By Matt Hampton
As the economy continues to struggle, many Nassau County residents are turning to the local social services office for help making ends meet.
Until recently, that meant traveling to the Uniondale Department of Social Services office multiple times to plow through interviews and paperwork. As the financial crisis deepened, lines began to lengthen, according to Department of Social Services spokeswoman Karen Garber.
“We recognize because of the economy we have more people coming to the department of social services to apply for assistance, childcare, food stamps,” Garber said. The increase in demand has caught the eye of just about everyone in local government.
“The down turn in the economy has impacted residents of Nassau County,” said County Executive Tom Suozzi in a recent statement. “More people are finding themselves in need of services, which have contributed to the increase in the number of visitors coming to Health and Human Services.”
As a result of the increased demand, the DSS has decided to open a series of satellite offices in several area villages, in an attempt to make it easier on those who want to take advantage of the state’s services. One of those offices will be opening in Elmont, at 161 Hempstead Turnpike, affiliated with Nassau Health Care Corporation. Garber said the new office, which could begin operations as early as May but more likely in June, will be open three days a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday — from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The most time-consuming part of the assistance- approval process, according to Garber, is when New Yorkers must produce documentation to prove their case after an interview. All the information must be provided by applicants in the form of documentation, everything from old pay stubs to tax forms. Processing that information takes time, and the out stations are designed to streamline the way the DSS does business. Garber estimated that between 20 and 30 percent of the people who come into the Uniondale DSS location are only there to drop off paperwork. When Elmont’s new office opens, she expects to see it used frequently.
“With every person that comes to apply [for government assistance], they need to bring in a series of documents to support their request,” Garber said. “The out stations are for document drop off, if someone that has a pending application, or needs to recertify their case, which happens every six months. It’s an alternative for people, rather than having to make multiple trips out to the Uniondale office.”
DSS opened one of the satellite offices two weeks ago in Westbury, and Garber said so far the result has been positive, both in Uniondale and at the new location.
“Right now, I’d say it’s a slow but steady start,” Garber said. “We are definitely seeing an increase, and expect to continue seeing an increase in volume.”
She said the only thing that remains before opening the Elmont office is to identify a handful of people to staff it.
“We’re trying to be more accessible in the community with a task we really feel is necessary,” Garber said.
