Homeland Security. Less than one percent of the world’s refugees are resettled in the United States.

Asylees:

Persons who arrive to the United States through various channels and who apply from inside the U.S. for protection from persecution in their homeland (asylum). The U.S. Refugee Act of 1980 defines an asylee as a person who is:

• physically present in the U.S. or a port of entry
• able to meet the definition of refugee (see above)

Cuban/Haitian Entrants:

Persons from Cuba or Haiti who have been granted special immigration status by the U.S. (most often “humanitarian parole”) that makes them eligible for refugee benefits and services.

Foreign Victims of Human Trafficking:

Non U.S. citizens/residents who, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, have performed a commercial sex act, or have been recruited, harbored, transported, provided or obtained for labor or services for the purpose of involuntary servitude, debt bondage, or slavery. To be eligible for services, an individual 18 years of age or older must be “certified” by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) or a T-visa holder. Child victims of human trafficking do NOT need to be “certified” or be a T-visa holder, but require a letter of eligibility from ORR.

The Director of Refugee Services is based in Tallahassee. Program staff are mostly located in Tallahassee and Miami; Refugee Services Community Liaisons, who are the program’s direct link to community partners and refugees, are located in each DCF Regional Office: Northeast (Jacksonville), Northwest (Tallahassee), Central (Orlando), SunCoast (Tampa), Southeast (West Palm Beach), and Southern (Miami). Community Liaisons facilitate Refugee Task Force meetings in each community with large numbers of refugees. The Task Forces meet bi-monthly and include refugee resettlement agencies, contracted providers, federal, state and local government agencies, refugee-led self-help organizations, and other entities and individuals concerned with refugees. The meetings provide opportunities to coordinate referrals and services, assess emerging needs of refugees, solve problems, and disseminate federal and state policies.

Refugee cash and medical assistance benefits are available for a maximum of eight months following arrival to the United States to needy refugees who are not eligible for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) or Medicaid. This refugee assistance is paid entirely from federal funds through the Department’s existing FLORIDA system within the ACCESS/Economic Self-Sufficiency program structure.

Support services are provided through contracts with nonprofit organizations, local government agencies, and private entities to assist refugees and entrants meet the goal of economic self-sufficiency and successful integration. Services are contracted within the state’s regulations governing the acquisition of services, including competitive bidding requirements. Current services include:

• Employment Services
  Employment services are provided to assist eligible refugees/entrants in achieving economic self-sufficiency and effective resettlement through gainful employment. Services primarily target refugees in their first two years in the United States, but refugees remain eligible for up to 60 months. Employment services include pre-employment counseling and orientation, direct job preparation and placement, 90 and 180 day follow-up, On-the-Job Training (OJT), re-credentialing/recertification, and career laddering services for refugees with professional backgrounds.
• Adult and Vocational Education
  Adult education services include English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Vocational Training, Vocational English for Speakers of Other Languages (VESOL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), and General Education Diploma (GED) preparation classes.
• Employability Status Assistance (Legal) Services
  Services include: assistance with obtaining Employment Authorization Documents (EAD), permanent residency applications, and other employment-related immigration status issues.
• Child Care
  Child Care services are provided to children of eligible refugee/entrants who are enrolled in Refugee Services-funded employment and adult education services. Services are limited to 12 months.
• Comprehensive Refugee Services (CRS)
  CRS is an integrated service delivery system where a single provider coordinates services in a multi-county area that are essential to refugee/entrant families’ self-sufficiency, effective resettlement, and successful integration into the local community. Services offered may include but are not limited to employment, adult and vocational education, employability status assistance, youth, and child care services. These services are available in Northwest Region, Central Region and SunCoast Region of Florida.
• Youth Services
  Tutoring, academic enrichment, and orientation services are provided to refugee youth to promote academic success and prevent school dropouts and juvenile delinquency. Services are available in Collier, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Duval, Pasco, Palm Beach, and Pinellas Counties.
• Eligibility Training
  Refugee Program eligibility training is provided to local contracted service providers to ensure proper determination of program eligibility for all refugee program services based on the most up-to-date federal eligibility requirements.
• Interpreter Services
  Telephonic interpreter services and vital document translation services are provided to Refugee Services contracted providers, departmental programs, and local Community Based Organizations to increase service access to refugee/entrants and other limited English proficient individuals.
• Health Screenings
  Services are administered statewide to newly arrived refugees and entrants by the Department of Health, Refugee Health Services Office. Federally approved protocol for completing health screenings of refugees are followed and provided within 90 days of arriving to Florida. Health screenings include TB test(s), vaccinations, and vision and hearing screening.
• Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) Program
  Unaccompanied refugee minors are provided services equivalent to youth in foster care and services oriented toward the special needs of refugee youth (i.e. ESOL, cultural identity and adjustment, family tracing and trauma treatment services).

• Refugee Services is 100% federally funded.
• Resettlement of refugees is governed by federal law – Refugee Act of 1980, Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, Regulated at 45 Code of Federal Regulations Part 400 and 401, 409.953, F.S. Admission to the U.S. of other categories of persons eligible for Refugee Services is also governed by Federal laws and policies.

Eligibility for programs of Refugee Services is determined by federal law and includes the following:

• Refugees are individuals who have been forced to flee their home country due to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. Refugees are granted status before they arrive in the United States.
• Cuban/Haitian Entrants is a term used to describe Cuban and Haitian nationals who enter the United States and are granted a parole upon entry, apply for asylum, or are in removal proceedings.
• Asylees are persons already in the United States who, due to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country, have been granted asylum by asylum officers or immigration judges in the United States.
• Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrants (SIV) are Iraqi and Afghani nationals who worked with the U.S. military and who were granted special immigrant status.
• Certified Victims of Human Trafficking (VOT) are individuals from foreign countries who, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, have been forced to perform a commercial sex act, or have been subjected to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

• Refugee Services currently manages more than a dozen refugee services contracts with state agencies, local governments, and community-based organizations. The Department of Health provides health screenings to ensure newly arrived refugee clients do not have communicable diseases and to identify health issues. AHCA provides payment for Refugee Medical Assistance services in accordance with Medicaid rules, with Federal Funding.
• Benefits and services are provided as permitted under CFR 45 Part 400 and 401. Refugee clients who are eligible for TANF and Medicaid may apply for and receive those benefits. Those who are ineligible for those programs may apply for and receive Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA). In FFY 2021, more than 14,989 clients received RCA, more than 16,301 received RMA and more than 3,720 received TANF. RCA and RMA are limited to eight months of assistance after arrival in the U.S.
• In FFY 2021, Refugee Services provided an estimated 38,092 unduplicated clients with services including employment, adult education, Refugee Medical and Cash Assistance and health screening. In FFY 2021, Refugee Services provided 5,783 English language classes to 3,678 clients, 804 vocational training classes to 306 clients and childcare to 149 clients. Refugee Services helped 3,464 refugee clients obtain unsubsidized employment, with 83% retaining jobs for at least 90 days in FFY 2021.