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Onondaga County Seal
Onondaga County

Social Services

Community Partner System

NOTE: OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER’S INFORMATION IS FOR PARTNERS OF DSS-ES AND IS NOT DIRECTED FOR THE PUBLIC OR REGARDING INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC BENEFITS AND SERVICES. THANK YOU.

Purpose

The Department of Social Services-Economic Security provides real time electronic access to benefit program information to our community partners. Providing this information enhances their ability to help families with obtaining and maintaining Temporary Assistance, Medicaid and SNAP.

Goals

  1. To provide greater access to benefits and services families may be eligible for.
  2. To significantly reduce the number of families who are at risk for losing benefits due to non-compliance with recertification requirements.

Access Parameters

DSS-ES will not provide access to Child Welfare or Day Care information. Information is limited to the Temporary Assistance (TA), Medicaid (MA) and SNAP programs.

TA, MA and SNAP are continuing eligibility programs. They must be recertified on a predetermined basis. Prior to the recertification due date, clients receive paperwork for completion by mail. If clients have moved and not notified DSS-ES, they may not know when recertification for these programs is due. It’s vital that you ask the client if they have moved at all since signing up, and if they have notified DSS-ES of their current address.

Data Security

The contact person for training is Liz O’Hara. You can contact Liz at Elizabeth.Ohara@dfa.state.ny.us or 315-435-2985 ext. 7540.

  1. In order to maintain a secure database and ensure client confidentiality, authorized personnel of community based organizations will:
  2. Be assigned Access Accounts and sign Individual Account Access Agreements to allow access to confidential client information. Agency users will not allow others to have access to their username or password.
  3. Use the information obtained for the sole purpose of assisting applicants or recipients of DSS services to gain greater access to programs they may be eligible for.
  4. Ensure that their clients who are applicants or recipients of DSS-ES benefit programs sign a Waiver of Confidentiality Agreement prior to accessing confidential information.
  5. Monitor, maintain and store the Waiver of Confidentiality Agreements.
  6. Attend training provided by DSS-ES on how to access client information.