How to Apply for a Child-Only Grant Online Through ACCESS HRA and myBenefits NY

Why Online Filing Matters for Kinship Caregivers

Walking into an HRA office or county DSS with a child you are raising and no court order can be intimidating. The online portals let you start the application from home, upload documents at your own pace, and avoid the initial confusion of front-desk intake where staff sometimes ask for your pay stubs even though your income does not count for a child-only case.

New York runs two separate systems depending on where you live. In the five boroughs of New York City, applications go through ACCESS HRA at nyc.gov/accesshra. In the remaining 57 counties, applications go through myBenefits at mybenefits.ny.gov. Use those portals for Temporary Assistance and SNAP. You can apply for Medicaid through NY State of Health, or include Medicaid on Form LDSS-2921 when applying for Temporary Assistance or SNAP.

ACCESS HRA (New York City)

ACCESS HRA is run by the NYC Human Resources Administration. To start a child-only cash assistance application:

1. Create or sign in to an ACCESS HRA account using the portal's current sign-in instructions.
2. Select "Apply for Benefits" and choose Temporary Assistance. The child-only case uses the standard Temporary Assistance application path.
3. When the form asks about household members, list only the child as the applicant. You are the "designated representative" or "non-applicant caregiver," not a co-applicant. This is the step where many caregivers accidentally add themselves to the case and trigger income requirements that should not apply.
4. Upload documents directly through the portal: the child's birth certificate, your photo ID, proof of address, and the child's Social Security number or proof of application for one.
5. After submission, HRA may schedule an eligibility interview, often by phone. If it does, confirm that you are filing a non-parent caregiver child-only case and that your income should not be budgeted.

The standard processing window for Temporary Assistance is 30 days from receipt. If your household has an emergency such as little or no food or threatened housing, contact HRA as soon as you apply and request emergency assistance. For SNAP, ask whether you meet the criteria for expedited processing.

myBenefits (Outside NYC)

For caregivers in counties outside the five boroughs — whether that is Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, or a rural upstate county — myBenefits.ny.gov handles applications.

1. Register at mybenefits.ny.gov using the account options currently offered on the site.
2. Start a new application and select Temporary Assistance. The child-only case uses the standard Temporary Assistance application path.
3. Complete the application for the child. When asked about the people in the household, enter only the child as the applicant. Enter yourself as the caregiver or authorized representative.
4. Upload verification documents or bring them to your scheduled appointment at the county DSS office.
5. The county may schedule an in-person or phone interview or request additional verification; follow the instructions in its notice or your account.

Common Portal Pitfalls

Adding yourself as an applicant. This is the single biggest mistake. If you add yourself to the assistance unit, the system treats it as a standard household case and counts your Social Security, pension, or wages against eligibility. For a child-only case, only the child is the applicant.

Missing an interview or verification request. If HRA or DSS schedules an interview or asks for documents, respond promptly or reschedule. Missing a follow-up can delay the decision.

Not requesting other benefits at the same time. Form LDSS-2921 lets you apply for Temporary Assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, and CCAP in one paper filing. The online portals have their own available options; Medicaid and Child Health Plus can also be applied for through NY State of Health.

What to Do After Submitting

After the online submission, keep the confirmation details and watch for an interview or verification request from HRA or DSS. Have the child's documents ready and be prepared to explain your relationship to the child and the living arrangement.

If the caseworker asks for your income documents during the interview, you can politely clarify that you are filing as a non-needy caretaker and that 18 NYCRR Parts 350-352 exclude your income from the child's eligibility determination. If they insist, do not refuse — provide what they ask for, but note the request and follow up with a supervisor or the NYS Kinship Navigator at 1-877-454-6463 if your income is counted against the child.

The New York Kinship Financial Help Guide walks through the complete application process for every benefit program, including what to say at the interview and how to handle incorrect income counting.

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