N.Y. Social Services Law § 95-a: State food stamp outreach program

§ 95-a. State food stamp outreach program. 1. In accordance with

federal requirements and to the extent that federal matching funds are

available, the department shall develop and implement an outreach plan

to inform low-income households potentially eligible to receive food

stamps and to encourage the participation of eligible households that

wish to participate.

2. In developing and implementing such a plan the department and/or

its local districts are authorized and empowered, subject to the

approval of the director of the budget and provided that federal aid is

available therefor, to enter into contractual agreements with public

and/or private organizations to develop and implement local, regional,

and statewide outreach programs.

3. Each commissioner of social services shall develop and submit to

the department on an annual basis for its approval, a local outreach

plan governing the use of local social services personnel and services

provided by federally funded and other agencies and organizations to

inform potentially eligible households of the availability and benefits

of the program and to encourage and facilitate the participation of

eligible households. The department shall provide commissioners of

social services with technical assistance as needed to carry out the

provisions of this subdivision.

4. As part of each local outreach plan, social services officials

shall take all steps necessary to maintain a supply of information

leaflets in public buildings, including but not limited to local

unemployment insurance and employment services offices of the department

of labor, institutions and facilities under the supervision or control

of the department of health, food stores, union halls, community centers

and local agencies providing services to the elderly to help insure that

eligible persons are informed of the food stamp program.

5. The department shall periodically distribute to all newspapers, and

to television and radio stations throughout the state, public service

announcements describing the food stamp program, including the toll-free

telephone numbers for food stamp information, and shall promptly inform

such media of significant changes in the program affecting eligibility

requirements and/or the amount of the food stamp bonus.

6. The department shall establish procedures in cooperation with the

industrial commissioner of the department of labor to ensure that

informational leaflets about the food stamp program are sent to each

local employment services office for distribution pursuant to section

five hundred and forty of the labor law. Each leaflet shall include but

not be limited to: the phone number for the New York State food stamp

hotline, estimated maximum income eligibility levels by household size

for participation in the food stamp program and the availability of

local social services departments to provide additional information

about the program.

7. In accordance with applicable federal laws, rules and regulations

the department shall make available appropriate bilingual materials so

that potentially eligible non English speaking individuals may be

informed about the food stamp program.

8. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations, and take all

other actions necessary for the effective implementation of this

section.