ACCESS NYC is a free online service that allows users to pre-screen, anonymously, for 21 programs across eight agencies in any of seven languages, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Haitian-Creole, and English. By entering basic household information, residents can receive a list of the programs for which they are potentially eligible, print partially-complete application forms and find office locations. Users of ACCESS NYC can remain anonymous or create an account to save their work.

ACCESS NYC is not meant to replace the agency application process, it is meant to pre-screen and partially complete applications in an effort to simplify a complex process and make potential clients aware of programs they may not have known existed. The process has three steps that take about thirty minutes to complete. In the first, the user answers eight simple questions with general information to broadly include or exclude certain programs. In the second step, more detailed information about each of the household's members is entered, to identify programs for which each may be eligible. The final step helps the user with the application process.  Individuals are also able to easily learn where to apply for programs and what to take with them when they do so.

Initially, the tool will pre-screen for the following 21 programs:

• Child Health Plus A/Medicaid
• Child Health Plus B
• Family Health Plus/Medicaid
• Medicaid
• Medicaid Excess Income/Medicaid
• Prenatal Care Assistance Program/Medicaid
• Healthy NY
• Public Assistance
• Food Stamps
• Head Start
• Child Care
• Universal Pre-Kindergarten
• Out-of-School Time (OST)
• School Tax Relief (STAR)
• Senior Citizen Homeowners' Exemption (SCHE)
• Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE)
• Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE)
• Child and Dependent Tax Credit
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Child Tax Credit
• Section 8 Housing

ACCESS NYC is built to be compatible with future advancements in electronic application filing programs operated by the state and federal government, another goal of the Commission for Economic Opportunity. Future plans for the tool include expansion of the number of programs covered. This launch is the first step in advancements that will realize efficiencies, and lead to more comprehensive assessment and services (such as data sharing) and better resource allocations (to eliminate duplication and fill gaps).

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