About Orange County Department of Social Services

Eligibility Programs

The Economic Independence Division provides various forms of financial assistance to families and individuals. They are subject to income and resource eligibility levels, which must be satisfied by applicants and recipients in order to qualify for assistance. Participation in Welfare to Work Programs is also required for employable applicants and recipients.

Medicaid provides medical assistance for those families and individuals whose medical expenses exceed their income.

Food Stamp benefits supplement low income households in order to reduce hunger and malnutrition.

Temporary Assistance provides cash assistance to Orange County residents lacking income and resources to maintain a minimal standard of living.

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) assists households with meeting the costs of home fuel and heating needs.

Program Integrity provides a forum for applicants and recipients of Social Service benefit programs to appeal Agency decisions based on N.Y. State Codes, Rules and Regulations. Administrative Reviews and Fair Hearings are conducted by this unit.

Employment activities for employable recipients are coordinated with the Orange County Employment and Training Administration.

Housing for eligible homeless applicants/recipients is provided.

Human Services Division

Child Abuse Hotline:
(800) 342-3720

After Hours Emergencies:
(800) 782-5480 (5P.M. - 9 P.M.)
(845) 291-4033 (9 P.M. - 9 A.M.)

Office Locations: Monday through Friday 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Goshen:
23 Hatfield Lane
New York
(845) 291-2800

Box Z, 11 Quarry Road
New York
(845) 291-4000

Middletown:
33 Fulton Plaza
New York
(845) 346-1120

Newburgh:
141 Broadway
New York
(845) 568-5100

Port Jervis:
150 Pike Street
New York
(845) 858-1420

The Human Services Division provides families and individuals with services that will enhance the ability of families to live together, enable individuals to remain in their homes, minimize the risk of abuse or neglect, and provide for specialized care in residential settings when necessary.

Intake Caseworkers are responsible for assessing the service needs of children and families in non-child protective service situations.

Child Protective Services Caseworkers investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect that are made to the New York State Central Register (SCR) and then transmitted to the local DSS.

Preventive Services provide supportive and rehabilitative services to intact families where children have been assessed to be at-risk of foster care placement.

Foster Care Caseworkers provide casework services to children in family foster care, group and residential programs and to their birth parents and siblings at home.

Adoption Caseworkers arrange for permanent homes for foster children who have been freed for adoption, and provide services to those birth parents who want to give up (surrender) their child for adoption.

Homefinding staff recruits, trains and certifies families to be foster and adoptive parents.

Adult Home Care Services are designed to increase or maintain an adult’s level of independence to assure their continuing safety, independence and ability to remain at home.

Adult Protective Services Caseworkers provide assistance to mentally or physically impaired adults, 18 or older, who are unable to meet their essential needs of food, clothing, shelter, or medical care, and/or who are unable to protect themselves or their interests from neglect or abuse, and who further, have no one willing and able to help in a responsible manner.

Day Care assistance is provided for qualifying low-income families.