An introductory course on the public benefit system, which introduces the advocate to eight major benefit programs: Cash Assistance, SSI, Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, the Essential Plan, Child Health Plus, and SNAP benefits. We will review the basics of eligibility and application, as well as discuss key concepts such as income, immigration status, insurance based benefits vs. needs based benefits, dual eligibility and more. You will discover available resources on the Internet, including government resources, legal services and various web-based calculators and online tools. Best practices to bring back to the work setting are included throughout the course.