GENERAL ASSISTANCE

The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office is responsible for providing life’s basic supporting needs to the community’s poor and people from all walks of life who find themselves in need of temporary assistance.

In Calumet Township, poor relief, or general assistance represents the largest segment of resources, both human and material. State laws clearly define what public aid can be granted and the process to access those services. Services are provided through purchase orders (vouchers) for food, shelter (rent or mortgage), utilities (gas, electric, water), medical, burial, household, clothing, furniture and transportation.

Applications for assistance are processed between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, at two conveniently located offices.

The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office has four major goals:

• Service the indigent
• Work within the guidelines of the law
• Promote human relations
• Work as a team

INFORMATION DESK

When you enter the office, you will be greeted by personnel at our Information Desk and asked to complete a sign-in slip. The sign-in slip is used to record basic client information and to track the time the client is interviewed in each respective department within the General Assistance Division, and Job Search Works. In addition, some basic questions are asked in order to determine what department the client should be directed to (intake, service investigation, job search works). Clients must present two (2) pieces of identification.

INTAKE DEPARTMENT

Before any service can be provided, the poor relief application/re-application process begins in the intake Department with the completion and review of an application for township assistance, which is prescribed by the state. The application requires that all household members age 18 and over sign the “application for township assistance” and the “consent to the disclosure of information to the township trustee”.

• Financial circumstances and verification of total household income (pay stubs, social security and SSI, welfare, unemployment compensation, sick benefits, pension, severance pay, child support, VA benefits, bank and credit union savings, and all other source of miscellaneous income, assets, and resources)
  
• Verification of social security numbers (social security cards)
  
• Birth certificates for children age 18 and under
  
• Verification of residence (30 day residency requirement)

QUALITY CONTROL

Before an applicant receives service Quality Control Investigation completes the following:

• Verification of information received
• Internal/Records checked
• External/Home visits
• Other agency verification
• Deceptive practice inquiry

NON-FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY

Once financial eligibility is determined, certain non-financial requirements for eligibility must be met:

• Under Indiana Codes 12-20-6-5 Application for other assistance, and 12-20-6-5.5, Application for Public Assistance before granting poor relief. Applicants and members of applicant’s household shall, when referred by the trustee, apply for other public assistance within fifteen (15) days from the referral, with the Division of Family and Children Services or any other state of governmental entity. Failure to apply within fifteen (15) days will result in denial of poor relief services for not more than sixty (60) days.
  
• Under Indiana Code 12-20-11-1,3,4,5 Workfare, an able-bodied applicant or members of applicant’s household are obligated to perform work needed to be done for any nonprofit agency or governmental unit which equals the value of assistance received by the poor relief recipient or the recipient’s household. The recipient shall receive credit for the work performed at a rate not less than the federal minimum wage.
  
• Under Indiana Code 12-20-12-1, Job Search, a recipient may be required to participate in an appropriate work training program, job search and educational programs.

Eligibility requirements are explained during the intake process. There are other non-financial eligibility requirements. You may visit any of our two (2) office locations for further information.

POOR RELIEF

• ADMINISTRATION
  
• INTAKE
  
• SERVICE INVESTIGATION
  
• QCI
  
• MEDICAL
  
• ORDERWRITING
  

JOB SEARCH

• RESOURCE CENTER
  
• EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

WORKFARE

CLAIMS/PURCHASING

JOB SEARCH

• VENDOR INFORMATION