Florida financial aid
As a single mother, you may be weighed down by several expenses that will cause you some financial difficulties. As a mother, you are frequently pondering about the future of your child or children and extensive financial planning will really assist you in keeping up with the financial requirements of raising a family. Always remember that you are not alone because there are many grants, loans and state assistance that you can get. It will need you to strictly comply with all their requirements which can be overwhelming for your part but the result is beyond satisfactory.
How to Get State Assistance
Applying for financial state assistance is the first thing that you should do and getting your applying is quite tricky. The key here is to breakdown the process to provide a step by step plan to ensure that you are trekking the right path.
- Step #1. - To start with, contact the Department of Human Services office to arrange an appointment. Some DHS offices will demand you to fill up some forms and require some paperwork before setting up an appointment. It is a necessity for you to comply with all the requirements that the department demands.
- Step #2. - If the appointment is already set, bring all the relevant documents that are required from you. Usually the caseworker will need birth certificates, social security cards, proof of utility bills, rent and residency and a record regarding your situation with your child or children’s father - whether he is deceased or you are divorce or separated. Also, if you have court orders related to child custody or support then those are important documentation as well.
- Step #3. - During your meeting with your case worker, he or she will give you a list of the documents that you need to get. Generally, you are given ten days for you to gather all the needed paperwork but it is important to tell your caseworker immediately if you have any problems in getting those documents.
- Step#4. - If you qualify, you will be informed by the caseworker before you leave the office. After that, you will receive notices in the mail concerning the progress of your application and the things that you need to comply with regards to the areas of your case. Read the letters carefully and call the DHS if there is something you don’t understand. It is important to ask questions and it is also advised to work on it as fast as you can. The faster the process the smoother it will be.
Available Financial Aids in the State of Florida
There are lots of financial support programs out there and the different states provide different plans that will specifically help single mothers financially.
ACCESS Florida Program.
The Florida Access Program is a program under the Department of Human Services in Florida. It provides single mothers the financial assistance they need with regards to housing, education, health care and many more. Keep in mind that you will need to fill out their forms and produce all the needed requirements for your application to be approved.
The requirements of some programs under ACCESS can be complied through the phone but if you are required to do a personal appearance in one of their offices then do not panic. Usually this is because of some documents that is needed to be verified or some information that needs more back up documentation.
There are numerous programs under ACCESS the SNAP program is an example. It provides a monthly cash allowance for single mothers for them to buy nutritious foods. Another is Medicaid. This program covers children under the age of 19 if your income passes the program’s limit. Your child will be registered to the Florida Child Health Check up Program where he or she will have regular dental care, health check up, immunizations and many more. If you are a single mother and pregnant then ACCESS has a specific program for you. The Presumptively Eligible Pregnant Women or PEPW program offers free prenatal cares in local clinics. You can find more information about the ACCESS Florida Program on their website, www. myflorida.com/accessflorida or you can call them up on 866-762-2237.
MediKids.
The MediKids program is administered by the Florida Health Care Administration and it offers assistance in health care to all children belonging to a single-parent family. This program also gives health insurance to single mothers who have children under four years old. MediKids covers dental care, health check ups, hospital inpatient and outpatient procedures, x-ray, prescription medication, hearing aids, eyeglasses and many more. For more details, you can visit their website www.ahca.myflorida.com or you can ring them up 877-506-0578.
The Florida Gulf Coast University provides grants for all single parents who want to continue studying but can’t afford to. The applicant must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours per week to receive a full grant. The Academic Competitiveness Grant or ACG is also one of the programs that financially aid single mothers who are planning to get back to school. The ACG is a program which offers grants to single moms who are studying first and second year in college. Visit ACG’s website www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD offers grants for single mothers housing assistance. This program is very useful to mothers who wish to have permanent homes or those who are struggling with their rent. The Shelter Plus Care Program also assists mothers in their housing needs. The program covers women who have some form of disability. Visit their website www.phfa.org. For HUD rental programs, call (800) 955-2232.