Public assistance, such as medical, food, cash, or utility assistance, is available for many low-income families. These programs are here to help our clients weather difficult times, such as periods of unemployment.

If you need financial assistance, our legal advocates at Summit Legal Aid can guide you for medical, food, cash, or utility assistance.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

You may lose your benefits in December 2025 if these work rules affect you!

Starting September 1, 2025, many adults will need to prove they work 20 hours a week to keep their SNAP (food stamps). If you cannot prove you are working 20 hours a week, you can only get SNAP for 3 months every 3 years. However, these work rules do not apply to people who meet an exemption.

TAKE ACTION NOW TO KEEP YOUR BENEFITS!

1. Check below to see if you’re safe from these rules.
2. Fill out the checklist that the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) will mail you and send it back to your County Assistance Office (CAO).
3. If you have health problems, have your doctor or therapist sign DHS’s Medical Exemption Form.
4. Turn in the form to your CAO before December 2025.

What’s changing?

• Starting September 2025, most adults must work 20 hours a week to stay on SNAP.
• If you cannot prove that you work enough, you can only get 3 months of SNAP every 3 years.

Who’s safe (exempt) from these rules?

You don’t need to worry about losing your SNAP as long as the CAO knows that you are:

• Under 18 or over 65 years old
• Getting disability benefits (like SSI, SSD)
• A parent with kids under 14
• Pregnant
• In school or job training (half-time or more)
• Getting unemployment benefits
• Taking care of a sick family member
• In drug or mental health treatment
• Doing community service 20 hours/week
• Going back to work within 60 days
• Experiencing homelessness

If you have health problems that make it hard to work:

• Get this “Medical Exemption” form signed by your medical or mental health provider.
• This lets you keep SNAP even if you can’t work.
• Turn in the signed form to your local CAO.

Do you work 20+ hours already?

If you make $217.50 or more per week before taxes:

✓ You’re safe for now, but make sure the CAO knows about your work.

✓ No extra paperwork needed.

If you make less than $217.50 per week before taxes:

! If your hours drop below 20 per week, you could lose SNAP.

! Extra paperwork! You may have to prove your hours to the CAO every 3 months.

! Still get the doctor form if you can, just in case.

LIHEAP Crisis and Termination Notices

LIHEAP Crisis grants can help households with a termination notice from the gas or electric company dated February 1, 2024, or later. LIHEAP Crisis can also help households without heat, a broken heating system, or in danger of running out of deliverable fuel (oil, wood, kerosene, coal) within 15 days. LIHEAP Crisis grants range from $25 to $1000.

Beginning February 1, 2024, County Assistance Offices began processing LIHEAP Crisis payments for households that have a valid termination notice from a regulated utility company dated February 1, 2024, or later.

To qualify for LIHEAP Crisis funds, households must be responsible for home heating costs and must meet income eligibility limits. Additionally, the amount of the LIHEAP Crisis payment must be enough to resolve the crisis, or the household will not be eligible. Other available funds can be combined with the LIHEAP Crisis grant to resolve the crisis situation. Other funds could be money given or borrowed from relatives or friends, local church programs, Community Actions programs, or the Dollar Energy Fund (dollarenergy.org or 1-888-282-6816).

Households in need of LIHEAP Crisis help should contact their local County Assistance Office (CAO).

Eligibility criteria for public assistance is below.  For more information and to receive help, you can contact us.

Note that, for certain public assistance, you must actively look for a job or participate in an employment or training program. Also, if child support is legally available to you, you must file for it in order to receive some public assistance.