Burial Benefits

The burial assistance program administered by the Department of Family Services assists families with payments of up to $1,000 to funeral homes for burial expenses of deceased individuals who did not have sufficient assets to provide for burial or cremation and were receiving cash assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) POWER Program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or certain types of Medicaid at the time of their death.

Eligibility Factors

The decedent must meet the following criteria in order for assistance to be provided: 

1. A Wyoming resident; 
2. Receiving  Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Personal Opportunities with Employment Responsibilities (POWER) at time of death; and
3. Does not have sufficient assets to provide for burial or cremation.  Individuals with pre-funded burial or cremation plans are considered to have sufficient assets/funds to provide for burial or cremation.

Allowable Expenditures:

Per Program Rules, the following are allowable expenditures:

1. Burial:
   1. removal of the deceased from place of death to a mortuary;
   2. minimum services of staff;
   3. professional embalming when required;
   4. other preparation of the body (dressing and casketing);
   5. graveside committal service if requested;
   6. minimum casket offered on casket price list; and/or
   7. hearse to cemetery.

2. Cremation:
   1. removal of the deceased from place of death to a mortuary;
   2. minimum services of staff;
   3. professional embalming when required;
   4. minimum cremation container;
   5. transportation to crematory;
   6. cost of cremation;
   7. return of ashes to next of kin; and/or
   8. graveside service for interment of ashes if requested.

Request for Assistance

Family members interested in applying for burial assistance to cover expenses should contact Darlene Martinez (see contact info below). Eligibility is determined for individuals who are recipients of SSI, a full Medicaid program, or POWER. The eligibility and payment process for burial assistance has been centralized.

Upon receiving a request, the designated Benefit Specialist, verifies the participant’s eligibility for the Burial Program. She confirms POWER, Medicaid and/or SSI eligibility using the decedent’s social security number to check both the Department’s POWER Eligibility System and the Department of Health’s Medicaid Eligibility System.

Funding availability varies annually based on collected fees. If funding is insufficient to cover a request, the Department will notify the applicant, and the request will be held until a new appropriation is received.

For more information, contact:

Darlene Martinez
Benefit Specialist
307-721-1967
darlene.martinez@wyo.gov

Kristen Carlson
Program Manager
307-473-3949
kristen.carlson@wyo.gov

County Funded Burial Assistance

Each county may have its burial assistance program run independently of the DFS program. For more information about those programs, don’t hesitate to contact your funeral home of choice, the county coroner’s office where the deceased resided or the Wyoming County Commissioners Association website at this link.