How To Apply For Medicaid And Food Stamps In Texas

Snap Benefits In An Emergency

Emergency Food Stamp or SNAP benefits are also known as expedited SNAP because the benefits are given faster to those in an emergency situation. For example:

• A family that has less than $100 – and a monthly income of less than $150.
• A family with cash and monthly income that are less than the most recent monthly expenses for rent/mortgage and utilities.
• A family that includes a migrant or seasonal farm worker who has $100 or less in resources and very little income.

To apply for emergency SNAP, visit a HHSC benefits office or call 2-1-1.

For more info on the Texas Food Stamp program:

Site Specific Application Processes

This section provides a fairly in-depth, site-by-site description of the integrated TANF/FSP/Medicaid application process and then highlights how Medicaid/SCHIP or food stamp only application processes differ from the integrated application process.

Exhibit 3-5 outlines the steps involved in the application process for families applying for TANF/FSP/Medicaid benefits in each of our sites as they were as of June December 2001. In Exhibit 3-5, steps specific to the TANF/FSP/Medicaid process that are not required for individuals applying only for food stamps and/or Medicaid/SCHIP are shaded. As Exhibit 3-5 shows, the Medicaid, and particularly the SCHIP, application processes are often more streamlined. In addition, there tend to be multiple ways to access and apply for these programs .

Exhibit 3-5:Sample TANF and Food Stamp-Only Application Process by Office*

Among our study sites, the two offices visited in Seattle have the simplest TANF/FSP/Medicaid application process it is made up of three basic steps and there are no additional up-front requirements. The other sites have additional steps that either facilitate the application process or stress the work first nature of the TANF program.

Seattle, Washington

Arlington, Virginia

Pre-Eligibility Determination Screening in Arlington

Raleigh, North Carolina

Dallas, Texas

Sedalia, Missouri

New York, New York

Special Assistance for Refugees Applying for Benefits

Texas Health And Human Services

Here is a listing of Texas Health and Human Services offices in Houston. You can visit any of these locations to receive help applying for SNAP, Medicaid, or CHIP

• Baytown 1300 South Highway 146, Baytown, TX 77520 281.427.9480
• Pasadena 2708 Cherrybrook Lane, Pasadena, TX 77502, 713.947.8130
• Fuqua 10060 Fuqua Street, Houston, TX 77089 713.946.6861
• Harwin 9450 Harwin Drive, Houston, TX 77036- 713.266.5536
• I-10 East- 10202 I-10 East, Houston, TX 77029, 713.673.6347
• Third Ward- 6124 Scott Street, Houston, TX 77021- 713.748.8450
• Telephone- 2110 Telephone Rd, Houston, TX- 713.921.5108
• N. Houston Rosslyn Center- 8511 N. Houston Rosslyn Rd, Houston, TX 77088 713.895.6800
• I-45 North 3880 North Fwy, Houston, TX 77022- 512.424.6500
• Greenspoint 220 Meadowfern Drive, Houston, TX 77067 281.874.0048
• Buffalo Speedway 13838 Buffalo Speedway. Houston, TX 77045 713.433.3145
• Highway 6 2133 S. Texas 6, Houston, TX 77077 281.597.5200
• Galveston 123 Rosenberg Street, Galveston, TX 77550 409.763.0277
• Texas City 2000 Texas Avenue #405, Texas City, TX 77590 409.945.0317
• Tomball 29250 249, Tomball, TX 77375 281.351.0637

Recommended Reading: How To Sign Up For Food Stamps In Tn

Where To Submit Your Medicaid Application

You can submit your application in the following ways.

• Mail The PO Box is found on the 1st page of the Medicaid application.
• Fax You can also find the fax number on the 1st page of the application.
• In-person Refer to the section below to find a Houston Medicaid office, call 211 or visit Your Texas Benefits.
• Online If you change your mind and want to complete the Medicaid application online, visit Your Texas Benefits.
• Phone You also call 877.541.7905 to apply for Medicaid.

Note: If you do not feel safe visiting a Medicaid office due to COVID 19, consider applying by mail or online.

Responding To Increasing Language Diversity

In addition to New York City, three of our other sites Arlington, Dallas, and Seattle have institutional experience with serving significant numbers of LEP applicants. Yet, the LEP population in each of these localities has undergone significant changes over the last two decades as a result of shifts in the common countries of origin for newly arriving refugees. As a result, LEP applicants now speak many more languages, presenting agencies with the challenge of adapting their systems to keep up with new demand for interpretation of less common languages. For some of these more recent refugee waves, neither the human service agencies nor the larger community have sufficient language capacity to meet the increased demand. When this mismatch in language capacity and needs occurs, there is an increased tendency by agencies to rely on friends and family members of LEP applicants for language assistance.

