Community Resources

The purposes of the Office of Child Support Enforcement are:

Locate absent parents and establish paternity of children born out of wedlock; and
Establish, enforce and collect child support from legally responsible individuals; and
Reduce the cost of public assistance for taxpayers.

Crisis Services

Domestic violence is a pattern of intentional, coercive behaviors that may include verbal, physical, sexual, financial and/or emotional abuse directed against current or former spouses/partners, parents, children or any family member, in order to establish and maintain power and control.

Some behaviors in this pattern are clearly criminal acts. Other behaviors are not necessarily illegal but are abusive and controlling, designed to intimidate or instill fear.

Victims of domestic abuse come from every culture, income group, age, and religion. They frequently share feelings of isolation, guilt, fear, shame, and helplessness. Intervention by the criminal justice system is often necessary, and, with support, victims can emerge as survivors.

Does your partner or family member:

• Threaten or intimidate you, your children, or your pets?
• Become extremely jealous or overprotective?
• Destroy personal property?
• Call you names or make fun of you?
• Treat your roughly - grab, push, punch, shove, kick, or hit you?
• Pressure you sexually?
• Use drugs or alcohol as an excuse for his/her behavior?

If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, you are at risk of being a victim of domestic violence.

Erie County Department of Health Programs

Financial eligibility is determined based on the income and resource standards governing the Public Health Insurance Programs.

Persons eligible for Medicaid may be required to enroll in a managed care plan. Persons eligible for Family Health Plus must enroll in a managed care plan.

1. Be a
   • A pregnant woman;
   • An infant or child up to five years old;
   • A mother of a baby up to six months old; OR
   • A breastfeeding mother of a baby up to 12 months old.
2. Be a resident of New York State, but you do not need to be a U.S. citizen.
3. Meet the income eligibility guidelines OR receive benefits from Food Stamps, Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
4. Be assessed by a WIC health care professional.