GENERAL
ASSISTANCE
General
Assistance Administrator
Office 353-6949
Fax 353-9126
After
Hours: 504-0450
Office Hours:
|
Wednesday |
|
|
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Thursday |
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By Appointment |
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Friday |
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9:00 am – Noon |
The General Assistance program in Maine is
administered by each town and city in order to provide immediate financial
assistance to help people who do not have enough money for their basic needs,
such as, rent/mortgage, food, fuel and other items that are essential to
maintain a household.
The
assistance is provided in the form of a voucher, which is mailed to the
specific vendor.
Assistance
is granted for 30 days or less and must be applied for.
Decisions
will be made within 24 hours of receipt.
Emergency
General Assistance may be available for those individuals who otherwise may not
be eligible for regular General Assistance.
If
you receive General Assistance you will be required to repay the municipality
if and when you are able to do so.
Overview
of Services:
The General Assistance
Program assists residents of Bowdoin with basic necessities, such as:
·
rent/mortgage
·
heating
fuel
·
LP
Gas
·
electricity
·
non-elective
medical services
·
telephone
when medically necessary
·
food
·
personal
supplies
·
household
supplies
This program continues to be
a safety net for the neediest.
General Assistance has
developed into a program that makes recipients more accountable and encourages
self-reliance. A person applying for this assistance is required to utilize all
available resources, i.e. TANF, food stamps, Medicaid, fuel assistance,
subsidized daycare, etc. With overall maximum levels of assistance being quite
low, it is critical to network with local and area resources to access all available
assistance. Bowdoin is fortunate to have a variety of dedicated service
providers who work together to offer services to Bowdoin residents, including
local clergy, school personnel, senior citizen representatives, mental health
professionals and police personnel.
Assistance is also offered
with completing Maine State Property Tax and Rent Refund forms. Forms for this program are available at the
Town Office and the application must be completed and submitted by January
31st.
How can I
apply for general assistance?
People wishing to apply for assistance should call the department to schedule
an appointment. Each person needs to
complete an application in order to determine eligibility.
What do I
need to do to qualify for general assistance?
Each applicant is responsible for providing the general assistance
administrator with information necessary to determine eligibility. This
includes information verifying members of the household. documentation of all
sources of income received by the household (salary, child support, workers
compensation benefits, unemployment, SSI, SSDI, social security, as well as any
money received from family members, tax returns, etc.). Additionally,
applicants need to provide documentation of their expenses for basic
necessities (these include housing, heat, electricity, water, sewer, food,
phone when medically necessary, prescriptions, etc.) and work related expenses
(child care expenses, transportation to work). The administrator will make a determination
of eligibility based on the overall maximums allowed by the State and the
municipality. Clients will receive a decision sheet showing whether or not they
are eligible for assistance and what they will need to do to be eligible for
future assistance.
Eligibility Requirements/Programs
General Assistance is available to anyone
in the state who is in need at that time, however, income must fall below the
overall maximum level of assistance for the household size based on the local
General Assistance ordinance and the applicants income must be less than what
is needed to pay for basic necessities.
What can
general assistance assist with?
The town will grant assistance to eligible applicants for basic necessities
according to the maximum levels for specific types of assistance. Basic
necessities include housing, heat, LP Gas, electricity, food, personal and
household supplies, and other basic necessities when they are deemed essential
to an applicant's or recipient's health and safety by the general
administrator.
What do I
need to do to be eligible for future assistance?
At the time an applicant receives a decision on their application, the
administrator will inform them of their responsibilities for being eligible in
the future. Once applying for general assistance all clients, regardless of
whether or not they received any benefits, are responsible for showing that
they have done all they can to prevent needing general assistance again. This
includes providing documentation (receipts) of all their spending over the past
thirty days (or longer if they are seeking assistance with back due bills).
Again, the amount of income from all sources received by the household must be
provided. Additionally, the applicant must show that they have utilized all
potential resources the administrator referred them to.
What would
cause me to be ineligible or disqualified from the program?
General assistance is a program that encourages clients to do all they can to
prevent needing future assistance. An applicant may be found ineligible to
receive general assistance if they: misspend their money on items that are not
considered basic necessities (this will count as money that is still available
to the household and will affect the amount of eligibility); if a client
forfeits a benefit, this benefit will not be replaced; if a client quits a job
without just cause, they are disqualified from receiving assistance for a 120
day period.; for failing to perform or complete a workfare assignment; for
willfully making a false representation about their eligibility; for not
providing or permitting the administrator to gather the necessary verification
and documentation as required; as well as others.
How often can
I apply for assistance?
Generally, general assistance is determined for a one to thirty day period
only. If an applicant needs to apply for general assistance again, they are
responsible for making sure they have met the requirements of the program for
eligibility.
What if I
disagree with the decision of the administrator?
If you disagree with the decision, applicants should discuss the matter with
the administrator. All applicants have the right to request a Fair Hearing
which would provide the applicant with a Board composed of individuals not
involved in the decision to decide whether you are eligible for assistance. If
you would like a Fair Hearing, you must request a hearing in writing within 5
working days of when you receive your decision.
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