Senior benefits in Yazoo 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 Yazoo 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

Warren-Washington-Issaquena-Sharkey Community Action Agency (WWISCAA) takes LIHEAP applications for Yazoo County. WWISCAA serves Washington, Warren, Issaquena, Sharkey and Yazoo counties. For energy help in Yazoo County, call the Yazoo City office at (662) 746-1517. 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 Yazoo County is at 1315 Grady Ave. Phone: 662-746-5821. Email: dfo.yazoocounty@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

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Yazoo, at 823 Grand Avenue, Yazoo City, is part of Baptist Memorial Health Care and follows Baptist's Hospital Financial Assistance Policy for emergency and medically necessary care. For uninsured patients, the discount is based on family size and income compared with the Federal Poverty Guidelines: income under 200% gets a 100% discount (free care), 201-250% gets 95%, 251-300% gets 90%, 301-350% gets 85%, and 351-400% gets 80%. Patients with insurance who owe a large amount from one visit may also get help. Fill out the Baptist Financial Assistance Application and return it with proof of income to the Business Office of the hospital where you got care. Call the hospital at 662-746-2261 and ask for the Business Office.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Rural public transit in Yazoo County is part of MDOT's TRANS-CON regional transit group. Rides here are provided by Yazoo County Human Resource Agency (based in Yazoo City), which gives rides to older residents through Area Agency on Aging programs. 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