Agency News
The Mercer County Board of Social Services is committed to providing economic and social services to individuals and families residing in Mercer County based upon financial need.
Contact Information:
Mercer County Board of Social Services
200 Woolverton St.
P.O. Box 1450 Fax: (609)394-6638
Trenton, New Jersey 08650-2099
mcboss@compuserve.com
Phone No: (609) 989-4320 or 1-800-564-1595
Complaint Line: (609) 989-4400
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday, 8:30 am- 4:30 p.m.
Tuesdays 8:30am-8:30pm
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
Work First NJ Temporary Assistance to Needy Families is a work program
with a financial benefit. TANF provides cash assistance to eligible
families. Payments are limited to a lifetime total of 60 months.
Phone - (609) 989-4491
WorkFirst NJ General Assistance is a work program which provides cash assistance and medical coverage to adults age 18 years and older who met eligibility requirements and reside in the following Municipalities.
Phone - (609) 989-4491
Food Stamps helps eligible recipients buy food using a debit card. Benefits are provided based on family size, income, expenses, and resources.
Phone - (609) 989-4491
Child Support and Paternity Program
The objective of the Child Support and Paternity Program is to improve the enforcement of the child support and paternity obligations of legally responsible parents. Offered services include parental location, establishment of paternity, support orders, and upward modifications of existing orders. Cooperation with the Child Support Program is mandatory for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families recipients. Child support and paternity services are available to all residents of Mercer County for a $6.00 fee.
WHO CAN GET HELP?
Two parents who agree on the amount of support that should be paid...
The staff at MCBOSS can file the order and both parties can avoid legal fees.
A custodial parent who believes that the non-custodial parent can be paying more...
The State has a formula based on the income of both parents to determine the appropriate amount of child support. If you believe that your order is at least 20% below the State standard, an upward modification can be filed by
MCBOSS staff. This includes medical insurance coverage, assistance in obtaining insurance or assistance in paying for insurance can also be sought.
A person trying to establish paternity...
MCBOSS staff can contact the father, advance the cost for the testing, distribute test results to all parties and the court, and file for a new court date if needed.
A person trying to locate an absent parent...
A parent-locator service can be used to locate an absent parent and verify income.
A person who is owed 'arrearages"...
If the non-custodial parent has not been paying on an existing order, MCBOSS staff may be able to expedite enforcement.
WHAT IS NOT COVERED?
The County is legally able to get involved to ensure the financial and medical support of a child. Issues such as child custody, visitation, divorce proceedings, property settlement, school tuition etc. are outside of the legal authority of the County.
NOTICE
The State requires a $6.00 processing fee from non-public assistance clients. This is a one time charge.
HOW CAN I GET SERVICES?
Call 989-4351 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday through Friday, and Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. to make an appointment with a trained professional. You will receive instructions, and be told what documents to bring along. MCBOSS is located at 200 Woolverton Street in Trenton. Staff are available between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday and Wednesday through Friday, and Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
To assist working people, and people living in the Mercer County suburbs,
MCBOSS staff will also be available at the following locations, Wednesdays 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.:
Mercer County Library System
Ewing Branch
61 Scotch Road
Hickory Corner Branch
East Windsor
130 Hickory Corner Road
Any resident of Mercer County can be served at any of these 3 locations. Call 989-4351 for an appointment.
609-989-4664 Medicaid Information Line
Medicaid is the Federal/State Health Assistance Program that provides
payment for pharmacy, doctor, hospital, optometry and dental care to
individuals receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Refugee
Resettlement Program and recipients of Supplemental Security Income.
Medicaid also pays for nursing home care for eligible individuals.
Individuals and/or families not on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
may be eligible for Medicaid, if they meet the requirements.
Medicaid Assistance Program: Provides Medicaid benefits to
Work First NJ recipients who meet the eligibility requirements of the former
AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) Program.
Community Care Program for the Elderly and Disabled (CCPED):
Offers home health services to qualified individuals who are elderly and
disabled as an alternative to nursing homes.
