49-015 APPLICATION PROCESS

.1 To be eligible for CAPI, all persons seeking a CAPI benefit must: .11 Sign the completed CAPI application form(s). .111 Each member of a couple who is seeking CAPI benefits must sign the completed application form(s). Effective 10/16/03 .12 Submit the form(s) to the county welfare department. .13 Provide all documentation and information requested by the county welfare department. .2 Upon receiving a CAPI application, counties, or their designee if they are part of a CAPI consortium of counties, have the following responsibilities: .21 Inform applicants and recipients of their rights and responsibilities in relation to eligibility for CAPI. .22 Assisting applicants and recipients as needed to establish their eligibility. .23 Correctly determining eligibility and payment amount. .24 Issuing timely and accurate notices to the applicants and recipients in accordance with MPP Sections 22-071 and 22-072. .25 Issuing or requesting issuance of CAPI payments. .251 Counties or consortium of counties may request the department to issue CAPI benefits on their behalf. .26 When appropriate, take all steps necessary to qualify CAPI benefits for reimbursement under the federal Interim Assistance Reimbursement program operated by the Social Security Administration. (See Section 49- 065.2) .3 Any person seeking CAPI benefits who is 18 years old or over must sign his or her own application unless the person is mentally incompetent or physically unable to sign the application. .31 A court appointed representative or a person who is responsible for the care of the applicant, including a relative, may sign the application on behalf of an applicant who is under age 18, mentally incompetent, or physically unable to sign the application. .32 A person who signs an application on behalf of someone else is required to provide evidence of his or her authority to act for the applicant (such as a court order showing conservatorship). .33 An inquiry or an application signed by someone other than a person described in MPP Section 49-015.31 may be used solely for the purpose of establishing a protective filing date. Effective 10/16/03 .4 In order to be allowed, an application may be filed no earlier than the month prior to the month that all eligibility factors are met. .41 The effective date of benefit payments is the first of the month following the later of the date the application is filed or the date the individual would otherwise become eligible for benefits. HANDBOOK BEGINS HERE .42 Example: Mr. Jones will attain age 65 on March 29, 1999. He can file an application as early as February 1, 1999, but his CAPI benefits will not be effective until April 1, 1999. HANDBOOK ENDS HERE NOTE: Authority cited: Sections 10553, 10554, and 18943, Welfare and Institutions Code. Reference: 20 CFR 416.200, 20 CFR 416.203; 20 CFR 416.315; 20 CFR 416.320; 20 CFR 416.330; P.L. 104-193, Section 204 (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996), and Sections 18937, 18938, 18940, and 18944, Welfare and Institutions Code.