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Financial and Basic Needs Assistance
Assisting Individuals and Families Meet Basic Needs
The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services offers several programs which assist individuals and families to meet their basic needs. Learn more about applying for assistance at CommonHelp, a partnership with the Virginia Department of Social Services.
For programs and services which more specifically assist adults, families and children, visit the Adult, Family and Children's Services page. For housing assistance, visit the Housing Assistance page.
Auxiliary Grant Program
An auxiliary grant (AG) is an income supplement for individuals who receive supplemental security income (SSI) and certain other aged, blind, or disabled individuals who reside in a licensed assisted living facility (ALF) or an approved adult foster care (AFC) home. Learn more about auxiliary grants from the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS).
Eligibility
To be eligible for an Auxiliary Grant:
- You must be 65 or older, blind or disabled
- Have countable resources of less than $2,000 for one person or $3,000 for a couple
- Have countable income that is less than the approved rate for the home plus an allowance for personal items
- File an application in the locality where the person lived prior to entering the adult care residence or adult family-care home
- Have been assessed and determined to need care in an adult care residence or an adult family placement
Grant Application
To apply for the grant, please complete an application (PDF).
Grant Renewal
To renew a grant, please complete a renewal application (PDF).
Child Care Assistance
The Child Care Assistance program provides financial assistance to low-income working families with child care needs. Learn more at Child Care VA, a part of the Virginia Department of Education.
Requirements
To apply for this program, several requirements must be met and include:
- Be willing to seek child support through the Division of Child Support Enforcement for absent parent(s)
- Families must meet income requirements
- Must prove there is a need for the Child Care (parent/caretaker working or in school)
- Must provide verification of employment
Apply
You may apply for child care assistance by:
- Accessing online assistance at CommonHelp
- Contacting the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services office (located at 9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832) by phone at 804-748-1100 during office hours (Monday-Firday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and requesting an application
Child Care Providers
To locate unregulated, regulated or a licensed child care provider in your area, please visit Child Care VA. It will provide valuable information regarding:
- Complaint history
- Contact information for licensing specialist assigned to each provider
- Length and type of licensure
- Location of the provider
- Past violations
- Telephone number
Becoming a Licensed Provider
If you are interested in becoming a licensed provider, learn more at Child Care VA's Become a Licensed Provider page.
Complaints
To file a complaint on a provider, learn more at Child Care VA's File a Complaint page.
Additional Resources
Child Support Enforcement
The Virginia Department of Social Services Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) provides direct services related to the collection of child support. Services available through DCSE are:
- Establishing and enforcing support orders
- Legally establishing the father of a child (paternity)
- Locating the non-custodial parent
- Working with other states when either parent does not live in Virginia
Contact DCSE by calling 800-468-8894 and learn more at My Child Support.
Energy Assistance Programs
The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services administers programs to help with heating or cooling costs throughout the year for income eligible households.
Cooling Assistance
The cooling assistance program provides purchases or repair of cooling equipment and/or payment for electricity to operate cooling equipment. To be eligible a household must be income eligible and contain at least one vulnerable individual who is age 60 or over, disabled or under the age of six.
Crisis Assistance - Emergency Heating
The crisis assistance program is intended to meet a household's emergency heating need, when no other resource is available. Applications for payment of heat utility bills or the purchase of home heating fuel are accepted beginning the first work day in January. From Nov. 1 through March 15, applications are accepted to help with repair or replacement of heating equipment, a one-time only security deposit, and/or emergency shelter.
Fuel Assistance
The fuel assistance program helps with home heating costs. Applications are accepted from the second Tuesday in October through the second Friday in November.
Apply
You may apply for an Energy Assistance program by:
- Accessing online assistance at CommonHelp
- Calling 855-635-4370 (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - noon)
- Contacting the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services office (located at 9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832) by phone at 804-748-1100 during office hours (Monday-Firday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and requesting an application
- Contacting the Energy Assistance Office at 804-717-6825
- Downloading an application from the Virginia Department of Social Services
Resources
Food Assistance Organizations
General Relief Program
The General Relief program is designed to provide maintenance assistance which cannot be provided through other means. The program is financed through State and local funding.
Assistance is provided for unattached minors only. These are individuals who would be eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) but do not meet the relationship requirements.