New Jersey Care Special Medicaid Program: An expansion of the
Medicaid Program, authorizing complete Medicaid coverage to eligible
pregnant women during their pregnancy and for 60 days following the date on
which the pregnancy ends. Coverage is also provided to eligible infants, up
to age 1, persons aged 65 or older, and blind or disabled.
Medically Needy Program: Offers Medicaid coverage with
limitations to individuals 65 years or older, persons blind or disabled,
children under 21 or pregnant women who have income or assets too high to
qualify for other Medicaid programs.
Home and Community Based Services Programs for Blind or Disabled Children
and Adults (Model Waiver): A similar program to the Community Care Program
for the Elderly and Disabled. It provides many home health services to help
qualified individuals stay in their homes. Eligible individuals must be
disabled and can be children.
AIDS Community Care Alternatives Program (ACCAP): Offers home
and community based services to persons with AIDS or with AIDS-Related
Complex (ARC).
New Jersey Medicaid Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Provides
home and community based services to eligible persons disabled by a
traumatic brain injury. Eligible applicants must be 18 to 65 years of age
and meet certain medical requirements regarding brain injuries.
Medicaid Only: Provides medical assistance to income/resource eligible aged,
blind or disabled individuals or couples, based on living arrangements in
the community, or to an individual in need of Title XIX facility (such as
hospital for acute care) for 30 consecutive days. Also provides nursing home
assistance.
Medicaid Special Programs: Provides Medicaid coverage to
individuals who meet certain financial eligibility criteria. Categories
include any dependent or independent child under age 21.
NJ FamilyCare Presumptive Eligibility Program: Provides
children who do not have health insurance coverage with access to medical
care while awaiting a full determination of their eligibility for NJ
FamilyCare.
HealthStart: Medical assistance presumptive eligibility
program offering prenatal care to eligible pregnant women prior to
application for Medicaid benefits and while application is being processed.
The qualified HealthStart provider completes the application for presumptive
eligibility.
NJ FamilyCare: Can help meet the health care needs of eligible children, who
do not have health insurance coverage. Eligibility is based on income and
the number of people in the family.
New Jersey Supplementary Prenatal Care Program: Based on
available funding provides prenatal care to eligible legally admitted
immigrant women who entered the United States as permanent residents on or
after August 22, 1996 and are ineligible for Medicaid due to a restriction
in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996.
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program: Provides
eligible recipients with payment of the Medicare Part B medical insurance
premium and deductibles.
Medical Emergency Payment Program for Aliens: May provide
payment for emergency services to persons who are not eligible for Medicaid
or FamilyCare because citizenship/alien requirements for these programs have
not been met. Eligible applicants must be 65 years of age or older, blind,
or permanently disabled, pregnant, under age 21 or a caretaker relative of
children under 18, and must meet income guidelines.
New Jersey Workability Program: May provide individuals with a
permanent disability the opportunity to get a job and establish a career
without losing Medicaid health coverage.
Enhanced Community Options: Known as ECO, is a Medicaid Waiver
that offers several care alternatives to individuals who would otherwise be
at risk of placement in a nursing facility. Designed to increase the type
and amount of options for community care available to those individuals who
are determined to require a nursing facility level of care, the ECO waiver
increases the opportunity to receive services in the community setting of
their choice. ECO includes the residential components, Assisted Living and
Alternate Family Care, as well as an In-Home Service component, known as the
Caregiver Assistance Program/NJEASE HomeCare.
Hospice Waiver Program: Community and Institutional Medicaid
Services for the terminally ill.
Breast and Cervical Cancer Program: May provide Medicaid
Benefits to uninsured women under the age of 65 who have been diagnosed with
breast or cervical cancer and are in need of treatment.
Alternate Application Sites
Henry J. Austin Center
321 North Warren Street
Trenton, NJ (609) 278-5936
Capital Health System of Mercer
446 Bellevue Avenue
Trenton, NJ (609)394-4259
Capital Health System of Helene Fuld
750 Brunswick Avenue
Trenton, NJ (609) 394-6000 Ext. 2129
The WorkFirst NJ Refugee Resettlement Program provides cash and medical assistance to individuals who fled from and cannot return to their place of national origin because of fear of persecution due to race, religion, or political opinion. All refugee cases, including GA-type, are administered by
MCBOSS for a 8 month period of possible eligibility. All refugee cases are 100% federally funded.
