Michigan Legal Aid

ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS FOR HURRICANE KATRINA SURVIVORS

What benefits are available in Michigan?
•    Cash (for families with minor children and pregnant women)
•    State Disability Assistance (for disabled individuals or individuals caring for a disabled person)
•    Food Stamps
•    Medicaid (for children under 21, parents/caretakers, pregnant women, disabled individuals, and seniors)
•    Adult Medical Program (basic health insurance for people not eligible for Medicaid)
•    State Emergency Relief (state money for emergencies, including help moving to a new home)
•    Child day care (for parents who are working, in school, or getting medical treatment)
•    Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Social security benefits for seniors or blind/disabled individuals. 
•    Women, Infants, and Children: food for pregnant women and children under 5

Where can you apply for benefits? 
•    Apply at the Department of Human Services office on the base for all cash benefits. 
•    Apply at Social Security for SSI.  Social Security is located in the Learning Center on the base. 
•    Call the WIC Program at 966-1230 for WIC benefits. 

TIPS TO GETTING BENEFITS:

1.    IF YOU WERE ALREADY GETTING FOOD STAMPS, YOU CAN USE THEM HERE!  If you have your card, you can use it anywhere in the U.S.  If you don’t have your card, you should:
a.    Contact your state benefits office to ask for your card number.  With the number and your PIN, you can buy food without a card until September 16th.  After that, you will need a card.
b.    To get a replacement card, call your state’s benefits office to request one.  When you ask for a new card, they will deactivate your old number and it may take a few days before you get a new card.   To make sure you don’t run out of food, stock up on food for at least 5 days before you request a new card. 
Louisiana: 1-866-334-8304
Alabama: 1-800-997-8888
Mississippi: 1-866-449-9488

2.    IF YOU WERE ALREADY GETTING MEDICAID, YOU ARE STILL COVERED HERE. 

3.    YOU CAN GET BENEFITS EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN ID!  Usually, they require a copy of your ID to get benefits, but Hurricane survivors who don’t have an ID can still get benefits.  

4.    YOU CAN GET FEMA BENEFITS AND PUBLIC BENEFITS: FEMA benefits DON’T count against your other public benefits.

5.    IF YOU’RE NOT SURE WHERE YOU WILL BE GOING AND PLAN TO STAY IN MICHIGAN WHILE YOU FIGURE IT OUT, APPLY FOR BENEFITS HERE!!  The sooner you apply, the sooner you can get benefits.  Tell your caseworker you are here indefinitely.  If you have definite plans to leave soon, you may want to wait and apply in the state you are moving to.   

6.    YOU CAN APPLY FOR CASH BENEFITS HERE EVEN IF YOU HAVE A CASE OPEN IN ANOTHER STATE.  However, if you get benefits here, you HAVE to return any benefits you get from another state for the same time period.  If you don’t, you could be disqualified from all benefits.

7.    IF YOU ARE A NONDISABLED ADULT AND YOU DO NOT HAVE MINOR CHILDREN AND YOU ARE NOT A SENIOR, YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR THE ADULT MEDICAL PROGRAM BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30th.  After September 30th, this program is closing to new application.

8.    LOUISIANA RESIDENTS WHO WERE ALREADY GETTING FOOD STAMPS SHOULD GET MORE FOOD STAMPS ON SEPTEMBER 15TH.  On the 15th, Louisiana plans to issue the maximum amount of Food Stamps for the number of people in the household as of September 1st. 

9.    YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORK TO GET FOOD STAMPS.  Usually, there are work requirements, but these have been temporarily lifted for victims of Hurricane Katrina. 

10.    IF YOU GET CASH ASSISTANCE, YOU CAN ASK YOUR CASEWORKER TO DEFER YOU FROM THE WORK REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE TRAUMA.  If, for some reason, your caseworker denies your request, call Legal Services.

11.    YOU CAN APPLY FOR EMERGENCY HELP TO MOVE.  Michigan gives moving assistance, such as rent money, through the State Emergency Relief program.  The Department of Human Services has relaxed many rules to make it easier for Hurricane victims to get emergency rent and moving assistance. 

12.    LEGAL SERVICES CAN HELP!  Please contact us if you have any problems or questions about your benefits. There is a Legal Services office that serves every county in Michigan.