Apply
To apply for the General Relief program you may contact our office and request an application:
- Contacting the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services office (located at 9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832) by phone at 804-748-1100 during office hours (Monday-Firday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and requesting an application
- Download an application from the Virginia Department of Social Services
Medical Assistance - Medicaid
The Medicaid program helps low-income individuals with payments for health and medical care. The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services pays the bills to providers. The local Social Service agency in the county where you live determines eligibility, by application. Medicaid is divided into three basic programs aged, blind and disabled; families and children; and long term care.
Apply
You may apply for Medicaid by:
- Accessing online assistance at CommonHelp
- Calling 855-242-8282 (Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.)
- Contacting the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services office (located at 9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832) by phone at 804-748-1100 during office hours (Monday-Firday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and requesting an application
- Downloading an application from the Virginia Department of Social Services
Medicaid Enrollment - End of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
With the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, normal Medicaid enrollment processes will return soon. In order for Virginians to keep their health coverage, members should provide their most recent mailing address and phone number to ensure paperwork is received. Mailing addresses and phone numbers can be updated:
- Online at CommonHelp
- By calling Cover Virginia at 855-242-8282
- By calling Social Services at 804-748-1100
Spread the word to community members, patients, family, friends, neighbors and anyone else who might be enrolled in Medicaid to keep our communities covered!
To learn more, visit Cover Virginia's Return to Normal Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions page and the Department of Medicaid Assistance Services (DMAS) COVID-19 Response.
Differences from Medicare
Medicaid is different from Medicare. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people who are age 65 or older or disabled. The Social Security Administration administers the Medicare program.
Resources
Public Schools Community Resources
Refugee Assistance Program
The Virginia Department of Social Services' Office of New Americans is responsible for administering the Virginia's Refugee Resettlement Program, the goal of which is to help refugees and their families gain economic self-sufficiency and social integration into their communities.
Refugees are individuals who are unable to return to their country of origin because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution because of membership in a particular social group, nationality, political opinion, race and/or religion.
Refugees are eligible to apply for the same assistance programs as United States citizens, including:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Refugee Cash Assistance
Single refugee adults or couples who are not eligible for TANF or Medicaid may be eligible to receive Refugee Cash Assistance and Refugee Medicaid for their first eight months in the United States so they can become self-sufficient.
Apply
You may apply for the Refugee Assistance Program by:
- Contacting the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services office (located at 9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832) by phone at 804-748-1100 during office hours (Monday-Firday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and requesting an application
- Contacting the Energy Assistance Office at 804-717-6825
- Downloading an application from the Virginia Department of Social Services
Resources
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program is designed to promote better nutrition for low-income families by increasing their food purchasing power.
Eligibility
To be able to utilize SNAP, an interview is required for this program. Each application is screened for entitlement to emergency service. If screened as an emergency, eligibility will be determined within seven days. Regular processing is thirty days from the date of application.
Eligibility for SNAP and the amount of the allotment varies according to deductions, income, number of eligible household members, other eligibility factors and resources.
SNAP allotments are based on the date that the agency receives your application.
Apply
If you think you may be eligible, apply by:
- Accessing online assistance at CommonHelp
- Calling 855-635-4370 (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.)
- Contacting the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services office (located at 9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832) by phone at 804-748-1100 during office hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and requesting an application
- Downloading an application from the Virginia Department of Social Services
Resources
- Applying for SNAP (paper application) video
- Virginia electronic benefits transfer (EBT) customer service: 866-281-2448
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a program that provides temporary financial assistance to eligible families and children. The family will receive a monthly cash payment to meet their basic needs. To access assistance from the TANF program:
- A family must be financially needy.
- A family must meet certain requirements.
- Able-bodied adult TANF recipients are required to participate in the Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW) program.
- An applicant must cooperate in naming the parents of all eligible children and must help establish paternity for each of them.
Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW)
The Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW) Program is the work program that requires able-bodied parents to work. A family taking part in VIEW will receive help with child care costs, finding a job and transportation.
Working Recipients
A recipient may still receive a TANF check while working. A family who has someone in the VIEW program may receive TANF for no longer than 24 months followed by a period of ineligibility.
Apply
Apply for TANF by:
- Accessing online assistance at CommonHelp
- Calling 855-635-4370 (Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.)
- Contacting the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services office (located at 9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832) by phone at 804-748-1100 during office hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and requesting an application
- Downloading an application from the Virginia Department of Social Services