Phone: (609) 989-4491
The Social Services program offers individuals eligible for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income or individuals on limited income with the following social services.
Adult Social Services - These units handle all application requests, and on-going cases related to elderly, blind or disabled adults. Evaluates and offers appropriate social services such as homemaker services, and medical transportation.
Phone: (609)-989-4451
Adult Protective Services - These units are responsible for investigating any allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation of the elderly, blind, or disabled in the community. This service is provided regardless of income.
Phone: (609)-989-4346
Emergency Assistance Program - Emergency Assistance staff assesses emergency situations, and provides appropriate services such as shelter and food.
Phone: (609)-989-4451
Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment Program - Assures Medicaid eligible children of yearly medical screening examination.
Phone: (609)-989-4451
Family Planning Program - Instructs all TANF applicants and other interested individuals on the benefits of family planning.
Phone: (609)-989-4451
Medical Transportation - Provision of Medical Transportation service to Medicaid eligibles to assist with accessing necessary medical services.
Phone: (609)-989-4451
WorkFirst NJ Program - Through the assistance of case managers, provides TANF and GA recipients with the opportunity to gain the job skills, experience and education they need, while making accessible to them the special support services required to permit them to take responsibility for full time employment and economic self sufficiency for themselves and their families.
Phone: (609)-989-4542
Work Pass - All WFNJ recipients that are participating in an approved work activity are eligible to receive monthly bus passes or daily tickets in order to get to their activity site.
”Get A Job, Get A Ride”- NJ Transit provides one free monthly bus pass to TANF participants that are terminated from assistance due to employment.
Extended Work Pass - TANF recipients that are terminated from assistance due to employment are eligible to receive bus passes for 6 months. After the third month, there is a 50% co-pay.
MCBOSS Roads to Success Program
Purchase of Cars - MCBOSS will assist qualified TANF or Post-TANF recipients in purchasing a quality used car. The recipient must meet specific guidelines and will be required to pay a co-pay for the car.
Car Repair - Participants that have a car but it is in need of repairs to make it road ready, are eligible to receive assistance in this area. Repairs cannot exceed $750.
Obtain Drivers License - Participants that have never had a valid driver’s license will be assisted in obtaining one. Recipients will be taught driving skills by a licensed car driving school. There is no cost to the participant for this program.
Restoration of Drivers License - Participants that have had their license suspended or revoked will receive assistance in paying fines and fees in order to restore their driving privileges. Only certain fines and fees will be eligible for reimbursement.
Insurance Premiums - Participants that do not have automobile insurance may receive assistance under this provision.
Early Employment Initiative participants are eligible to participate in the Roads to Success program. They are also eligible for bus passes for six months.
For additional information contact your case manager.
From the West
Take Route 95 to Route 29 South.
Follow Route 29 To Cass Street.
Make a left onto Cass Street. Go over railroad tracks and make a right onto Woolverton Street (McDonald's is on corner.)
Building is at the end of the street.
From the East
Take I-195 West to Routes 129/29 North at the I-295 Interchange.
Stay right on Route 129 North to Cass Street, East exit.
Turn right onto Cass Street.
Make a right onto Woolverton Street (McDonald's is on corner).
Building is at the end of the street.
From the South
Take Route 130 or Route 206 North to I-295 North.
Follow I-295 North to the interchange with Routes 129/29 North.
Follow directions 2, 3, and 4 from East directions.
From the North
Take New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 7A.
Take 1-195 West towards Trenton.
Follow directions 1, 2, 3, and 4 from East directions.
From Route 1 South
Route 1 splits past Quakerbridge Mall. Stay to the left (do not take alternate Route 1.)
Continue to Routes 129/95 South exit (just past the Market Street/Trenton Train Station exit.) Motor Vehicle building is on right.
Follow route 129 South to Cass Street Exit. Turn left onto Cass Street.
Make a right onto Woolverton Street (McDonald's is on the corner.)
Building is at the end of the street.
Note: Cass Street is also known as Thunder Road
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The Mercer County Board of Social Services is not responsible for the contents of any off-site pages referenced.
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