The Pasco County Library System has laptops available at every library branch designated for the completion of online government forms including the Access Florida forms. To find out more about these laptops read this press release

You can click this link to go directly to the Access Florida website.

If you need assistance completing the forms a Department of Children and Families (DCF) representative is available at the Pasco County Health Department in Dade City and the Department of Children and Families offices in New Port Richey.

The Dade City office of the Pasco County Health Department is located at 13941 15th Street, Dade City their telephone number is 352-521-1450.

The DCF office in New Port Richey is located at 7601 Little Road New Port Richey their telephone number is 727-834-3900.

Also, all three Career Central locations have computers dedicated for Access Florida form use. They also have staff that can assist with completing the forms. The Career Central locations are:

Career Central
7361 Forest Oaks Blvd.
Spring Hill, FL 34606
(352) 200-3020

Career Central
6038 Gall Blvd
Zephyrhills, FL 33542
(813) 780-0111

Career Central
4440 Grand Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 484-3400

For more information call any branch of the library system.

The Pasco County Library System has laptops available at every library branch designated for the completion of online government forms including the Access Florida forms. To find out more about these laptops read this press release

You can click this link to go directly to the Access Florida website.

If you need assistance completing the forms a Department of Children and Families (DCF) representative is available at the Pasco County Health Department in Dade City and the Department of Children and Families offices in New Port Richey.

The Dade City office of the Pasco County Health Department is located at 13941 15th Street, Dade City their telephone number is 352-521-1450.

The DCF office in New Port Richey is located at 7601 Little Road New Port Richey their telephone number is 727-834-3900.

Also, all three Career Central locations have computers dedicated for Access Florida form use. They also have staff that can assist with completing the forms. The Career Central locations are:

Career Central
7361 Forest Oaks Blvd.
Spring Hill, FL 34606
(352) 200-3020

Career Central
6038 Gall Blvd
Zephyrhills, FL 33542
(813) 780-0111

Career Central
4440 Grand Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 484-3400

For more information call any branch of the library system.

The economy is affecting not only banking and Wall Street executives, but also the average citizen. TBO.com reported yesterday that "the call volume [to the Department of Children and Families' ACCESS Florida line] has risen to 120,000 a day, 40,000 more than a year ago. The number of Floridians using the program is up more than 20 percent statewide and more than 60 percent in some areas."

Do you think you could benefit from food stamps or Medicaid? You can apply online using the ACCESS Florida application.

From the ACCESS Florida webpage:

The ACCESS Florida Applications will not be available on Thursday, August 28th from 8:00 p.m. until Midnight EST because we will be performing maintenance.

If you are working on an ACCESS application at 8:00 p.m., you will be able to log back into the application after the maintenance is complete - you must have the ACCESS Online Number and password created at the beginning of the process to finish your application.

If you are pre-screening to see if you might be eligible for benefits at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are reporting a change at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are using the Automated Response System to get information regarding the status of a recently completed application at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are using the Platinum Community Partner link to get information regarding the status of a recently completed application at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

The following ACCESS Florida Online Applications will not be available, Wednesday June 11th, from 8:00 pm until 11:00 pm EST due to implementation of changes to the Intake Management System:

Web Application
ESS Online applications
Reported Change System
Web ARU
Pre-screening
Platinum Partner
KidCare

Do you need help with the ACCESS Florida online application? Try their online tutorial. It is based on the old application, but the content (what you need to apply, etc.) is the same.

If you are in the Suncoast Region (DeSoto, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota Counties) and you want to go to a brick-and-mortar DCF office, you can find a listing of DCF service center locations here. If you need general information or information about the status of your application, you can try the automated telephone service at 1-866-76ACCESS (1-866-762-2237).

According to DCF's ACCESS Florida site, the ACCESS Florida application will not be available tonight, Wednesday, March 5, from 8:00 p.m. until midnight ET. When it comes back online, it will be a new and (I'm assured) improved application.

If you are looking for information on how to apply for food stamps in states other than Florida, refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food & Nutrition Service Food Stamp Program site. Click on the desired state, and you will receive links to the individual state's food stamp program as well as contact information for food stamp outreach programs in that state.

Florida's food stamp application can be found at ACCESS Florida's website.

The new online application for ACCESS Florida is scheduled to go live on Wednesday, March 5. It was previously reported that the new application would up and running on Friday, February 29, but the date was recently changed by the Department of Children and Families.

All online applications should be e-signed by March 5. Those applications not e-signed by that date will be purged and the applicants will need to complete a new application.

According to the DCF website, the ACCESS Florida website will be changing as of February 29, 2008.

What does this mean for you if you are a DCF customer? You will need to make sure you have an electronic signature on file with DCF prior to February 29, 2008. Any applications that are not electronically signed by that date will need to be resubmitted.

When trying to access the online application for food stamps in Florida (also known as ACCESS Florida), please make sure you are:

1. Using Internet Explorer (it will sometimes work in other browsers, but not all the time);
2. Turning OFF the Pop-Up Blocker; and
3. Writing down the ACCESS Florida online number the site assigns to you and making sure you either remember or write down the password you choose. This is how you get back in to your application if you can't finish it in one sitting or you need to make changes to your application.

If you are unable to complete the application on the computer, there are print applications available from their website. Click here to access them.