Temporary Assistance

1021 Development Court
Kingston, NY 12401
Phone: 845-334-5440
FAX: 845-334-5301

Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday-Friday
Interviews Available: 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM Monday-Friday. Emergencies are handled on a daily basis.

  • Temporary Assistance (TA) is the term now used in NYS for Public Assistance (welfare) programs. The term conveys the message that assistance is short-term help for families and individuals while they work their way toward self-sufficiency. Program has an employment focus. TA clients receive money for basic living expenses, food stamps and medical coverage. Eligibility is based on the income and resources of the family. Family Assistance provides money to families with children and Safety Net Assistance provides money for basic living expenses for single adults and childless couples.

  • Emergency Assistance for Adults (EAA) is a short-term program to meet the emergency needs of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients.

  • Emergency Assistance for Families (EAF) is a short-term program to meet the emergency needs of families.

  • Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a Federally funded program that helps low income households pay home energy costs and funds programs for low cost residential weatherization and other energy related home repairs. HEAP is available to low income, TA and SSI households during the heating season (mid-November through April).  For more information, go to https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/

  • ACEs Support Available: Social Service Law requires that each district make available to applicants and recipients of Public Assistance (PA) that are a parent, guardian, custodian or otherwise responsible for a child’s care, educational materials about ACEs which includes information on the importance of protective factors and the availability of services for children at risk of or suffering from the effects of ACEs.

    The term ACEs is defined in SSL §20-d(1)(c) as: “…stressful or traumatic experiences experienced during childhood, which are strongly related to the development and prevalence of a wide range of health problems throughout a person's lifetime, including, but not limited to physical or sexual abuse; domestic violence; parental mental illness; substance abuse; and incarceration.”

    ACEs are common in every population group. Individuals who have experienced ACEs may benefit from an array of community-based services. ACEs can impact child well-being such as the ability to succeed in school and ACEs can produce negative outcome for adults including poor health and reduced employment outcomes. 

    Information on available services for children at risk of or suffering from the effects of ACEs can be found at:  https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cwcs/aces.php.