The Florida DCF Statement of the Need for Care form (CF-ES 2094) is the two-part document you use to verify that a disabled family member’s care needs justify exempting you from Temporary Cash Assistance work requirements and time limits. You fill out Part A describing the personal care your relative needs; a licensed physician completes Part B verifying the disability. You then submit the signed form through MyACCESS, by mail to the Ocala processing center, or by fax.
When You Would File It
Florida’s Temporary Cash Assistance program requires participants to meet work activity hours and to observe program time limits. If a disabled family member in your household needs ongoing personal care from you, this form gives DCF a verified basis to waive those requirements.1Florida Administrative Rules. Florida Administrative Code Proposed Rules – Statement of the Need for Care Without it, the caseworker has nothing to act on, and you risk losing benefits for noncompliance.
If the family member’s disability has already been verified through other documentation in your file, the need for personal care can be confirmed verbally or in writing. If it has not, a fully completed Part B provides that verification.
Where to Get the Form and What to Have Ready
You can download CF-ES 2094 from the DCF forms portal at eds.myflfamilies.com.2Florida Department of Children and Families. Florida Department of Children and Families – Search for Forms A regional DCF service center can also give you a paper copy.
Before you go to the doctor, have this ready so you don’t need a return visit:
- Your DCF case number, from any prior eligibility notice or your MyACCESS account
- Full legal names for you and the family member receiving care, as they appear on government records
- Social Security numbers for both of you
- A current mailing address and phone number
- Your physician’s name, office address, and Florida license number
Fill in the applicant sections first so the physician can complete Part B in one appointment.
Part A: The Need for Personal Care
Part A documents your family member’s need for personal care and how that responsibility affects your ability to participate in work activities. Enter names, Social Security numbers, case number, and contact information exactly as they appear in your DCF file. Mismatched entries are the fastest way to create delays, because the form gets separated from your record.
When describing the care, be specific. Instead of “needs help daily,” list the actual tasks — bathing, transfers, medication management, supervision for safety — and roughly how many hours each takes. That specificity gives the caseworker something concrete to weigh against the exemption standards.
Part B: Physician Verification
Part B has to be completed by a licensed physician. Florida’s verification standard accepts physicians licensed under Chapter 458 (medical doctors, license numbers prefixed “ME”) or Chapter 459 (osteopathic physicians, prefixed “DO”) of the Florida Statutes. The physician records their name, office address, and state license number, and addresses three clinical questions:
- The nature of the disability and why it creates a need for ongoing personal care
- How long the disability is expected to last. DCF uses this to set the length of the exemption, so a vague answer like “ongoing” invites a request for clarification. A specific timeframe, or a statement that the condition is permanent, is what the caseworker needs.
- What daily activities the person cannot perform independently, and what level of supervision or assistance they require
The physician signs and dates the form. An unsigned form comes back. An incomplete clinical assessment — one missing duration or specific limitations — gives the caseworker grounds to request more documentation, which resets the processing clock.
How to Submit the Signed Form
Once both parts are complete and signed, you have three ways to get the form to DCF.
Upload through MyACCESS. The portal has an anonymous document upload tool that accepts a scan or clear photo of the form. Choose “Medical Records” or “Other” as the document type, enter your name, date of birth, and either your case number or Social Security number, and upload the file. Accepted formats are PDF, JPG, PNG, TIFF, and BMP, with a 32 MB per-file cap.3MyACCESS. Anonymous Document Upload – MyACCESS If you’re photographing the form with a phone, place it on a flat dark surface in bright light.
Mail it. Send the form to the Office of Economic Self Sufficiency Mail Center at P.O. Box 1770, Ocala, FL 34478-1770.4Florida Department of Children and Families. Contact Us – Florida DCF Keep a copy before it goes out. If the original is lost in transit, you’ll need the physician’s signature again.
Fax it. DCF’s fax line is 1-866-886-4342.4Florida Department of Children and Families. Contact Us – Florida DCF Faxing is the fastest non-digital option if you don’t have a scanner, but fax quality can make handwritten entries hard to read. Print clearly, or type the form before sending.
What Happens After You Submit
DCF’s standard processing window for Temporary Cash Assistance applications and related verifications is 30 days from the application date, assuming everything requested has been submitted.5Florida Department of Children and Families. Application Processing Manual If something is missing — say, the duration field on Part B is blank — DCF sends a notice describing what it needs. You generally have until the 60th day after your application date to return the missing information and still have the case processed on that application.
A caseworker measures the physician’s assessment against the standards for granting an exemption. If approved, you’ll get an updated eligibility notice reflecting the exemption from work requirements or time limits. The exemption is tied to the duration the physician documented, so you may need to file the form again when that period ends.
You can track submissions in MyACCESS. An upload confirmation means DCF received the file, not that the review is finished.
If the Exemption Is Denied
If DCF denies the exemption or reduces your benefits, you can request a fair hearing. Federal regulations require every state to provide a hearing for applicants and beneficiaries whose claims are denied or not acted on promptly.6eCFR. Fair Hearings for Applicants and Beneficiaries – 42 CFR Part 431 Subpart E
At the hearing you can:
- Review the case file DCF relied on, before and during the hearing
- Bring witnesses, including the physician who completed Part B
- Present additional medical records and describe your caregiving routine
- Represent yourself or bring legal counsel
If you request the hearing within the timeframe on your denial notice, your existing benefits may continue while the appeal is pending. The agency has to issue a final decision within 90 days of your hearing request. You can file the request through the MyACCESS document upload tool by choosing “Hearing Request” as the document type.3MyACCESS. Anonymous Document Upload – MyACCESS