Middlesex County Board of Social Services Urges Clients to Conduct Business Online, by Phone or via Mail

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NEW BRUNSWICK (NJ) — The Middlesex County Board of Social Services is urging all clients to conduct their business with the Agency online, by phone or by mail to ensure the health and safety of all clients and staff amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Board Offices will be fully staffed during normal operating hours, but visitors will be restricted. Clients can reach a staff member from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

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Ensuring you receive your benefits during this ongoing coronavirus concern is a top priority, so in an effort to make it easier for you to apply or receive your benefits, a number of temporary changes have been put in place regarding social services that are administered here at the MIDDLESEX COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES.

We are encouraging county residents who want to apply for SNAP food assistance, or cash assistance under the Work First New Jersey program to do so online at NJHelps.org. During this public health crisis, we can do interviews by phone, so you do not need to come into the office to apply for benefits.

Work First New Jersey cash assistance clients who are due for their case to be reviewed in March or April automatically will get a 60-day extension. You do not need to come into the office.

If you are a SNAP food assistance or a Work First New Jersey cash assistance client, you are not required to attend your work activity, unless you want to and the program is operating. This includes people who are applying for Work First New Jersey General Assistance and are in a work activity for 28 days while their application is being reviewed. No penalty will be assessed to you if you do not attend your work activity.

When you need to bring paperwork to the office, you can fax, mail or look for the drop box located at front door.

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During the current public health situation, we expect that clients will have many questions about their benefits and appointments. Since there are a number of temporary changes in place that affect the social services you administer, you can find answers to some of your clients’ questions below:

If you need to apply for cash assistance under the Work First New Jersey Program or SNAP food assistance, please apply online at NJHelps.org. Once you have applied online, interviews will be conducted by phone so you do not need to come to the office.

If your Work First New Jersey case is due to be reviewed in March or April, you will get a 60-day extension and do not need to come into the office at this time.

If you are a Work First New Jersey cash assistance client or a SNAP food assistance client, work activity requirements are temporarily suspended. If your activity is still open and you still want to attend, you may continue to do so. If you were not assigned an activity or your activity is no longer available or accessible due to the public health situation, you will not lose cash assistance or food assistance for not going to your work activity. This includes the GA 28-day protocol. If you are in the middle of your protocol, you do not need to continue to attend your work activity.

If you still need to come into the office for an appointment or to drop off documents, we are still open, but we recommend that, if possible, you apply online and do not come to the office. If you need to drop off paperwork, we have a drop box available at the front door.

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