Arlington, Virginia

Dallas, Texas

Although not provided by the welfare agency, language assistance is available for Spanish-speaking LEP applicants who access Medicaid-only benefits at the main public hospital in Dallas. The hospital employs Spanish-speaking bilingual financial counselors, who screen patients for Medicaid eligibility. The hospital also employs Spanish-speaking interpreters who provide interpretation during Medicaid eligibility interviews conducted on-site by out-stationed eligibility workers employed by the welfare agency.

Seattle, Washington

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I Cant Even Get Past The Log In Cause A Glitch Im Frustrated

I have things to do, like set up my healthcare plan properly so I can go get an ultrasound for my child, which is what you guys were supposed to be offering here. What did I get? A glitch, I cant even freaking log in to my account because after I answer my DOB and SSC I am proceeded to the next part of logging in and it says answer these three questions, you only have one try and yet…THERES NO QUESTIONS just a grey screen with that writing typed on the top, I closed out and re entered my information again. STILL NOTHING NEW, just the grey screen holding me back from getting my healthcare done. And worse I just got off the phone from the interview she should be calling me soon to see if Ive uploaded my documents and when I have to tell her there is a glitch and I cant log in, Im sure we wont be able to continue much of the process without it, then I will have to dip into my wallet, and spend money that a young mother looking for help with her healthcare shouldnt be spending right now, just to get a ride all the way 30 minutes out to use the father of my childs computer. I need this to be fixed because this affects everything in my agenda and this is supposed to help me not dig me further into my problems.

Texas Health And Human Service Commission Offices In Houston

There are 16 Texas Health and Human Service Offices around the Houston area.

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Each Houston Medicaid Office is staffed with employees who can assist you or your client with completing a Texas Medicaid application.

• Beltway 8 & 45 South 10060 Fuqua St, Houston, TX 77089 713.946.6861
• Buffalo Speedway 13838 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX 77045 713.433.3145
• Conroe 608 N. Loop 336 E, Conroe, TX 77301 936.539.1161
• Dickinson 215 Tanglewood Dr, Dickinson, TX 77539 409.945.0317
• East End 2110 Telephone Rd, Houston, TX 77023 713.921.5108
• East Houston 10202 East Freeway, Houston, TX 77029 713.673.6347
• East Little York 1421 Little York Rd, Houston, TX 77093 281.372.2540
• Galveston 123 Rosenberg St, Galveston, TX 77550 409.763.0277
• Greenspoint 220 Meadowfern Dr, Houston, TX 77067 281.874.0048
• Highway 6 2133 S Texas 6 #100, Houston, TX 77077 281.597.5200

• Northline 3880 North Freeway, Houston, TX 77022 713.699.1098

• NW Houston 8511 N Houston Rosslyn Rd, Houston, TX 77088 713.895.6800
• Pasadena 810 Preston Rd, Pasadena, TX 77502 713.947.8130
• Texas City 2000 Texas Ave #900, Texas City, TX 77590 409.948.3481
• Third Ward 6118 Scott St, Houston, TX 77021 713.748.8450
• Tomball 29250 TX 249 Business, Tomball, TX 77375 281.351.0637

Read Also: North Carolina Food Stamps And Medicaid

Definition Of A Household

When determining eligibility, you need to provide information on all members of the household. A household, for this situation, is defined as all individuals that live together and purchase and prepare meals together. Likewise, you may have people living with you that are not considered part of your household. For example, if you rent a room to someone that does not purchase or prepare food with you, they are not part of your household. However, whatever they pay you for rent has to be counted under income.

There are two exceptions to this definition. The first is a household that includes a husband, wife, and children under 22 years of age. This group will be considered a household even if they purchase and prepare meals separately. The second exception is elderly or disabled individuals that are unable to purchase and prepare their meals independently and live with others that do.

Learn More About The Wic Program

Your agency may not have enough money to serve everyone who needs WIC. In that case, it will maintain a waiting list and use a priority system to decide who will get WIC benefits first.

For more information and help applying, contact your state or local WIC agency. You can also call its toll-free number.

Also Check: Your Texas Benefits Apply For Food Stamps

Chapter 3 Applying For Benefits: What Families Must Do

Applying for TANF, food stamps, Medicaid, or SCHIP can be a relatively simple and straightforward process or it can be a more complex process involving numerous steps, multiple visits, or visits to multiple offices. Any difficulties faced by individuals attempting to navigate the application process are compounded for non-citizens and limited English speakers. To fully appreciate the application experiences of non-citizens and other limited English speakers who face unique eligibility rules and language issues, it is important to understand the application process facing all individuals, regardless of their English proficiency or immigration status.

