Social Services Division

The Social Services Division is allocated grant funds annually through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program to assist low income residents who meet the eligibility criteria. This program helps residents attain the skills, knowledge and motivation necessary to achieve self-sufficiency, as well as immediate life necessities such as food, shelter, medicine, etc.

CSBG was initiated in 1981 and is provided through federal grant funding to aid in the reduction of the causes of poverty in communities. The grant requires that programs focus on services that will have a major impact on the causes of poverty in the community. Priority is given to those individuals or programs that assist low-income participants in activities such as securing employment, attaining education, making better use of income, obtaining adequate housing and emergency assistance, achieving self-sufficiency and greater community involvement, and participating in other related programs.

In St. Lucie County, these funds are used specifically to assist with education, childcare, and transportation associated with employment or education, housing, utility payments and energy efficiency evaluations.

Please note that all applicants for assistance must attend an Effective Budgeting Workshop that is held at the Fort Pierce Library and taught by the Financial Agent from the Cooperative Extension Office.

Those seeking assistance are also encouraged to contact Consumer Credit Counseling Services (866-616-3720; cccsatl.org) to address any debt management concerns and to explore options for home purchase and budgeting.

Holiday Services

The Social Services Division also assists families during the November and December holiday season through:

• The provision of holiday food baskets from donations received
• An "Adopt a Family" program during the holidays

• Coordination with WPSL to distribute toys to children, 12 years and under that reside in St. Lucie County

Other resources are available to assist with :

• Indigent cremations and burials
• Administration of a program which oversees the state mandated share of county Medicaid Hospital and Nursing Home funding
• Administration of funds for the Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA)
• Administration of funds for the Care to Share program through Florida Power and Light
• Community Services also provides a public access computer in the office so that residents can complete applications for Department of Children and Families (Food Stamps, Medicaid, Nursing Home Assistance) on-line.

In addition, social service staff serve on statewide advisory committees that relate to social services that serve the community and participate on the Emergency Disaster Team and in the staffing of the Special Needs shelter.

One of these statewide advisory committees is FACSSE.