Emergency financial assistance — Sebastian, Florida

Sebastian residents apply to Indian River County Human Services at 1800 27th Street, Building B, 2nd Floor, Vero Beach, phone 772-226-1423, because the county lists no Human Services office in Sebastian.

Indian River County Human Services is a county program, not a City of Sebastian one, and its Human Services page gives a single location: 1800 27th Street Building B, 2nd Floor, Vero Beach, FL 32960, phone 772-226-1423. The listed programs are rental assistance, utility assistance, water assistance, prescription vouchers, food vouchers, indigent cremation and Mental Health Court. Walk-ins are accepted for food and prescription vouchers; all other services are by appointment only. The office offers a computer and printer for applicants who need to print documents and asks them to arrive at least 30 minutes early to use them.

A closer door exists for applications. The Florida Department of Health in Indian River County lists applications for financial assistance with utilities, rent, prescriptions, and indigent cremation in partnership with Indian River County Human Services among the services at its Wabasso Satellite Location (DOH-Indian River Wabasso), at 8445 64th Ave. in Wabasso Decisions and payments still come from the county program.

The county describes this as short-term help. DOH-Indian River states that assistance is provided for one-time emergency situations in which the applicant documents the ability to meet their economic needs in the subsequent months, and that individuals in need of long term assistance will be referred to the Economic Opportunities Council (DOH-Indian River Human Services Program).

Last verified: October 11, 2026, on the Indian River County website.

As of October 11, 2026, Indian River County posted that Human Services funding was extremely limited, with rental and prescription voucher funds marked exhausted, so a Sebastian appointment did not guarantee payment.

On October 11, 2026, the county Human Services page carried a notice that the county was approaching the close of its fiscal year and that available funding is extremely limited. It added that scheduling an appointment does not guarantee that financial assistance will be available and that all requests are subject to eligibility rules and the availability of funds at the time of the appointment.

Two programs went further. The rental assistance page, read October 11, 2026, stated that rental assistance funds have been exhausted, that the department reached its allocated funding for rental assistance for the month of July, and that no additional rental assistance applications can be accepted at this time. The prescription voucher page, read the same day, stated that Indian River County Human Services has reached its annual funding allocation for prescription drug assistance and that no prescription drug vouchers will be issued for the remainder of the current fiscal year. The rental page asks applicants to check the county website for updates regarding program availability, so a Sebastian household checking after October 11, 2026 may find different status lines.

When funded, Indian River County pays 60% of one month of a Sebastian household's past-due rent up to $1,000, up to $750 on an overdue FPL bill, and up to $300 on a past-due water bill.

Rental assistance has the tightest rules. Human Services will pay 60% of one month's rent, the client pays the other 40% plus any late fees by money order or cashier's check made out to the landlord, and rental assistance has a limit of $1,000 (Indian River County rental assistance). Applicants must be residents of Indian River County, must not be receiving Section 8 or other housing assistance, and must not have received rental assistance within the last 18 months. A Sebastian renter brings a signed lease, the past due rent notice, the most recent electric and water bills, a 30-day bank transaction printout and proof of household income.

The utility program offers one-time emergency financial assistance to eligible residents with a late or overdue FPL (Florida Power & Light) power bill, with a maximum of $750. It does not cover deposits, returned check fees, reconnection fees or non-energy-related fees. Income eligibility is 150% or below the federal poverty level, or higher income due to special circumstances, and the applicant must not have received Care 2 Share utility assistance within the last 12 months.

Water help is smaller and backward-looking. The water program gives one-time emergency assistance with a past-due water utility bill, maximum $300, for past-due balances only and not deposits, fees or future bills. The household must not have received utility assistance within the last 12 months. For a Sebastian household, the bill must be in the applicant's name or a household member's name.

Food vouchers are available to a Sebastian resident by walking in without an appointment, with photo ID and no county food help in the last 30 days.

The food voucher page states that no appointment is required and walk-ins are accepted for food vouchers. Eligibility is residence in Indian River County and not having received food assistance from IRCHS in the last 30 days. The only document listed is a driver license or valid photo ID; if the ID does not show an Indian River County address, additional proof of residency is required, a point for anyone who recently moved to Sebastian.

Prescription vouchers are also walk-in at the main office, though as of October 11, 2026 the county posted that its prescription voucher funds were exhausted for the current fiscal year. When funded, they are capped at $175 for individuals and $300 for families of 2 or more per year, and must be used at participating pharmacies (Indian River County prescription vouchers). The county states that it is the applicant's responsibility to acquire the prescription and that assistance is not guaranteed once program funds are depleted.

Indigent cremation is a last-resort program. The county provides limited assistance toward cremation costs for individuals who have no assets and no next of kin to assume responsibility; the deceased must have died in Indian River County and must not own property or other assets (Indian River County indigent cremation). Veterans should first seek help through the VA unless confirmed ineligible for VA burial benefits.

Sebastian residents apply for SNAP, Medicaid and Temporary Cash Assistance through the Florida Department of Children and Families MyACCESS portal, which uses one application for all three programs.

The Department of Children and Families lists Food Assistance, Temporary Cash Assistance, Medicaid and Refugee Assistance under its Economic Self Sufficiency program, and states that Florida uses one application for all assistance programs. The MyACCESS self-service portal lets customers connect with their government assistance information 24/7, and the Economic Self Sufficiency Customer Call Center is (850) 300-4323. These are statewide channels; a Sebastian household does not need to visit the county Human Services office in Vero Beach to apply.