The type of assistance sought and the way in which the process is designed and implemented at the local level largely dictates the particular steps and procedures that make up the application process. Individuals applying for cash assistance, or TANF, typically apply for a full package of benefits, including food and medical assistance . This is the traditional welfare package , and the integrated application process associated with obtaining this package has, until recently, been the primary path to accessing any of these programs.

Medicaid For Adopted Children

Medicaid coverage is available for children with special needs who are adopted from DFPS conservatorship, when all requirements are met. If approved, an adopted child may receive Medicaid coverage up to the age of 18. Medicaid coverage may be extended up to age 21 if the child was age 16 or older when the adoption assistance agreement was signed, and the child meets certain educational or vocational requirements. At the end of the month in which the adoption is consummated, the child’s Medicaid coverage will transition from STAR Health Medicaid to Traditional Fee-for-service Medicaid. Sometimes this transition in coverage will occur one month later.

More information is available on these pages:

• Adoption Assistance

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How Do I Apply For Hhsc Benefits

Each application goes through a local agency or a community partner. You can:

• Find a community partner to help you sort through which benefits you can get and help you apply for them. You can either search the Texas Community Partner Program website or call Texas 2-1-1 to get the name and phone number of a community partner in your area.
• Apply for many programs on the Your Texas Benefits website.
• Go to a local office and apply either on a lobby computer or with a live person.

Texas Food Stamp Income Limits

This chart shows you how much money you might make each month and still receive food stamps in Texas.

To ensure that you receive the greatest amount of food stamps possible, weve created a guide to help you called 4 Steps To Increase Your Monthly Food Stamp Benefits.

Read Also: Do You Have To Work To Get Food Stamps

Multiple Language Access Strategies: Local Level Examples

Based on this study of six sites, it seems clear that there is no single language-access strategy that is appropriate for every program or each stage in the application process, let alone for all language groups. As a result, localities in our study tend to employ several language access strategies simultaneously. The design and implementation of these multiple local language access strategies are driven by a complex interplay of factors related to:

• Population the size of the total local LEP population,
• Caseload characteristics the LEP share of the total applicant pool served,
• Language diversity the number and types of languages spoken by LEP applicants,
• Intake and application staffing patterns the number and types of staff encountered during the application process, and
• Agency and community resources the amount of financial and human resources available to the agency to address language needs.

Developing strategies that take into account these factors is challenging because the size, composition, and distribution of immigrant populations are often moving targets.

A Multi-Tiered Approach: New York City

New York City has implemented a multi-tiered approach to handling limited English speakers in all Job Centers:3

This approach has not been integrated into the Eligibility Verification Review process, a mandatory step for all cash assistance applicants that includes an additional interview, verification of documentation and home visits.

Learn About School Meal Programs

Children from qualified households with a low income can get healthy meals or milk.

• Two programs provide free or reduced-price meals at school:

• Theyre enrolled in Head Start

Your children may qualify if your household income is within the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. These guidelines are based on federal poverty guidelines.

• If your income is no more than 130 percent of the poverty level, they should qualify for free meals.

• If your income is no more than 185 percent of the poverty level, they should qualify for reduced-price meals.

The summer food service program is open to all children and teens 18 and under at locations around the country. Find a site near you.

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Receiving Your Snap Benefits: Lone Star Card

When you qualify for SNAP, you will be receiving benefits through Lone Star Card. This is a standard plastic card, as in the case of debit cards. The card is used just like a debit card. You will have the money in your account on due date and you can purchase food items with it, using it like a debit card.

The United States Department of Agriculture provides SNAP benefits. USDA will load your card with your monthly amount of SNAP benefits, each month. You can use this money on stores where regular debit card works.

If you qualify and receive a Lone Star Card, it is your responsibility to use it with care. No one else can use your card since it is illegal to allow someone else to use your benefits. If you are in a situation where you’ll need someone else to use your card for you, you will have to ask for a second card. You can then give the second card to someone you trust. The money spent from that card will be deducted from your primary card.

In order to start using your Lone Star Card, you will have to sign at the back of your card after you receive it. You will also need to register it in order to use it. You can call 1 800 777 7328 to register your card. You will then choose a PIN for your card.

If you opt to pick up your card at HHSC benefits office instead of getting it in mail, you won’t have to register it. When you are handed over the card at the office, it is registered at spot.