Small Town News

State Social and Health Services brings mobile office to Belfair

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A mobile community service office is scheduled to be in Belfair next week to help residents register for social services.

The Mobile Community Services Office, provided and run by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, is slated to be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 14 in the North Mason Resource Center parking lot, 140 NE state Route 300.

The mobile office will have staff available to help determine eligibility for various social and health service programs, process new applications, review and make changes to active cases and issue EBT cards to those who qualify.

"Basically, the mobile office has anything the regular office would have," said Christina Edmondson, Mobile Community Service Office West program specialist. "We want to help the people in rural communities who may have a hard time getting to the office.

To better serve rural communities such as North Mason, the Department of Social and Health Services modified two 40-foot trucks that transform into low-cost offices for a day.

The program has been around for five years, Edmondson said, and has been to Belfair several times in past years. Each vehicle includes a reception area, interview stations and a mechanical lift option for access.

"This is our first time having them in our parking lot, but I know they've been in other places in the community and helped," said Cat Ross, director of North Mason Resources.

Specialists at the mobile office will be able to provide information on programs such as the Washington Basic Food Program, which helps low-income individuals and families access nutritious foods, previously known as the food stamp program.

The mobile units also provide a location for people to get cash and child care benefits, according to a news release sent by the Department of Social and Health Services.

Edmondson said the mobile office should be able to serve between 30 and 35 people during its Belfair stop.

For more information about the mobile unit, call the contact center at 1-877-501-2233, or visit www.dshs.wa.gov.

IF YOU GO —

WHAT: Mobile Community Services Office, a mobile truck that brings Washington Department of Social and Health Services to rural communities, such as Belfair

WHERE: North Mason Resource Center, 140 NE state Route 300

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 14

COST: Free and open to those using social and health services, or looking for more information regarding those programs

MORE INFORMATION: Call the contact center at 1-877-501-2233, or visit www.dshs.wa.gov



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