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Hours: 8:00am to 5:00pm (PST)
APS & CPS are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The Alpine County Social Services Department offers several services to the community.

These services include (headings are clickable links to the described resource):

 

Adoption Services
The Adoption Services Program is supervised by the California Department of Social Services and administered by the El Dorado County Department of Human Services.

Child Support Service
To open a case or to apply for services call (866)-901-3212 or click the link to access theCustomer Connect website. The Central Sierra Child Support CSS LogoAgency is a regional agency which represents the counties of Alpine, Amador, and Calaveras. This office does not charge for its services. Any custodial or non-custodial party may request that the Central Sierra Child Support Agency aid in collecting the court ordered support. You are eligible regardless of whether or not you are receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).

 

Food Stamp Program

Golden State AdvantageFood StampsFood Stamps General Information The Food Stamp Program is a Federal nutrition program that helps eligible low-income people purchase the food they need for good health. Food Stamp benefits are not cash. Households that are eligible will receive a plastic electronic benefit(EBT) card that is used at the store, like a debit card, when purchasing food items.

Eligibility
To be eligible for Food Stamps:

  • You must be a resident of Alpine County.
  • Everyone who receives Food Stamps must have a Social Security Number (SSN). If
  • someone in your household does not have one, you must help them get one.
  • There are property and income limits that vary depending on the number of persons in your household and their ages.
  • Vehicles are not counted.
  • In California SSI/SSP recipients are not eligible for food stamps per State law.

For more information or how to apply for food stamps... You may screen for Food Stamp eligibility by going to the Food Stamp Web Site at: www.myfoodstamps.org OR you may contact Alpine County Social Services.

Healthy Families

The Healthy Families Program Provides low-cost health insurance for children of families whose incomes are too high to get no-cost Medi-Cal but still fall below certain income levels.
In-Home Supportive Services
The In-Home Supportive Services Program is for aged, blind, or disabled persons who are limited in their ability to care for themselves and cannot live safely at home without help. This includes those who would be able, with help, to return to their home from a hospital, nursing home, or a board and care home. This help may be provided to eligible persons through this program.

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) is a program directed by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) that provides aid to blind, aged, and disabled individuals who are unable to remain safely in their own home without the aid of a care provider.

In Alpine County, The Department of Health and Human Services Social Services Branch manages the IHSS program. Alpine County In-Home Supportive Services is committed to having elders, disabled adults and disabled children in Alpine County live to their highest personal potential in the least restrictive environment. Designed as an alternative to out-of- home care such as nursing homes, the Alpine County IHSS program has Social Workers, Public Health Nurses, Mental Health Clinicians, Eligibility Workers, and Vocational Assistants that work together in determining the needs and eligibility of the applicant.

Individuals who want to receive IHSS complete an application. A Social Worker, Public Health Nurse or Mental Health Clinician will come to the individual’s home and assess the individual’s abilities to live safely in their home. During the assessment the individual’s medical condition, living arrangement, and all of the resources that are currently available will be taken into consideration.

If the individual is determined to have need for IHSS, he or she chooses who will provide the services needed. A family member or friend may serve as a care provider, or one may be selected through the Care Provider Registry.

To be eligible for IHSS, an applicant must:

  • Be a California resident and residing in their own home
  • Be aged (65 and over), blind, or disabled * Be receiving Medi-Cal benefits
  • Have low income as set by SSI/SSP standards.
  • If income exceeds SSI/SSP standards, eligibility may exist with a share of cost.

Services provided by IHSS are based on need and include:

  • Domestic services such as cleaning, meal preparation, and running errands
  • Personal care services such as grooming, bathing, and bowel and bladder care
  • Transportation to medical services
  • Protective supervision

To apply for or receive more information about IHSS benefits in Alpine County, call (530) 694-2235.

Medi-Cal
The state Medi-Cal Program is administered through the county Department of Health and Human Services, Social Services Branch. Eligibility is determined and ongoing benefits authorized for a variety of different Medi-Cal programs. These programs provide medical coverage for a variety of health care services. Medi-Cal serves these targeted populations: low-income families, individuals under 21 years of age or aged 65 and over, and persons who are aged, blind, or disabled.

For persons who do not fit into any of these categories, please see www.cmspcounties.org.

Persons who receive cash benefits through the CalWORKs and Foster Care programs may also receive Medi-Cal Benefits.

Applications are accepted during business hours. You may choose to have a face-to-face interview or you can complete the entire process by mail.You can request an application by calling the Alpine office at any time.

Paternity Opportunity Program

Paternity means fatherhood. Establishing paternity is the legal process of determining the biological father of a child. When parents are married, paternity is usually established automatically. If parents are unmarried, paternity establishment is NOT automatic and the process should be started by both parents as soon as possible for the benefit of the child. Without the establishment of paternity, the father does not have the legal rights or legal responsibilities of a parent. Establishing paternity is necessary before custody, visitation, and child support can be ordered by the court. Establishing paternity allows an unmarried father to have his name placed on the birth certificate. Paternity can be established either by signing a Declaration of Paternity form or by going to court. If a father becomes involved with his child from the beginning of the child's life, he is more likely to continue to care both financially and emotionally for the child as he or she grows.

 

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