Provider Tools and Supports

ACCESS HRA Provider Portal

The ACCESS HRA Provider Portal is a provider-facing website that allows clients to grant permission to organizations to assist with case management and be able to see case details for that client.

Through the ACCESS HRA Provider Portal, organizations can:

• View a client’s case status and case details
• Make updates to a client’s contact preferences, such as a telephone number or mailing address
• Read agency notices posted to your client’s account
• View a client’s appointment details
• See recent documents HRA has recently received for a client’s case
• Request budget letters
• Receive notifications about an applicant or participant’s case, including when their recertification period begins
• View a client’s account balances or recent payments made on their behalf, such as payments made to a landlord or utility company

To enroll in the ACCESS HRA Provider Portal, email DSSOutreach@dss.nyc.gov to receive the onboarding package and information on how to become a Provider Portal Partner. 

If your organization is already a member of the Provider Portal but you do not have access to your account information, email DSSOutreach@dss.nyc.gov to receive your Organization ID and instructions on how to access your organization's account.

For more information, please refer to the Provider Portal User Guide and the Provider Portal Frequently Asked Questions. You can also reach out to DSSOutreach@dss.nyc.gov with any questions.

Online Trainings for Community Providers

The Office of Community Outreach offers trainings and presentations to community-based organizations, elected officials and their staff, and other municipal agencies. These trainings are conducted multiple times per month and allow for flexible scheduling. Outlined below are our current offerings. You can register for an upcoming session here.

If you would like to request an individual training, please fill out the DSS Training Request Form, and someone will be in contact to schedule.

Submitting Documents

Clients can use their smartphones or mobile devices with cameras to upload photos of their eligibility documentation for submission directly to DSS.

In addition to the ACCESS HRA Mobile App which gives clients the ability to use their mobile devices to log into their ACCESS HRA account and submit documents, the NYC HRA Document Upload App can be used without logging into an ACCESS HRA account, allowing providers to help clients with document submission. 

Both apps are available for both Android and Apple devices. 

Ordering DSS Informational and Outreach Material

DSS has launched a new online ordering system for community partners to order DSS materials for distribution to clients and the public (such as our informational flyers, brochures, the DSS guide to benefits, etc.). The new system, DSS Design and Print Ordering System, is user friendly and simplifies the ordering process with a catalog of materials for outreach from which to order. Each CBO requires a requestor who will register through the online application. Shipments will be delivered directly to the organization placing the order. 

Instructions to register 

• Go to the DSS Design and Print Ordering System. 
• For internal DSS-HRA-DHS Users
• For other NYC Agencies
• For (CBO) NYC DSS Partners
• Once you are in the DSS Design and Print Ordering System, in the upper right-hand corner click on "log-in" 
• Follow the instructions to register as a new user. When the registration is complete, you can begin ordering. 
• Please note that the "Company" field is a drop-down menu with the current listing of community partner organizations who are authorized to order materials. If your organization is not listed, please contact DPOSCustomerService@dss.nyc.govto have it added. Once added, you will be able to proceed with registration.

For questions about registering or other system issues contact, DPOSCustomerService@dss.nyc.gov

Letters of Support Procedure

DSS may provide Letters of Support for community organizations to accompany their grant proposals for State, Federal and philanthropic funding. DSS does not provide Letters of Support for funding opportunities with DSS or other New York City agencies unless it is specified in the RFP that a DSS letter is required. Organizations seeking a letter from DSS in support of their grant proposal should follow the DSS Letter of Support Procedure to submit a request. We ask that applicants submit their request to us at least two (2) weeks prior to the RFP deadline. 

Please submit your Letter of Support request and supporting documentation to the DSS Office of Strategic Partnerships at letterofsupport@dss.nyc.gov. 

Please note that Letters of Support from the NYC Continuum of Care (NYC CoC) must be requested directly from the NYC CoC webpage. 

Request DSS Presence at Your Event

DSS is always happy to participate in events hosted by community organizations. Please fill out the Community Partner Event Attendance Request Form and someone will be in contact with you to organize DSS representation at your event.

Stay Connected with DSS

Sign up to be added to the list of invitees for our quarterly community call with DSS Leadership here.

Sign up for important news and updates from the NYC Department of Social Services, including our weekly communication here.

Sign-up for ACCESS HRA notifications related to new releases, outages, and scheduled maintenance here.

Assistance with Child Support Cases

Tens of thousands of mothers, fathers, and guardians visit New York City child support offices every year for information and guidance. Yet tens of thousands more never do. Too often the result is a negative cycle. The barriers that keep parents from being able to resolve their child support issues go unaddressed. 

You can be the critical link because your clients trust you, even with a topic as sensitive as child support. Here is what the Child Support Snapshot provides: 

• The last 5 payments on the case 
• How much money is owed and to whom 
• What kinds of enforcement actions, if any, have been taken on the case 
• A list of recommended next steps that are generated in response to specific details about a given case 
• Links to forms, brochures, and videos that you can send directly to your client 

To sign up for the Child Support Snapshot and learn more, email OCSSinfo@dfa.state.ny.us. Watch a video about getting started with Snapshot.