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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Human Services (DHS) is reminding Pennsylvanians that while all county assistance offices (CAOs) statewide remain closed to the public, online services remain available.

CAOs in counties moving to the yellow phase will reopen following adjustments to facilities necessary to keep staff and clients safe. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to use DHS’ online applications and resources to apply for benefits or submit paperwork as necessary.

“DHS is continuing to connect eligible Pennsylvanians to the programs they need through our online services. No one should forego these services if they need them, and anyone who is struggling to make ends meet or needs assistance should know that help is available,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “While our CAOs are still closed to the public, we are still receiving and processing applications for our public assistance programs. Clients should take advantage of online resources like COMPASS and the myCOMPASS PA mobile app as counties begin to reopen to mitigate risk while we continue to face the threat of COVID-19.”

The following key services can be accessed online through COMPASS and the myCOMPASS PA mobile app without going into the CAO:

  • Apply for Medical Assistance, cash assistance, SNAP or LIHEAP (only on COMPASS)
  • Submit benefit renewal information
  • Review benefits and case record information
  • Report a change in case information
  • Upload verification documents

DHS administers public assistance programs that helps Pennsylvanians maintain access to health care, food, and other essential needs when people need extra help and during periods of economic uncertainty like what we currently face. Applications for benefits and renewals can be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us. Eligibility determinations, application processing, and benefit issuance will continue for Pennsylvanians in all counties while the CAOs are closed to the public. Clients who prefer to submit paper documentation can mail documents to their local CAO or leave documents in a CAO’s secure drop box, if available.

Clients in Philadelphia with questions, information to report about their case, or who need a paper application mailed to them should call the Philadelphia Customer Service Center at 215-560-7226. Clients in all other counties can call the Statewide Customer Service Center at 1-877-395-8930. Call volumes and wait times may be higher than usual, and we appreciate the public’s patience with the dedicated commonwealth employees working to assist clients under stressful circumstances.

DHS is continuing to process applications for SNAP throughout the public health crisis. All applications are reviewed for expedited service which can be issued in five days for eligible applicants. EBT payments are still scheduled to occur during the closure and activated EBT cards can still be used as usual at ATMs and in stores at point-of-sale machines if the client has a balance. Balance and transaction inquiries as well as EBT card replacement can be requested from DHS’s EBT contractor, Conduent, at 888-328-7366.

For Medicaid, contact the Pennsylvania Consumer Service Center at 1-866-550-4355 to apply over the phone. Pennsylvanians can also complete semi-annual renewals and check their benefit status through the myCOMPASS PA mobile app. Managed Care Organizations (MCO) providing Medicaid coverage will be available to address claims and coverage issues with clients, and Medicaid Access cards can still be used at participating medical facilities to obtain care.

Visit pa.gov for a “Responding to COVID-19” guide or the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s dedicated Coronavirus webpage for the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19.

Guidance to DHS providers related to COVID-19 is available here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Erin James, ra-pwdhspressoffice@pa.gov

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The recently released Department of Human Services, Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) Bulletin #00-20-01, 3130-20-03, 3350-20-02, 3490-20-03, 3680-20-01, 3700-20-02, 3800-20-02, entitled “Notification Protocol for Formal Licensing Actions and Incidents” can be found here.

The purpose of this bulletin is to revise the OCYF procedures for sending notification of critical events that have occurred in a child residential or day treatment facility, an approved foster and pre-adoptive home, or a Youth Development Center or a Youth Forestry Camp that may represent a risk of harm to the children and youth placed in those settings. This bulletin rescinds and replaces OCYF Bulletin #00-19-02, entitled “Notification Protocol for Formal Licensing Actions and Incidents,” which was issued in August 2019.

The revisions to this bulletin were previously communicated via the above announcement on January 16, 2020, and include removing the issuance of notifications regarding removal of staff under an approved plan of supervision and any notifications which were duplicative of one another, specifically those that would already require a notification and result in citation(s) and/or issuance of a licensing inspection summary.

If you have questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 5:30 pm – 8:45 pm

Together@Home: Resources for Youth and Families is a virtual conference designed specifically for families and students to finish the school year strong.

  • Presenters will offer twenty-minute sessions to assist with learning in a virtual environment.
  • Several sessions have been specially designed just for students.
  • An opening keynote by the Director of the Bureau of Special Education, Ms. Carole Clancy, will set the stage for the importance of strong family and student commitment.
  • Marc Elliot, author and national presenter, will close the conference with an inspirational message on finding your strength.

Registration will be available beginning Monday, May 11, at https://www.pattan.net/events/.

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From ACCSES:

Today is the day we have been waiting for, as the U.S. House of Representatives released the draft text of the $3 trillion dollar stimulus today. The bill is titled The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or the HEROES Act.

This bill will begin in the House and then go to the Senate. The House has scheduled the vote for Friday, where it is likely to pass. There have been indications from the Senate and the White House that there is not as much interest in a fourth stimulus now as there had been a few weeks ago, so this bill is not expected to move as quickly as the prior stimulus bills.

This bill includes additional support for Home and Community-Based Services (Medicaid services begins at page 189), including increased pay and hazard pay for home health workers and direct support professionals, funding for PPE, increased FMAP, and funding for individuals who are waitlisted by states for HCBS services.

Nonprofit HCBS providers are included as organizations with which the State should engage on expanded services. This draft bill also contains a provision that would include nonprofits in the Main Street Lending Program (beginning at page 1063). It does not appear to include a provision protecting self-insured employers, but there is support for some further relief in both the Senate and House, so we will continue advocating for it.

We will break the bill down further this week, but here is a brief summary of the bill and the swirl of politics around it from CNBC. At 1,815 pages, this bill has many other provisions in it, including increased funding to the States, extensions of the additional $600 in unemployment compensation, another round of direct payments to individuals, voting rights protections (including for people with disabilities), and funding for the U.S. Postal Service.

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In an effort to provide temporary relief for individuals in need of FBI fingerprinting as part of the Child Protective Services Law, Governor Wolf has approved legislation — formerly HB 360 and now ACT 18 — that allows temporary fingerprinting flexibility where Identogo sites are not available. In a phone call today with the Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) Planning Committee, it was discussed that OCYF expects to release the guidance this week with some noted limitations as outlined below.

Existing Employees – Have until December 31 to get fingerprints for those whose checks have expired since March 2020. Still need PSP and Child Abuse Checks completed.

For new employees, if you have not been a resident in PA within the past 10 years, you must also provide Child Abuse clearances from prior states of residence. New hires also sign a disclosure statement (attestation form).

New hires have until December 31, or 60 days from end date of state of emergency as directed by Governor Wolf, to get fingerprinting done. Individuals must still make reasonable efforts to complete checks at your local Identogo site if it is open.

Further direction and comment will be forthcoming from RCPA after the OCYF guidance is released. If your agency or staff are having difficulty in obtaining fingerprints, or if you are looking for Identogo mobile sites or resources, please contact RCPA Children’s Director Jim Sharp.

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