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Provider Tools & Resources

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

Interested in Joining the ACCESS HRA Provider Portal?

Please use the following form to submit an expression of interest. Once received, we will review your submission. If approved, we will send you an onboarding packet which needs to be completed and returned in order for DSS to proceed with processing your request for Provider Portal access.

The onboarding packet consists of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which must be executed by an officer (ex. Executive Director, CEO, General Counsel, etc.) of your organization who has the legal authority to enter into agreements with the City on behalf of your organization, as well as an enrollment sheet where you’ll disclose details regarding your organization’s physical location(s) that the Provider Portal account(s) and site ID(s) are being created for.

Note: Your expression of interest is subject to approval. Completion of the form alone does not guarantee that your request for access will be approved. If your request for access is denied, you will be notified.

Existing Members:

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. 

Click here to view training descriptions and register for an upcoming virtual session.

Organizations interested in requesting any of the trainings listed above specifically for their staff (10 or more) should complete and submit the form and someone will be in touch to schedule. Contact CommunityEducation@dss.nyc.gov if you have any questions or encounter issues submitting the form.

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 

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 for important news and updates from the NYC Department of Social Services.

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. 

ACCESS HRA User Resources & System Updates

ACCESS HRA is the online benefits portal for New York City residents to apply for social services benefits. ACCESS HRA is a website and free mobile app that allows users to get information and apply for government programs such as: Cash Assistance, SNAP (Food Stamps), Fair Fares NYC, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), Medicaid, CityFHEPS and Child Support. It also allows users to view and manage your case information. Click here for additional ACCESS HRA Resources and download the ACCESS HRA User Guide for a detailed overview.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the use of ACCESS HRA can be found on the ACCESS HRA FAQ page.

All ACCESS HRA release notes and system updates can be found here.

DSS/HRA Guide to Services One-Pager and Benefits Flyer

As a reminder, HRA provides a comprehensive guide to benefits and services offered. It can be ordered for distribution and use on our website. Download the Guide to Services here. 

Additionally, DSS released an informational one-pager which outlines all the benefits and services available through the Human Resources Administration. The FLY-1128 is available to order in the following languages: Arabic, English, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, and Urdu.

Community Partners interested in ordering the guide, one-pager and other informational materials from HRA and ordering for the first time, should email DPOS (Design and Print Ordering System) Customer Service at DPOSCustomerService@dss.nyc.gov to have their organization/agency registered in the system. Once completed, the requestor will receive an email with a link to create an account, allowing their organization/agency the ability to order from HRA's catalog.

Organizations and agencies with already existing DPOS accounts, should log into their account using the appropriate link below:

PASSPort Procurement Portal

PASSPort

The Procurement and Sourcing Solutions Portal (PASSPort) is the City of New York's end-to-end digital procurement platform that manages every stage of the procurement process, from vendor enrollment to the solicitation of goods and services to contract registration. 

City contracting opportunities are now available through the City's digital procurement portal, PASSPort. Should your organization be interested in submitting a proposal, please be aware that the City requires all organizations to have a PASSPort account in order to submit responses to opportunities released in PASSPort. Create a PASSPort account. For simple step-by-step instructions on creating a PASSPort account, please refer to the PASSPort FAQs page.

PASSPort Public

PASSPort Public, is a data transparency portal that provides unprecedented insight into the city's main procurement system.

 drives procurement transparency and accountability by increasing access to information for city vendors, not-for-profits, and the public.

M/WBE Overview

M/WBE engagement is a priority for the City, for our Commissioner and Administrators, and most importantly for our communities. During our Quarterly Community Partners Call on June 4, 2024, the DSS/HRA/DHS Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) Team presented on resources they have developed to help our Community Partners connect with the City’s M/WBEs. 

Please download our M/WBE Overview slide deck for useful links and resources. Contact mwbe@dss.nyc.gov for help finding M/WBEs who can support your contracting needs. The team will provide lists of M/WBEs who can provide the goods and services our clients and Community Partners regularly require.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming survey as well as for information about our future matchmaking events. If you haven’t already named an M/WBE Liaison, or need to update your organization’s representative, you can find a link in the slide deck.

