Social Services

About Social Services

The following social services are provided by the Department of Public Health and Human Services.

Are you pregnant, or think you might be? We are your trusted source for free pregnancy testing, counseling, and support.

Pregnancy testing

We provide free, confidential pregnancy testing by appointment. Contact us at 573.817.6430 or SocialServices@CoMo.gov to schedule an appointment.

Pregnancy counseling

If you’re pregnant and have questions about your options, our professional, caring staff can help. Contact us at 573.817.6430 or SocialServices@CoMo.gov. We’d be happy to talk with you over the phone or in our offices.

Pregnancy  support

Finding out you’re going to be a parent can be a joyful and exciting experience. It can also feel a little overwhelming. If you’re pregnant, we are here to answer your questions and link you with the resources you need. We can also assist you in applying for Medicaid health insurance programs for pregnant women.

  • MO HealthNet for Pregnant Women (MPW) and Show-Me Healthy Babies (SMHB) cover prenatal care and delivery services.
  • Temporary (“Temp”) Medicaid provides short-term prenatal care coverage while your MO HealthNet for Pregnant Women (MPW) or Show-Me Healthy Babies (SMHB) application is processed.

We’re here to help you and your baby have a safe and healthy pregnancy and a great start to life. Contact us at 573.817.6430 or SocialServices@CoMo.gov. We’d be happy to talk with you over the phone or in our offices.

Want to be the best parent you can be? Would you like to get off to a great start with your child? A home visitor can help!

Before your child is born

  1. Visit 2-4 times a month with your home visitor
  2. Talk about your concerns, ask questions
  3. Find out about changes you’ll be going through during pregnancy
  4. Make plans to get ready for your baby and for your family’s future
  5. Get the things you and your baby will need*
  6. Start a scrapbook for your baby
  7. Set goals for yourself that you choose

After your child is born

  1. Visit every week with your home visitor, until your baby is 6-9 months old, then less often, until age 3 years
  2. Learn what you can do to build a healthy relationship with your child
  3. Try out play and learning activities
  4. Learn what to expect from your child as he or she grows
  5. Regular developmental screens will help you keep track of your child’s development
  6. Learn new parenting skills
  7. Find ways to strengthen your family
  8. Work to achieve the goals you set for yourself

*Healthy Families may provide car seats, portable cribs, diapers/wipes, books, or other health, safety, and developmental items to our participants.

Your home visitor will be there to listen, help you find answers to your questions, and to support you in being the kind of parent you want to be!

For more information, please call 573.817.6430.

The Utility Assistance Program provides financial assistance for electric and water utility services for eligible Boone County residents and Boone Electric customers.

Eligibility

Two types of applicants are eligible for utility assistance:

Seniors and persons with disabilities
The applicant, or their spouse, domestic partner, significant other, or a person in the home of which they have legal guardianship, is over sixty years old or permanently disabled. Disability status is indicated by an applicant’s, or their spouse, significant other, domestic partner’s, or a person of which they have legal guardianship, source of income, such as disability payments from an employer, Social Security, the Veterans Administration, and/or receipt of Medicaid based on disability.

Families with children age 18 and younger
The applicant is the parent or guardian of a child who is: eighteen (18) years of age or younger, in the physical and legal custody of the individual, and in school (unless the child is unable to attend school because of age or disability).

Other eligibility criteria

  • The applicant must be a permanent resident of Boone County (or a Boone Electric customer that meets all other eligibility criteria)
    • Persons who are claimed as dependents in households outside of Boone County are not considered permanent residents of Boone County.
    • Persons staying in institutional and group settings (i.e. hospitals, jail, residential treatment programs, etc.) are not considered permanent residents unless they maintain a current Boone County residence separate from the institutional or group setting in which they are staying, or were a resident of Boone County immediately prior to entering the institutional or group setting.
    • Persons who are experiencing homelessness can provide a letter from a shelter or homeless other homeless services provider.
  • The applicant’s household income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
  • The utility account must be in the applicant’s name.

Assistance

  • Assistance is provided for electric and water utility services and, if necessary to maintain electric service, for trash and sewer services.
  • The amount of annual assistance is as follows (assistance amounts are subject to change without notice):
    • City of Columbia
      • Accounts with electric service = $900
      • Non-electric service accounts (water/sewer and/or trash only) = $600.00
    • Boone Electric = $200.00
    • Other Electric/Water Utilities (e.g. Ameren, Public Water Districts, etc.) = $200.00
  • Assistance is provided by a monthly lottery drawing of eligible applications.
  • Assistance is available to a household once per year (October 1 – September 30). The application period for each year is September 1 – August 31.

How to apply

  1. Fill out the application completely
  2. Include the following supporting documents:
    • Copy of account holder’s photo ID
    • Copies of social security cards for all household members
    • Copy of account holder’s utility bill
    • Copy of income for previous month: paycheck stub, social security income, unemployment, child support, TANF, disability income, alimony, pension, etc.
  3. Submit your completed application and supporting documents. You can mail, drop off, fax, or e-mail your application as follows:

Mail or Drop Off

Fax

Email

Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services

Social Services Unit

1005 W. Worley

P.O. Box 6015

Columbia, MO  65205-6015

573.874.7758


SocialServices@CoMo.gov



Application processing 

Applications will be processed within 30 days. Based on the completeness of the application and the eligibility of the applicant, applications will either be denied or accepted:

Application denied

If your application is denied, we will send you a letter with an explanation.  Applications are usually denied for the following reasons:

  • Applicant does not meet the program criteria
  • Did not provide supporting documentation
  • Applicant is not the utility account holder

Application accepted

If your application is accepted, it will be eligible for the monthly utility assistance lottery for the duration of the of the program service period in which your application was accepted. The service period is from October 1 – September 30. The application is eligible until it is selected or until the end of the service period, whichever comes first. 

Please Note: If there is a change in the account holder, utility provider, income, household members, address, phone number, etc., you will need to contact a Social Services Specialist at Public Health and Human Services. You may be required to provide supporting documentation of the changes.

If your application is drawn in the lottery, we will contact your utility provider to verify your account is active. If so, a pledge will be paid directly to the utility provider and applied to your account. You will be notified by mail that the assistance has been applied to your account.

 

We provide limited assistance with prescription medications and medical supplies for eligible Boone County residents.

Eligibility requirements

  • The applicant must have a prescription from a qualified medical professional for the medication or medical supply for which assistance is requested. Please note that certain types and classes of medications are not eligible.
  • The applicant must be a permanent resident of Boone County.
    • Persons who are claimed as dependents in households outside of Boone County are not considered permanent residents of Boone County.
    • Persons staying in institutional and group settings (i.e. hospitals, jail, residential treatment programs, etc.) are not considered permanent residents unless they maintain a current Boone County residence separate from the institutional or group setting in which they are staying, or were a resident of Boone County immediately prior to entering the institutional or group setting.
    • Persons who are experiencing homelessness can provide a letter from a shelter or homeless other homeless services provider.
  • The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, refugee, or permanent resident alien.
  • The applicant must have a household income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  • The applicant must have exhausted other resources for acquiring the medication for which assistance is requested.

Contact us at 573.817.6430 to apply for assistance.

COMO Resources is our comprehensive guide to health and human services in Columbia. COMO Resources is available in several convenient formats:

Mobile APP

You may be eligible for free health insurance through MO HealthNet (Medicaid), which is now available to many more adults in Missouri. You can apply online at mydss.mo.gov or by phone at 855.373.4636 or 855.373.9994.

Medicaid expansion flyer