Warwick Office Update Due to facility maintenance, the DHS regional office at 195 Buttonwoods Ave., Warwick, will only be open for document drop-offs until further notice. All planned appointments and customer interviews at the Warwick office have been rescheduled for other times, locations, or over the phone. The Customer Portal (healthyrhode.ri.gov), the mobile app, the Call Center (1-855-697-4347), and other regional offices remain available.
SUN Bucks Update Families who received SUN Bucks benefits for their eligible school-age child on July 1, 2024 have until October 30 to use the benefits on their EBT or SUN Bucks card(s). These benefits were issued over the summer, automatically with some exceptions, to eligible school-age children who would have received free or reduced priced lunch during the regular school year. These extra benefits will be removed from cards if they are not used by October 30. Additional information about SUN Bucks is available online here: https://dhs.ri.gov/programs-and-services/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/supplemental-nutrition-10
Interpretation Services Available If you are seeking information about DHS programs and services in a language other than English, please be advised that interpretation services and/or interpreters 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.
Family Resources The following are family resources that may be helpful for families, those in CCAP and others. Need food assistance? Our Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a resource for eligible families. Family Violence Option Advocacy Program assists DHS customers who are victims/survivors of domestic violence. The Community Action Program (CAP) agencies throughout Rhode Island can help with basic & emergency needs, counseling, employment, education, financial services, health and DHS' energy assistance and weatherization programs. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services can help you learn healthy choices and lifestyles, support with breastfeeding, screen for health, growth and development and more. The Rhode Island Children's Cabinet website has a multitude of prenatal to pre-K resources to keep RI kids strong. Head Start services provide high-quality learning opportunities at no cost to children birth to age 5, providing positive educational and health outcomes for families and their children. Early Intervention promotes the growth and development of infants and toddlers who have a developmental disability or delay in one or more areas, helping ensure all children are able to develop to their fullest potential. The Child Outreach Screening Program serves as a vehicle for screening children ages 3- 5, prior to kindergarten entry, providing a first step to identifying children who may have a disability or developmental delay requiring intervention. RI Pre-K RI Pre-K provides free, high-quality Pre-K education to 4-year-old children through the state's lottery system, which typically opens for applications in each spring. An interest form for the 2024-2025 school year is available here. Learn about DHS' initiatives to support and ensure quality child care here. Want to know how a child care provider becomes licensed? Go here.