COVID-19 Information

• Temporary Assistance Program Public Notice & Order - June 17, 2020
• MO HealthNet Cost Reports Public Notice & Order – April 9, 2020
• Family Support Division Public Notice & Order - March 25, 2020
• Blind Pension Public Notice & Order - March 25, 2020
• MO HealthNet (Medicaid) Public Notice & Order - March 20, 2020

Please visit our contact page to learn how to connect with us if you need help.

Food Assistance

• FOOD BANKS - The Department of Social Services (DSS) will divide $1.5 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund among Missouri’s six regional food banks to help meet the needs of the growing number of Missourians who now rely on food assistance. The funds will help food banks serve more than 1,000 food pantries, domestic violence shelters, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other meal sites. Read more…
• P-SNAP - August 2021 was the last month for P-SNAP benefits, which allowed all SNAP households to receive a minimum P-SNAP benefit amount of $95. For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions.
• TEMPORARY BENEFIT INCREASE - September will be the last month for the temporary 15% increase in SNAP (Food Stamp) benefits for all SNAP households.
• P-EBT - P-EBT benefits were made available for children who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch but did not receive meals at school or day care due to closure, hybrid, or virtual learning. The deadline to apply for P-EBT was August 20, 2021. This benefit covered food costs from September 2020 through May 2021.
• SUMMER P-EBT - Summer P-EBT applications were accepted through October 10, 2021. Applications submitted during this time were only reviewed for the one-time summer P-EBT benefit. For more information visit our FAQs.
  NOTE: All P-EBT applications (not to be confused with Summer P-EBT applications) received or postmarked by August 20, 2021 (including all denied applications) will be automatically reviewed for eligibility for a one-time $375 Summer P-EBT benefit.
• FOOD STAMP RECERTIFICATIONS - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) currently requires Missourians to complete and send a periodic recertification form and any required documents to verify that they still qualify for SNAP (Food Stamp) benefits. The Family Support Division will mail a recertification form that will need to be completed and returned with any required documents before the deadline on the letter. You will also need to complete an interview in order to continue to receive benefits.
• SNAP (FOOD STAMP) INTERVIEWS - You are required to complete an interview if you are a new applicant or if you get SNAP benefits and receive a recertification form. We will call the number you listed on your application to do your phone interview within 3 days of receiving your application. So you know it is us calling, we will appear on your caller ID as Family Support Division (855-823-4908).

Cash Assistance (TANF)

• Work requirements for Temporary Assistance benefits will resume on August 1, 2020. If you get Temporary Assistance benefits, you can get help with employment training services through the Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) Program.

Energy Assistance

• Eligible Missourians had until May 31, 2021 to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to get help with payments for their winter heating bills. The Department of Social Services also increased the income level for Missourians to be able to qualify for assistance for the winter 2020-2021 heating and summer 2021 cooling programs. The LIHEAP Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) helps pay your fuel bill when your energy is shut off, or is threatened to be shut off, even if you have not received a shut off notice. The maximum amounts for ECIP help are $800 for winter and $600 for summer.

Employment & Training Programs

• Missourians who get Food Stamp (SNAP) benefits or Temporary Assistance can get help preparing for, finding, or keeping a job at no-cost. Food Stamp (SNAP) recipients can get help through the SkillUp Program, and individuals who get Temporary Assistance benefits can get help through the Missouri Work Assistance Program.

More Help

• The Missouri Services Navigator helps Missourians find essential services, like food pantries, school meal programs for students, diaper banks, and more. There are over 2,000 helpful services listed, with new services added daily.

