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The Department of Children and Families---who checks on them?
My husband got laied off and we had to apply for assistance, we have called and gone to the office and waited over 10 times, every time someone tell us the wrong information as to what we need to do, or turn in or wait for. It's unbelievable! they have no idea what to tell you. we called 3 different time one day with the same question and got 3 completely different answers. we have 3 kids and just about out of money for food. who can we turn to? how can this be? the program is to help the families in need and when we try to get help, people are extremely rude, they give the wrong information (so far every time we call or go over to the office) nobody call tell us what else is needed from us nor why we have not received anything, the line "gets disconnected" and lets not even discuss the waiting time...hours at the office and 30 to 40 mins on the phone! we can never talk to our case worker, desperation is setting in, can anyone help? we just want to do whatever is required for the assistance and they just don't care to help. its like they want you to eventually give up.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
My daughter just received a letter today from them dated the 22nd of may the date stamped from mail is the 26th. today the 28th. they want her to have everything returned to them before the 30th. this is impossible as there is a weekend between there and the 30th is a saturday. they do this to try to see if they can make people loose benefits. darn good thing her boss lets her fax things. she (my daughter triple faxes now) cause in past they always say they never got stuff. so she started having her boss take pictures of her faxing it. oh did this make her social worker so angry. that lady has been trying to snowball her for awhile now. wish there was ways to get these dcf workers. they need cleaning up. trashy people.
This poor excuse for a civil servant Ray Lewis never answers his phone. Nor does he return calls this agency is built on avoiding helping anyone. I am at a loss. Does anyone receive decent service from DCF? I had a friend who worked there she was fired and then blackballed from receiving any future benefits. Great people.
Same with me... I never get sick, thank goodness, but am now, and I have medically needy/ share of cost of 937 a month. So they make it cost more than it would if just went to a family doctor. To meet share of cost my doctor had to rack up 937 bucks in bills so dcf could switch me to medicaid! Even then.. after expenses are faxed, and dcf website shows they were received, and processed... Walgreen's can not give me my medicine. They say to call dcf. I am now on the phone, on hold for 38 mins. STILL... Bull crap. Ask for the employees name and employee number as soon as someone from the call center answers, and their whole tone changes.
Honey, you have to be an illegal Mexican in order to qualify for food stamps in Florida. Food stamps turns away American citizens who are in need.
What I got so far:
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/regions/c4/
shows by region the numbers for contacts. May not be what we all need but it is SOMEONE connected with DCF so complain and let them know how ridiculous this is.
I recieved in the mail, the paper stating what is needed for proof of employment, rent, bills, etc and the number to call for the interview. The number([protected]) leads u to a neverending loop where whatever option you choce you will still be hung up on over and over again. So I called the number at the bottom of the page that is for the deaf and explained to the HUMAN that answered that I needed an alternate number for DCF and she gave me the county assistance number and then that person gave me the "correct" number for DCF [protected]. At that point I started repeatedly calling because the recording says that theres an abundance of calls so I should call back later. By the way I recieved the letter on Friday and they are closed all weekend AND today is the "last day" to call for interview. Here is the classic example of what EVERYONE who tries to get assistance encounters.
Both me and my room mate continue to call repeatedly though we now have one hour left before the DCF "closes". Are they ever even open? I even faxed a letter to them letting them know the whole situation. See, this is RIDICULOUS!
I am going to find out who is in charge of the DCF and if I have to go all the way to the governer I will. I know it is Rick Scott and people like him that do this intentionally to the people of lesser incomes, the elderly, families, anyone in need of assistance. They train the employees at DCF to make every step of the process seem impossible and hopeless, so that people will give up. My advice to all of you is DO NOT GIVE UP! Find out who is in charge of it all and write a serious letter of complaint. Call goverment officials if need be. I will, but if everyone does it IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE are in control, NOT THEM. Do not let them win. We pay our tax dollars into these programs so that when we are in a time of need, they will help us and others. So don't let them take advantage of you! When I discover the information for filing a complaint and who to contact, I will post it on here so everyone may use it as well. Good luck to all.
Katie
am a diabetic and i need my insulin every month and its always the same crap.. have to get a paper with all my medications and cost and fax it to them every month like if it changes then they take forever to process it by the time they open the medicaid its the end of the month so go through the same process again and dont bother calling either there always busy or voice box full
well we were going to apply but after reading all the complaints why bother.i will just have to sell my butt to feed my kids.
I'm a unemployed single mother, I applied for food stamps and they denied me because they said I made to much money. I receive unemployment and that's it. I rent, and have all the the bills people has living on there own, I also have a truck payment, I have health insurance that I pay for every month of 160.00.
HOW CAN I POSSIBLY MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY?
Who do you contact to help you?
I am a single mother, unemployed for ten months, receiving unemployment. I rent, have
all the bills that go along with living on my own, have a truck payment, I pay 160.00
a month for health insurance. I applied for food stamps and they denied me, the reason they gave me was, I made too much money, get real, I don't have a job, and I'm supporting my son and myself. This is a great program, but it's obviously not working properly. What can I do?
Renee/IN.
Contact Chris at DCF. He is in charge of the call center. He needs to know. chris_pantaleon@dcf.state.fl.us
I have the same experience. They either never answer their phone or its a busy signal all day. How can you not answer when that is your job? We even tried faxing them a letter telling them we had phoned for days unable to get through and asking them to call us. They are SO LAZY, they sent a letter telling us no, we had to call THEM! These people need to be removed from their jobs so the jobs can be given to people who will actually work and help people in need.
It is ridiculous what you have to go through to get a little help. I am having the same problem. I was recentley laid off as well with having to depend upon government assistance. They are very rude not to mention not helpful at all. I applied for benefits in June and now it is August and still nothing. I was told that it would take 30 days to process my application. I have called several times within the last 3 weeks and no one seems to be able to give me an answer as to why I have not received anything yet, all of my paperwork has been turned in. When I call they tell me they are going to email my case worker and the last time I called they were sending the email to the manager still no response to anything. What are you to do?
I have gone thro the same stuff. I have been denied, but when I go to the office to see why they have no idea who the person was who denied me and was told they hadnt even looked at my case yet. Then I was waiting for loss of income which was due on lets say June 3rd '08 and instead of waiting for the company to send in the form at 3pm the day it was due I was denied at 10 am that same day. Loss of income should not be the responsibility of the client because i have had 3 former employers that have refused to fill out the paper and its my kids who pay. Now this time it was a recert. and the 30 days are up. 4 messages have been sent to my case worker/her super cause she works over any hr away instead of in the office in my city. I have been told she needed it done by 2day, then I was told system was down 2day by another person, and then told by yet another person that she has till the 16th. How they figure, I did app at 10am on Feb, 13. They obviously cant count. Technically 30 days is 2morrow, but its Sat, DUHHHHH, they arent open. I have to always fight and call legal aid to get wat I'm due. The problem is ppl give up. I have heard all too many times ppl refuse to fight. Not me Im stubborn. Im prepared to go to hell and back n back again for my kids. Do they not understand that ppl really dont want food stamps. If we could afford to take care of our family we would but in this economy its tough. I heard on the news that 400, 000 more ppl have applied for assistance. The problem isnt us its them. they need to get thier foot out thier ### and do thier damn job.
I am going through the same thing since September 08! this is ridiculas what we have to go through to get a little assistance
I agree... this is a services for the people, but thy don't make it feel this way.