Financial and Support Services

 


The purpose of the Financial and Support Services program is to provide resource referral, financial assistance and child support services to individuals and families so they can support themselves.

Apply now for food, medical or income assistance 

CO Peak Logo_thumb

PEAK Chatbot English
PEAK Chatbot Español

  • Need help signing into PEAK, making a payment or more? No matter your schedule, PEAK Chatbot is ready 24/7 to get you answers, fast.
  • Did you know that if you receive cash assistance benefits, you can have that cash directly deposited into your bank account? Click here for the direct deposit enrollment form.

Colorado Works Program

  • This is a public assistance program enacted in Colorado in 1997 following federal welfare reform legislation. Colorado Works, administered by the Human Services Department, provides assistance to families in the form of temporary income payments, food stamps, grants, job training and child care assistance to help clients find and retain jobs and gain financial independence.

Food Assistance

  • The mission of the Office of Self Sufficiency Food Assistance Program is to provide a basic level of nutritional well being for eligible low-income families and individuals.
  • The Food Assistance Program provides food benefits in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (USDA FNS), County Departments of Social Services, and authorized food retailer.
Colorado EBT Program

  • The Colorado Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program, in partnership with a third-party vendor, is responsible for ensuring that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Cash Assistance payments authorized by each county department of human services are issued to approved recipients. The EBT program processes payment files for SNAP and multiple cash assistance programs. 
  • SNAP is distributed to a Colorado EBT card, also known as the Colorado Quest card. SNAP benefits must be used for SNAP-approved items and cannot be withdrawn as cash.
  • Cash benefits are distributed either to the EBT card, a personal bank account or to a prepaid KeyBank debit card via direct deposit. The payment method is determined by the recipient and can be updated at any time.
To Prevent EBT Fraud we encourage cardholders to:

  • Change your PIN often, as skimming devices can easily identify card and PIN information. The PIN is what safely protects benefits on the EBT card.
  • Utilize the “freeze” card option via the ebtEDGE mobile app or Cardholder Portal (ebtEDGE.com). The cardholder can freeze and unfreeze their card in seconds, the freeze will prevent any financial transactions. 
  • Consider direct deposit for cash benefits. Adult Financial and Colorado Works recipients can have their benefits deposited to their personal bank account or to a KeyBank prepaid debit card.
  • File an incident report with local law enforcement in the event your EBT card was compromised (while this won’t aid in benefit reinstatement from the State or County, it will alert law enforcement as to what is going on in their area and, it’s good to have on file in the event that the client’s debit and/or credit card was also compromised.)
Child Care Assistance

Who is eligible for Child Care Assistance?

  • Parents who are working
  • Parents who are searching for a job (13 weeks in a 12 month period)
  • Teen parents (up to age 21) in a high school diploma or GED program
  • Parents needing child care for up to 208 weeks for post-secondary education or training (up to a 1st Bachelor's Degree or less)
  • GED, ESL, Adult Basic Education, for up to 12 months
  • Families receiving Colorado Works/TANF that are completing countable work activities on their Individual Responsibility Agreement
  • Applicants must be residents of La Plata County
  • Parents must cooperate with Child Support Services

Colorado Division of Child Care

Child Care Resource and Referral for La Plata, Montezuma, Archuleta, Dolores and San Juan Counties

Mile High United Way Child Care Options

  • Mile High United Way Child Care Options offers a free child care resource and referral service.
  • We provide a list of referrals to licensed child care providers in the area of the family's request and consumer education about how to recognize and select quality care.

Searching for Care in Colorado

Contact a Child Navigator Monday - Friday
From 8 am to 5 pm
1-877-338-2273
Email us at:

childcareoptions@unitedwaydenver.org

To search for child care providers online or to get more
info about how to identify child care, please visit:
www.coloradoshines.force.com

Family and Child Medicaid

  • Medicaid is a program that pays for health insurance for some Coloradoans who cannot afford it.  Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) us a low-cost health insurance for certain children and pregnant women;  CHP+ is for people who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to pay for private health insurance. Apply for Medical Assistance today to determine what you qualify for.
  • When state and federal eligibility criteria are met, Medicaid and CHP+ health insurance covers families with children, pregnant women, adults without dependent children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
  • People who are not US citizens may be able to get Medicaid for CHP+ depending on their legal residency, refugee, or asylum status.
  • You may complete an application online (Colorado.gov/PEAK), pick up an application at the La Plata County Department of Human Services, or have an application mailed to you.

Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+)

  • Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) is a low-cost health insurance program for uninsured Colorado pregnant women and/or children ages 18 and under whose families earn or own too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance.
  • CHP+ encourages preventive and early primary medical and dental care by removing the financial barriers to health care.
Health First Colorado Former Foster Care Services

Youth who were in foster are at the age of 18 on or after January 1, 2023, were on Medicaid, and who have become a resident of Colorado from another state may apply for Medicaid in Colorado.

Health First Colorado Out of State Former Foster Care Youth Form-English
Health First Colorado Out of State Former Foster Care Youth Form-Spanish

Adult Services

LEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program)

  • Applications are only accepted between November 1 thru April 30
  • LEAP is a federally funded program administered by the Colorado Department of Human Services and is designed to help with your winter heating costs

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (833) 620-1071, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to:

1. Mail:
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
1320 Braddock Place, Room 334
Alexandria, VA 22314; or

2. Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. Email:

FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.