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.
Public Benefits and the CARES Act Published on Thursday, June 04, 2020 Congress passed the CARES Act providing several supports to Americans in response to the impact of COVID-19 including Stimulus Payments and an Unemployment Compensation increase. Here is some additional information about how Stimulus Payments and Unemployment Compensation impact households that receive public benefits: SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), TANF (RI Works), CCAP (Child Care Assistance), Medicaid. Stimulus payments (also called Economic Impact Payments): Stimulus payments were made to most households that had filed 2018 or 2019 federal income taxes. The payments were typically $1200 for an adult and an additional $500 per minor aged child. If your household receives public benefits and received a stimulus payment, the payment does not need to be reported to DHS (Department of Human Services) outside of the normal recertification time. As long as it is spent within a year it will have no impact on your benefit amount or eligibility. Unemployment Benefit Compensation Boost: Individuals receiving or applying for Unemployment benefits on or after April 4, 2020, through July 31, 2020, receive an additional $600 of Unemployment income with their weekly Unemployment benefit. If your household receives public benefits, this income must be reported to DHS and may impact your benefit amount or eligibility. SNAP: Unemployment income, including the boost, count toward income eligibility. Many households will no longer be eligible for SNAP with this increased income. For example, a household of 3 whose income goes above $759 a week would likely lose eligibility for SNAP. RI Works: Unemployment income, including the boost, count toward income eligibility. Households will no longer be eligible for RI Works with this increased income. CCAP: Unemployment income, including the boost, count toward income eligibility. Households may no longer be eligible for CCAP with the increased income. For example, a household of 3 whose income goes above $925 a week would lose eligibility for CCAP. Medicaid: The CARES Act explicitly states that the increased Unemployment benefit has no impact on Medicaid eligibility. If the increased income is not reported to DHS and you receive more benefits than your household was entitled to, those benefits will need to be repaid to DHS. If your case closes due to the Unemployment increase and your income remains low once the increase expires, you can re-apply for benefits.