Families

• The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Child Care Plan will offer eligible families the following child care benefits:
• Full-time child care subsidy benefits for eligible school-aged students who are not attending school in person through May 31, 2021.
• Low-income Missouri families who are unemployed due to COVID-19 can now get a temporary Child Care Subsidy benefit (up to 60 days) while they look for work. This benefit is available through May 31, 2021.
• Effective through September 30, 2021, parents who worked, attended school, or trained for work with an income from 138 to 215 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), may now qualify for Transitional Child Care Subsidy, even if they previously did not qualify for Child Care Subsidy.
• Missouri families qualifying for or currently receiving a Transitional Child Care Subsidy benefit will receive an 80 percent subsidy benefit if their income is between 138 to 175 percent of the FPL or a 60 percent subsidy benefit if their income is from 176 to 215 percent of the FPL.
• The Child Care Subsidy program will work on a case-by-case basis to approve additional hours of care for families affected by COVID-19.

Providers

• The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Child Care Plan will offer child care providers the following benefits:
  • Child care providers may apply for a grant of up to $25,000 to support the needs of school age children who are virtually learning while in their care. Please watch this virtual conference for more information or review our bid proposals to learn about all bidding opportunities.
  • To help offset income loss due to low attendance during COVID-19, $12 million will be provided to fund 20 percent rate differential payments from January through May 2021 for Child Care Subsidy Program providers not currently receiving disproportionate share rate differential payments.
  • When a facility is closed due to COVID, or a child is quarantined during COVID, DSS will now allow the provider to request reimbursement for these days at full time authorization based on “normal” attendance. Providers can retroactively request these payments through the Payment Resolution Request (PRR) process for August 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021.
• Licensed Child Care Subsidy provider agreements are extended through March 31, 2021.
• Child Care Subsidy providers who choose to close their daycare need to notify the Children’s Division.
• We have updated our child care subsidy payment policies in response to COVID-19.
• Child care providers remaining open to provide services to essential personnel were able to apply to receive a one-time payment based on the child care provider’s capacity and range from $1,000 (under 10 children) to $7,500 (over 200 children). The application for the one-time payment ended on June 30th.
• All licensed or licensed-exempt child care providers who operate non-traditional hours were able to apply to receive a $100 monthly stipend for each child care slot for the months of April, May, and June. The application period for the stipend ended on June 30, 2020.
• Missouri Child Care Subsidy providers will receive payments based on authorized care instead of actual attendance for April, May, and June service months. Beginning in July 2020, payments will resume being based off actual attendance.
• Missouri has allocated $10 million for one-time grants to higher education institutions to establish on-campus child care programs that include slots for Child Care Subsidy families.

Participants

• Telehealth is available to MO HealthNet participants. Read this important notice for more information.
• There will be no co-pays for COVID-19 testing for MO HealthNet participants.
• Consistent with the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, effective immediately, the Department of Social Services will not terminate eligibility for any Medicaid participant unless the individual requests a voluntary termination of eligibility or the individual ceases to be a resident of the state through the end the federal emergency COVID-19 declaration.
• MO HealthNet is relaxing requirements related to prescription refills and prior authorizations to ensure participants have access to essential medications.

Providers

• COVID-19 FAQ's
• MO HealthNet Providers, for important updates visit the MO HealthNet Provider COVID-19 Updates page.
• MO HealthNet’s Behavioral Pharmacy Management partner Relias is offering free, unlimited access to relevant COVID-19 resources/online trainings to help healthcare professionals and individuals prepare and prevent the spread of infection.

If you have concerns about a child, report it to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-3738. This toll-free telephone line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If a child is in immediate danger, please call 911. If you need to contact the Children’s Division for any other reason, please reach out to your local county office for help.

• Effective May 16, all previous temporary guidance and COVID specific temporary policies will be rescinded and staff are to follow policies set forth in the Child Welfare Manual.
• Team members and resource providers have been creative with supervising visitation and identifying child friendly and safe visitation locations for parents and children during COVID. As we return to offices, supervised visitation between parents and children will be arranged within state offices.
• Many foster families are in need of household and personal products, diapers, and other items due to COVID. If you would like to help, reach out to your county Children’s Division contact to find out how you can help families in your area.

• Visitation for families/legal guardians is currently operating on a modified basis
• All visitors will have to take a rapid COVID test before they can enter (NOTE: This does not apply to vendors like food delivery drivers)
• Face coverings must be worn at all times at DYS residential facilities