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The Family Investment Program (FIP), the Food Stamp Program, and Medicaid
are part of the Economic Assistance given by the DHS.
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Lee County, Iowa - DHS - Economic Services
The Family Investment Program (FIP)
FIP replaced Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) in
Iowa. This program's goal is to help you leave poverty and become
self-supporting. FIP offers you training or education, allows you to keep and
save more of the money you earn, and teaches YOU how to deal with the problems
your family may face.
FIP assistance is available to families who qualify without regard to race,
color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, political belief, and mental
or physical disability.
FIP assistance is available to one-parent families and to relatives caring for
children whose parents are absent.
Also, FIP-Unemployed Parent or FIP-Incapacitated Parent assistance is available
to two-parent families. For the Unemployed Parent Program, both parents must
register with Iowa Workforce Development and follow work and training rules. One
parent must participate in the FIP-UP work program. the FIP Incapacitated Parent
program is available for families with a disabled parent. FIP provides cash
payments based on the income and size of your family. There are several rules
you must meet to get FIP benefits. Please contact the Lee County Department of
Human Services for more information.
You can get an application from any county DHS office. You and your children
should apply for FIP assistance in the county in which you live.
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The Food Stamp Program
The Food Stamp
Program helps low-income people buy the food they need for good
health. You may be able to get food stamps if you:
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Work for low wages |
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Are unemployed or work part time |
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Receive welfare or other assistance payments |
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Are elderly or disabled and live on a small income |
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Are homeless |
State public assistance agencies run the program through their local offices.
The basic rules are the same everywhere.
The amount of food stamps you can get is based on the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Thrifty Food Plan, which is an estimate of how much it costs to
give your household nutritious, low-cost meals. The estimate is changed every
year to keep pace with food prices.
In the Food Stamp Program, a household is a group of people who live together
and buy food and prepare meals together for all people in the group. If your
household passes the program's eligibility tests, the amount of food stamps you
get will depend on the number of people in your household and on how much
monthly income is left after certain amounts (deductions) are subtracted.
For most households, food stamps are only part of their food budgets; they must
spend some of their own cash along with their food stamps in order to buy enough
food for a month.
For more information, contact us at the Lee County Department of Human Services.
If you live outside of Lee County, contact your local food stamp office. It is
probably listed under "Social Services Department" or "Food Stamps" in the State
or local government pages of the telephone directory.
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Medicaid
Medicaid is an assistance program which pays for covered medical and health care
costs of persons who qualify. The Medicaid program is funded by the federal and
state governments and is managed by the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS).
"Medically Needy" is a program designed to provide medical coverage for you if
you have either limited income or high medical expenses that use up most of your
income. If you have too much income or resources to be eligible for case
assistance, but not enough to pay for medical expenses, you may qualify under
the Medically Needy program.
The Medically Needy program may not pay all of your medical expenses. You may be
responsible to pay some of your medical expenses.
Pregnant Women - You may qualify for the Medically Needy program if:
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You are pregnant and |
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Your income exceeds the Mothers and Children (MAC) program income limits and
your resources do not exceed $10,000. |
People under 21 - You may qualify for the Medically Needy program if:
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You are under 21 and |
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You would be eligible for the Family Investment Program (FIP), the Child Medical
Assistance Program (CMAP), or MAC except that your income or resources exceed
the limits. |
People who are aged, blind, or disabled - You may qualify for the Medically
Needy program if:
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You would be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) except that your
income or resources exceed limits and |
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You are age 65 or older or |
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You are legally blind, with central visual activity of 20/200 or less in the
better eye with the use of corrective lens, or |
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You are disabled with a physical or mental impairment which prevents you from
working and has lasted or is expected to last a continuous period of at least 12
months. |
Adults who care for dependent children under age 18 (19 if still in school) -
You may qualify for the Medically Needy program if:
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You are a caretaker relative (parent, incapacitated stepparent, aunt, uncle, or
grandparent, etc.) of a dependent child under age 18, or under age 19 if still
in school, and |
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You would qualify for FIP except that your income or resources exceed FIP
limits. |
There are other requirements for receiving Medicaid. Contact the Lee County
Department of Human Services for more information, or to apply.
The Family Investment Program (FIP), the Food Stamp Program, and Medicaid are
part of the Economic Assistance given by the DHS.
BACK TO DHS MAIN PAGE
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