Senior benefits in Madison County, Mississippi

The Central Mississippi Planning and Development District (CMPDD) is the Area Agency on Aging for Copiah, Hinds, Madison, Rankin, Simpson, Warren and Yazoo counties, including Madison County. Its services include adult day care, case management, emergency response systems, emergency services, homemaker services, information and referral, legal services, the long-term care ombudsman program, congregate meals at senior centers, home delivered meals, Mississippi Access to Care (MAC), outreach, respite for caregivers, State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) Medicare counseling, the Senior Community Service Employment Program, and transportation. All services require that the person be 60 years and older or disabled, and each person is screened by an assessor. The office is at 1020 Centre Pointe Blvd, Pearl. Call (601) 981-1511.

Estimated service value: $200–$2,000 a year

Madison County Citizens Services Agency (MCCSA) takes LIHEAP applications for Madison County. The office is at 1883 Hwy 42, Suite M, Canton. Phone: (601) 855-5710. LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) helps pay home energy bills, and the Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) helps in an energy emergency. A household typically qualifies with income at or below 60% of the state median income for its size and an energy bill due. Households with elderly or disabled members get priority. To apply, submit a pre-application online through the Common Web Portal on Access MS and mark "Community Services". The agency will then send you an appointment to finish the application in person; if you are elderly or disabled, expect the appointment within 30 business days. The yearly benefit can be up to $1,500.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$1,500 a year

The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) county office for Madison County is at 867 Martin Luther King. Phone: 601-859-1276. Email: dfo.madisoncounty@mdhs.ms.gov. MDHS runs SNAP, which gives monthly food benefits on an EBT card to people with low income, including older adults and people with disabilities. If everyone in the household is 65 or older and no one earns money from work, MDHS uses a shorter form, the SNAP Simplified Application for the Elderly (ESAP, form MDHS EA 904). People who get SSI may get SNAP through the Mississippi Combined Application Project (MSCAP). Contact the county office to ask what documents to send with your application. Medicaid for older adults is handled by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid, not MDHS.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

UMMC Madison, at 161 River Oaks Drive in Canton, is the former Merit Health Madison and is now part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). UMMC's financial assistance program offers free or reduced-cost care for medically necessary services at its main campus and affiliated locations, based on family size and income, even if you have health insurance. Apply with the UMMC Financial Assistance Application and supporting documents by mail, through MyChart or during your hospital stay. Call a UMMC Health Care Benefit Coordinator at (601) 815-9430 for help or to ask whether your care is covered.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

In this county: Financial assistance is set by UMMC's policy; UMMC makes the final award decision and decides which locations and services are covered.

Rural public transit in Madison County is part of MDOT's TRANS-CON regional transit group. Rides here are provided by Madison County Citizens Services Agency (based in Canton). These are demand-response rides you schedule ahead, open to the general public, and used by seniors and people with disabilities to get to doctor's appointments, the grocery store and other places. Many vehicles are wheelchair accessible. Call the TRANS-CON regional group at 601-218-7674 to find the provider for your area and ask about fares and how to book.

Estimated service value: $150–$1,500 a year