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.
LIHEAP Eligibility & How To Apply To receive help from LIHEAP... Households must be at or below 60% of Rhode Island's Median Income Levels that are set each program year. See the current guidelines here. You don't have to be on public assistance You don't need to have an unpaid heating bill You can either rent or own your home Application Process DHS administers the program, but applications are taken at local Community Action Program (CAP) agencies. Your local CAP agency will walk you through the application process, but below are some important points: In most cases, applications are taken from September through May each year. New applicants should apply in person. CAP agencies provide convenient, safe intake locations and will arrange for older adults or disabled individuals to apply at an intake site. Applicants who received heating assistance benefits the prior year will usually be mailed the application renewal forms by the CAP agency. Please be sure to update your address with your CAP agency if necessary. Learn more and how to apply by contacting your local Community Action Program agency. Online Application Customers now have the option to apply online here! In order to create an account, you will need to verify your email address within 30 minutes or you'll need to restart the process. Once your account is verified, you can return to completing an application. You can learn more about this process or apply directly through your local Community Action Agency. LIHEAP Decision Appeals Process Applicants have the right to appeal a decision that denies benefits. If you do not agree with the decision, you have 15 days from the receipt of the denial letter to submit an appeal. Anyone seeking an appeal must fill out and submit the First Appeal Request Form. Additional appeal instructions can be found within the form. Appendix K - First Appeal Request Form FFY 2025 PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Apéndice K - Formulario de Solicitud de Primera Apelación FFY 2025 PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes