Office Location
Our office is located at the Wells Police Department:
1563 Post Road
Wells, ME 04090
Hours: By appointment only
General Assistance Applications are available in the General Office during Town Hall Hours of Operation.
Please complete the application in full and the administrator will be in contact with you within 24 hours.
Contact the Wells Police Department at 207-646-9354 if you require assistance outside normal business hours at Town Hall.
The General Assistance Program
The General Assistance Program is a state mandated, municipally administered financial assistance program. It was designed to be the program of last resort for residents of the community who are unable to provide for their basic needs.
Applicants must provide verification of their income and expenses, residence, and if unable to work, medical documentation substantiating their work limitations. Applicants are required to seek work if physically able and / or to apply for assistance from any other programs that may be available to them. A determination of eligibility is made for a 30 day period based on anticipated earnings.
General Assistance Ordinance
If you have questions about eligibility or the General Assistance Program itself, please call 361-8866 and leave a message.
Applicant Responsibility
The General Assistance is the most accountable assistance program in the State of Maine. Applicants are required to take responsibility for themselves by endeavoring to become self-reliant. For disabled persons, this may mean applying for disability benefits, for able-bodied persons, obtaining meaningful employment.
Voucher Program
This is a voucher-only program. Eligible applicants receive vouchers for rent, food, medication, utilities, etc. The vendors submit the vouchers to the Town of Wells and payment is made directly to the vendor.
Types of Recipients
There is no typical General Assistance recipient. A GA recipient may be a person who:
- Is temporarily out of work due to a layoff or illness
- Has a long-term physical or mental disability
- Is employed and in an emergency situation through no fault of their own
Many recipients apply only once; others may apply each month for a long period of time.
Program Funding
The GA program receives partial reimbursement from the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Also, recipients who succeed in obtaining Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits reimburse the Town of Wells for the assistance granted them while they were waiting for approval.
Audits
The program is audited on a yearly basis by the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the Town of Wells is in compliance with state statutes and DHHS policy.