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.
Head Start Collaboration Office The Rhode Island State Head Start Collaboration Office resides at the RI Department of Human Services and is funded by the federal Administration for Children & Families (ACF), which oversees the collaboration office and its mission. About The creation of State and National Collaboration Offices is authorized by Section 642B(a)(2)(A) of the Head Start Act. The purpose of the Head Start Collaboration Offices (HSCOs), state and national offices, is to guide the work of all collaboration offices. Since 1990, ACF has awarded Head Start collaboration grants to support the development of multi-agency and public and private partnerships at the state and national levels. Head Start Collaboration Offices facilitate partnerships between Head Start agencies and other state, territorial, or tribal entities that provide services to benefit children from families with low incomes. These offices contribute to state systems for early care and education, which coordinate and regulate various services for children from birth to age 5 and their families. The state systems are designed to increase the effectiveness of early childhood services by linking young children and their families to the support they need. Information in this section connects to resources that can help you assist children and families as they access services to become lifelong learners and meet ongoing needs. Head Start Collaboration Offices: National Priorities The Office of Head Start (OHS) established four priority areas to guide the work of the Head Start Collaboration Offices (HSCOs). 1. Collaborate with state systems to align early care and education services and supports for children and families prenatally to age 5. Collaborate across systems to support: Health, mental health, and social and emotional well-being Home visiting Comprehensive service delivery Services and supports for children who are experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, children with disabilities, and children who are dual language learners Quality improvements School readiness initiatives State background check systems Child care Child welfare Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Health Integration Prenatal-to-3 Programs 2. Work with state efforts to collect and use data on early childhood programs to guide decision-making and improve child and family outcomes. Support appropriate access to and use of data to guide decision-making and to improve outcomes in areas such as coordinated eligibility and disparities in access to services. 3. Support the expansion of and access to high-quality workforce and career development opportunities for staff. Work with state professional development systems, including workforce registries and career pathways, and with institutions of higher education to promote expansion and high-quality career development opportunities. 4. Coordinate with school systems to ensure continuity and alignment across programs, as appropriate. Promote continuity of services, program alignment, and support for successful transitions, particularly with state preschool, kindergarten, and with Title I, McKinney-Vento, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act programs. State and Regional Priorities According to the Head Start Act, HSCOs “facilitate collaboration among Head Start agencies and entities that carry out activities designed to benefit low-income children from birth to school entry, and their families (Sec. 642(B)(a)(2)(A))." They provide structure and a process for OHS to work and partner with state agencies and local entities to leverage their common interests around young children and their families to formulate, implement, and improve state and local policy and practices. Scope of Work OHS has prioritized the goals of the HSCO to guide their work. The six priorities include: Partnering with state child care systems emphasizing the Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnership Initiative Working with state efforts to collect data regarding early childhood programs and child outcomes Supporting the expansion and access of high-quality workforce and career development opportunities for staff Collaborating with State Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRIS) Working with state school systems to ensure continuity between Head Start and Kindergarten Entrance Assessment (KEA) Any additional regional priorities Head Start Collaboration Offices: Regional Priorities The Office of Head Start has established regional priorities that guide Head Start Collaboration Office's work plans. The regional priorities are: Services to children experiencing homelessness Services to children with disabilities Health services Child welfare Parent and family engagement Subsidy/TANF Community services Military families For more information of the RI Head Start Collaboration Office... Contact Catherine Green, Head Start Collaboration Office Director, at Catherine.Green@dhs.ri.gov.