Benefits Access Centers and Benefits Referral Sites

Posted by on January 13, 2014

City seeks agencies as benefit hubs

The Mayor’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) is looking for community-based multi-service agencies to serve as Benefits Access Centers and Benefits Referral Sites to help low-income Philadelphians connect to public benefits.

One of the key goals of Shared Prosperity Philadelphia, the Nutter Administration’s plan to fight poverty, is to enable residents to increase their household income by expanding access to public benefits and essential services.  Too many Philadelphians do not take advantage of key public benefits, in part because they are not aware they are eligible or they struggle to navigate complicated enrollment systems on their own.  New Benefits Access Centers and Benefits Referral Sites will play critical roles in increasing the number of eligible Philadelphians enrolled in public benefits.

Here are some details on the role of Benefits Access Centers and Benefits Referral Sites in this effort:
* Benefits Access Centers – CEO plans to partner with four community-based multi-service agencies to screen low-income Philadelphia residents for federal, state, and local benefits/entitlements and services for which they are eligible, and assist those individuals with successfully applying for those benefits and services.  CEO intends to provide Benefits Access Centers with a benefits screening tool, financial and programmatic support to hire staff, and training from a benefits enrollment organization.
* Benefits Referral Sites – CEO will also select an undetermined number of agencies that will help identify the eligibility of low-income Philadelphia residents for benefits, and connect them to larger system of support to help them enroll.  CEO intends to provide Benefits Referral Sites also with a benefits screening tool and training from a benefits enrollment organization.

Organizations interested in applying should check out the Requests for Proposals by clicking on the links above. Organizations are required to submit a letter of interest to the City by 5pm on Wednesday, January 15th.

Benefits Access Centers: http://www.phila.gov/rfp/Documents/Benefits%20Access%20Center%20RFI%20FINAL.pdf

Benefits Referral Sites: http://www.phila.gov/rfp/Documents/Benefits%20Referral%20Site%20RFI%20FINAL.pdf