1104 Residents of Drug/Alcohol Treatment and Rehabilitation Programs

Narcotic addicts or alcoholics who regularly participate in a treatment and rehabilitation program conducted by a private, nonprofit organization or institution, or a publicly operated community mental health center on a resident basis may voluntarily apply for food assistance. Residents as Households Resident addicts and alcoholics shall have their eligibility determined as a one person household. In some cases, the family members of the addict or alcoholic will also be housed in the treatment center in an effort to treat the total environment of the resident. Children of residents of drug and alcohol treatment centers who live with their parent in treatment centers may qualify for food assistance and use the benefits to purchase meals served by the center. These children will be included in their parent’s food assistance case. Special Certification Provision The county department shall certify residents of addict/alcoholic centers by using the same provisions that apply to all other applicant households except that: 1. Certification must be accomplished through an authorized representative as described in Section 105 B. 2. Prior to certification the county department shall verify that the treatment center meets one of the following: a) Authorized by FNS as a retailer if the center wishes to redeem food assistance through a wholesaler. b) If not authorized by FNS as a retailer, is certified by the Alabama Department of Mental Health, which has the responsibility for the State’s programs for drug addicts and alcoholics. Requirements for Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers 1. Provide a monthly listing of residents. Each treatment and rehabilitation center must provide the county department’s Food Assistance Office, by the 10th day of each month, a list of their currently participating residents as of the first day of that month. This list shall include a statement signed by a responsible center official attesting to the validity of the list. If the report is received without this statement and signature, it shall be returned immediately to the center as it is considered an incomplete report. If by the 20th day of the month a complete report has not been received, participation of all center residents must be terminated by individual Notice of Action for adverse action purposes. The reason cited for termination is the refusal to cooperate by the household’s authorized representative to furnish monthly information as to the household’s residence in the center as required by federal regulations. 2. Maintain accurate EBT records. Accurate EBT records must be maintained on site, and made available for review by county DHR employees and state and federal auditors. If the drug and alcohol treatment center authorized by FNS, as a retail store does not provide accurate EBT records, the county must promptly notify the FNS Retailer Service Center. The telephone number is (877) 823- 4369. The county must take no action prior to FNS action against the center. If FNS disqualifies the treatment and rehabilitation center as a retail store, the county must suspend the center as an authorized representative. If the center cannot act as an authorized representative, the residents cannot receive food assistance benefits. Individual Notices of Adverse Action are necessary. The reason cited for termination is EBT records not maintained. A drug and alcohol treatment center not authorized by FNS, as a retail store will have their authorized representative status removed if they fail to provide accurate EBT records. If the authorized status of the drug/alcohol treatment and rehabilitation programs is removed, the residents will not be eligible to receive food assistance benefits. Individual Notices of Adverse Action are necessary. Requirement for County Departments to Conduct On-Site Visits The county department shall conduct periodic random on-site visits to the treatment center. The purpose of these visits is to compare what the center has reported concerning residents to the food assistance office with the center’s actual records for a particular month or for as many months as determined necessary based on chronic problems of failure to report changes by the center. The minimum requirement for on-site visits is semi-annually. The Food Assistance office may visit much more frequently when problems or conflicts in reports or information provided by the center arises. The EBT records must be reviewed during the on-site visit. Residents and Normal Certification Provisions The following provisions apply to residents of treatment centers: 1. When a resident is entitled to expedited services, eligibility for his initial application shall be processed on an expedited basis, and the county department shall complete verification and documentation requirements prior to issuance of a second food assistance allotment. 2. When normal processing standards apply, the county department shall complete the verification and documentation requirements prior to making an eligibility determination for the initial application. 3. The county department shall process changes in household circumstances and recertification by using the same standards that apply to all other food assistance households. The treatment center must notify the county office of any changes in household circumstances as provided in Chapter 12. 4. Resident households shall be afforded the same rights to Notices of Adverse Action, to fair hearings, and to entitlement to lost benefits as are all other food assistance households. 5. The treatment center must notify the county office when a resident leaves the treatment center. Special Issuance Provisions for Resident of Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers One-half of the regular monthly allotment will be posted to the EBT account as available on the fourth day of the month. The remaining one-half of the allotment will be posted to the EBT account as available on the 16th day of the month. This will be accomplished through a special issuance code to be used only for these treatment center residents. This will facilitate the delivery of benefits to households who leave the treatment center during the month, as discussed below. Please refer to the Automation for All Staff Manual for this special issuance code. When the Resident Leaves the Center When the resident leaves the center, the center must provide the resident with his EBT card, PIN number and: 1. His full food assistance allotment if already issued and none of the benefits have been spent on behalf of the household. This procedure is applicable any time during the month. 2. If the benefits have already been issued and any portion spent on behalf of the individual, and the resident leaves the center prior to the 16th of the month, the center must provide the resident with one half of his monthly assistance benefit. 3. If the benefits have already been issued and used, and the resident leaves on or after the 16th day of the month, the resident does not receive any food assistance benefits. Once the resident leaves the center, the facility is no longer allowed to act as that resident’s authorized representative. The center must, if possible, provide the resident with a change report form to report to the Food Assistance office the individual’s new address and other circumstances after leaving the center, and shall advise the resident to return the form to the local Food Assistance office within ten (10) days. EBT cards inadvertently retained and all AR cards must be destroyed immediately by the treatment center (See Appendix B to the EBT Manual). As residents may leave without informing the center of their departure, it is still the center’s responsibility not to obtain benefits for any resident that was not residing in the center on the day benefits were available. While recognizing that the abrupt departure of residents is a valid problem, it is not the Food Assistance office’s responsibility to verify at the time of Issuance that a resident still resides at the center (although it will be done later); it is the center’s responsibility. Liabilities of Centers See Claims Against Households Manual