The M/WBE Program Team looks forward to working with you to bring diverse, local firms into our shared mission!

Citywide Anti-Nepotism Policy and Procedures

The Health and Human Service Vendor Compliance Cabinet recently adopted the citywide NYC Anti-Nepotism Policy and Guidance for Not-for-Profit Contractors of Human Services governing the human services standard contract provision (section 6.05 to 6.06) prohibiting anti-nepotism within a contractor's organization, contractor requirements, and penalties for non-compliance.

The Health and Human Service Vendor Compliance Cabinet was convened to discuss human service vendor integrity issues, support nonprofits by streamlining and standardizing compliance in accordance with the recommendations of the Joint Taskforce to Get Nonprofits Paid on Time and mitigate risks to the City of New York.

New York City’s Anti-Nepotism Policy is as follows:

  • New York City’s standard human service contract prohibits anyone from “hold[ing] a job or position with [the] Contractor over which a member of his or her immediate family exercises any supervisory, managerial, or other authority whatsoever…” unless they have the “prior written consent of the Commissioner…”
  • This prohibition is intended to prevent improper payments to family members of the Contractor’s Board of Directors, Key People and other supervisors and managers because of their familial relationships, thereby ensuring fairness, safeguarding transparency, and promoting an equitable work environment. This prohibition is also intended to prevent unqualified employees and unfair hiring and promotion practices, abuse of time and attendance policies, compromised internal control environments, low employee morale, high staff turnover, and poor contract performance by the Contractor.

The Citywide Anti-Nepotism Policy and Procedure is available on the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services’ Contract Compliance Support site along with supporting policy and procedure documents.

NYC Human Services Contractors with an instance of existing or foreseeable nepotism within their company or organizations must obtain the Contracting Agency Commissioner's written consent for potential violations of the anti-nepotism provision found in sections 6.05 to 6.06 of within their human services standard contract.

The Procedure to Request Written Consent (PDF) linked here is a procedure template that contracting agencies will provide, detailing steps human services contractors should follow to request written consent from their Commissioner.

Authorized Representative Forms for Clients

As a reminder, SNAP applications can be submitted by community organizations on behalf of clients by serving as an authorized representative for the client. Clients may authorize a representative to submit applications and communicate with HRA on their behalf.

To become an authorized representative, service providers will need to obtain a signed copy of the SNAP Authorized Representative Request Form and complete the application on the individual's behalf on ACCESS HRA by doing the following:

  1. Once you have the signed and completed authorization in hand, create an account for the individual at gov/accesshra by selecting a username (this could be a username or email address), password and answering one security question. If the individual does not have an e-mail address, please select the User Name option.
  2. During the course of completing the SNAP application, you will be asked to indicate if an Authorized Representative has been appointed to represent the individual. Indicate "Yes" and enter the information requested.
  3. At the end of the application, you will need to initial the application as the authorized representative, using your own initials.
  4. After submitting the SNAP application, download the HRA Mobile Application. Using the same credentials that you used to login to the website, upload the completed and signed Authorized Representative Request Form referenced above, connecting it to the pending case. The form must be complete, signed and dated by both parties. If this step is not completed appropriately, the application will not be able to be processed. If you are unable to immediately link to the case, please note that application registration only occurs on business days and there is occasionally a delay in the Application Registration process, so the application may have not been registered yet. Please try again later.

It is recommended, but not required, that all applicants/providers use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Authorized Representative Request Form (LDSS-4942) when designating an authorized representative. However, if the Authorized Representative form cannot be completed and submitted, the applicant/provider may write a letter with the relevant information from the form to designate an authorized representative. 

Electronic Authorization to Release Case Information Form

In response to requests from our community partners, we have created a fillable PDF of our third-party authorization form that can be signed digitally / electronically by clients using Adobe or other third-party software. Download the Electronic Authorization to Release Case Information form. Completed third-party authorization forms can be emailed to constituentaffairs@dss.nyc.gov or faxed to (917) 639-9241, accompanied with the inquiry.