Attention RI SNAP Beneficiaries Please be aware there is currently fraudulent activity taking place in other states affecting SNAP Benefits on EBT cards. While we do not believe there is any activity of this nature currently taking place in Rhode Island, please be advised you will never be asked to sign up for instant cash benefits or be asked to provide personal information, your card number, or PIN. If you ever receive a call, email, text, or social media invitation to do so, never click any links or provide the requested information.Please know, ebtEdge will never request this type of information from you. Please remember to protect yourself by changing your PIN frequently – using a different PIN each time – or by freezing your card. If you are uncertain about or confused by a suspicious inquiry, please contact DHS and call the EBT customer service line at 1-888-979-9939 to change your PIN. You can find more information on how best to protect yourself from possible SNAP-related fraud here.
Call Center Update DHS offices will be closed July 4 in observance of the holiday. To help ensure customers have ample opportunity to connect with DHS staff the week of July 4, the Call Center will adjust its schedule to take incoming calls Monday-Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Call Center will return to its normal schedule the following week.
Summer EBT Update This summer, families with school-age children who were income-eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the 2023-2024 school year will receive SUN Bucks (formerly Summer EBT), a $120 dollar benefit per child that can be used to buy groceries. Families will either see the benefit added to their SNAP EBT card or to a separate SUN Bucks card that will be mailed this month. Benefits will be available to use beginning July 1. If you have questions about SUN bucks, please call United Way of Rhode Island at 2-1-1. Additional information about SUN buck can be found here: https://dhs.ri.gov/sun-bucks
Translation Services Available If you are seeking information about DHS programs and services in a language other than English, translation services are available to you at no cost. Persons with disabilities requiring another form of communication, such as auxiliary aids for hearing and the visually impaired, can inform DHS about their needs so appropriate accommodations can be made.
Check Out Our New Websites! Published on Friday, June 25, 2021 The Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) is excited to announce we have updated the DHS, Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), and Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) websites! The families and individuals who need DHS and the partners who help amplify and extend our critical services, programs and benefits across Rhode Island were at the forefront of the redesign decisions of all three websites that re-launched on Thursday, June 17th. There are a wide range of user-friendly features that improve the overall customer experience. Across each website, customers can now change the font size for better readability; convert the page to light or dark mode based on user preference; and find needed program details, documents, and forms easier due to each website’s streamlined approach. In redesigning the DHS website, DHS leadership took the initiative to build out key pages. Notable highlights include an Overview page of programs and services; an all-inclusive Apply Now page that serves as a one-stop shop for all DHS programs and services; a Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) dedicated page that addresses common questions and concerns; a revamped Child Care section that reflects the Office of Child Care’s growing significance to Rhode Island families; and the sharing of our DHS legislative priorities in the About Us section. The OCSS website was also overhauled to meet the needs of the DHS division’s various constituents. Visitors will now find pages for the type of visitor (custodial, non-custodial, attorney and employer) seeking information. Since visiting the OCSS website from a mobile device is common, improving how the Case Information and Contact Us pages — some of the most visited pages – was prioritized. The ORS website’s most significant change is the inclusion of the Rhode Island Assistive Technology Access Partnership (ATAP) and the Rhode Island Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program (ATEL) websites into its website. Previously, ATAP and ATEL had their own website addresses. Please note that if someone has the old addresses linked as favorites on their desktops or laptops, they will be redirected automatically to the new homes of ATAP and ATEL. In addition, ORS also built out its Programs page, which is a top visited section of the website, and the Vocational Rehabilitation Program section as well as made overall changes to streamline all its information. It is our hope that the updates to these websites will improve the customer experience for everyone.