Are you a needy resident of Georgia seeking to make an application for public assistance benefits? If your answer to that question is ‘yes’, then please read on: as we will shortly explain to you how you can achieve that objective — of applying for Georgia state benefits online. You see, the Department of Human Services in the State of Georgia does make provisions for people to apply for various benefits online. Such online applications for Georgia State benefits are supposed to be made through the Common Point of Access to Social Services (COMPASS). Public assistance benefits that can be applied for using the COMPASS system include Medicaid and PeachCare for kids. Others include Child Care and Parent Services (CAPS), food assistance (food stamps), energy assistance, housing assistance, aging services and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (sometimes referred to as ‘welfare’).
What applying for benefits using the Georgia COMPASS system entails, at a glance
Applying for benefits using the Georgia COMPASS system mainly entails going to the Georgia COMPASS website, clicking to show that you would like to apply for the benefits, and then filling in the necessary application forms. For some benefits, it may be necessary for you to first check whether you are eligible, before going on to fill in the necessary application forms.
Things you need to have, to apply for benefits using the Georgia COMPASS system
To apply for benefits using the Georgia COMPASS system you need to have all the necessary information to fill in the application forms for the benefits. For many of the benefits, this may include detailed information on your income and your expenditure. You also need to have access to a computing device that is connected to the Internet.
The website you need to visit, to apply for benefits using the Georgia COMPASS system
To apply for benefits using the Georgia COMPASS system, you need to go to the Georgia COMPASS website. The address for the Georgia COMPASS website is provided below, in the ‘links to help you’ section.
Steps you need to follow, to apply for benefits using the Georgia COMPASS system
- Launch the browser program on your computing device. Then enter the address for the Georgia COMPASS website into the browser, for you to be taken to that site. The address for the Georgia COMPASS website is provided below, in the ‘links to help you’ section.
- When you get to the Georgia COMPASS website, focus the attention of your eyes towards the middle of the page: where there are various icons/buttons. The icons/buttons in question have headings such as ‘Am I eligible’, ‘Apply for Benefits’, ‘Application Status Check’, ‘myCOMPASS account’ and ‘Partners’.
- To check whether you are eligible for any benefit, click on the first icon/button: the ‘Am I Eligible’ button/icon. Then go through the motions of checking eligibility. If you ultimately find that you are eligible, you will be shown where to click, so as to initiate the actual application.
- You can also opt to apply for certain benefits without first checking whether you are eligible (that is, if you think that you are fully eligible even without checking). In that case, click on the second icon/button: the ‘apply for benefits’ icon/button. Then you will be taken through the motions of filling in an application, in order to receive the benefits in due course.
Links to help you
- Georgia COMPASS website: http://www.compass.ga.gov