Washington Telephone Assistance Program (WTAP)

The Washington Telephone Assistance Program (WTAP) helps eligible low-income Washingtonians afford a home phone by covering up to 100% of connection fees and reducing the cost of basic local phone service (landline). The cost is $8 (plus tax) per month.

Opportunity Council has put together a brochure that details the WTAP program.

Download Links for 2009 WTAP Brochure

• • English
• • Spanish
• • Russian

Who Qualifies?
WTAP is available to adults receiving benefits from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), including:

• • Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
• • State Family Assistance
• • General Assistance (GAX/GAU)
• • Refugee Assistance
• • Food Stamps
• • State Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• • Medicaid
• • Medical Assistance, including Medicare cost sharing programs
• • Community Options Program (COPES)
• • Chore Services
• AND
• • Previous users of Community Voice Mail are also eligible. Contact your CVM provider for assistance enrolling in WTAP.

Tribal customers may be eligible for additional support if they have an income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, participate in any of the qualifying assistance programs for WTAP, or participate in any of these programs:

• • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• • Tribally-Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF)
• • Head Start (if income eligibility criteria are met)
• • Tribal National School Lunch Program
• • Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
• • LIHEAP (energy assistance)

For more information about WTAP eligibility, call DSHS toll free at 1-888-700-8880.

How to Enroll in WTAP

Visit the DSHS website to see a list of phone companies in Washington that participate in WTAP: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/wtap.shtml.

Call your local telephone company and ask to be enrolled in the Washington Telephone Assistance Program. Customers enroll by providing their DSHS identification number.

If the company doesn’t recognize the name WTAP, ask for the “Lifeline” or “Linkup” programs. Be sure to ask for tribal benefits if you think that you qualify.

Not all representatives are familiar with WTAP. Let them know that you are a Washington State resident and that you are a DSHS client. Ask to speak to a supervisor if necessary.

If your phone company participates in WTAP, but won't allow you to enroll, call DSHS at 1-888-700-8880. Representatives are available to make a 3-way phone call with you and the telephone company to assist in your WTAP enrollment.

If you have a complaint about a telephone company, call the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission at 1-800-562-6150.

WTAP support is only available for one telephone line per household, and can’t be combined with other Link Up/Lifeline programs.