3.606.1 Basic Cash Assistance A.

Payment of Basic Cash Assistance (BCA) Grants Counties or groups of county departments shall not reduce the BCA grant, restrict eligibility, or impose sanctions that are inconsistent with state and federal laws or the rules of this Section 3.606.1. B. Unreimbursed Public Assistance The BCA grant shall be considered part of the Unreimbursed Public Assistance (UPA) as defined in the Child Support Services rule manual at 9 CCR 2504-1 Section 6.002. C. Recipient's Right to Decide In accordance with the principle of the unrestricted money payment, a client shall have the right to decide how any payment received shall be spent. D. Vendor Payments for client Protection The county may pay the basic cash assistance grant to vendors on behalf of the client with the client's voluntary agreement. In all other situations the payment shall be made to the client. E. Considering Income for Eligibility and Payment Applications received will be certified for six (6) consecutive months beginning the first month the assistance unit is found eligible for basic cash assistance. The certification period consists of the calendar months beginning with the first day of the budget month (day/month the application is received and the assistance unit is found eligible) and ending with the last day of the sixth (6th) month (unless found ineligible) in which financial assistance is provided and that is intended to cover the ongoing basic needs of the assistance unit. For eligibility and payment, income shall be considered in the month of application and throughout the certification period. This is also true for redetermination and establishing a new certification period going forward. The following calculation shall be used: countable earned income minus applicable earned income disregards, plus countable unearned income. F. Determining Eligibility for Basic Cash Assistance Grant Based on the Need Standard The State department shall annually review and as necessary update the need standard to reflect the current economic situations in the state. The basic cash assistance grant shall be determined based upon income using the following need standard. If the client has zero income the following cash payment shall be received based upon those included in the assistance unit: COLORADO WORKS STANDARDS OF ASSISTANCE CHART Number of Children Each Additional Child No Caretaker Need Standard Grant Standard 1003 1117 1226 1337 1460 One Caretaker Need Standard 1065 Grant Standard 1031 1138 1248 1359 1467 1574 Two Caretakers Need Standard 1009 1082 1155 Grant Standard 1057 1163 1273 1387 1492 1598 1707 G. Pregnancy Allowance Pregnant parents are eligible for the basic cash assistance grant plus a ten-dollar ($10.00) pregnancy allowance. The client is eligible for the pregnancy allowance through the month in which the pregnancy ends. H. Gross Income To be eligible for Colorado Works basic cash assistance, the countable gross earned and unearned income together shall not exceed the need standard for the household size after disregards have been applied in accordance with section 3.606.2. I. Calculation of the Basic Cash Assistance Grant for an Eligible Assistance Unit To calculate the basic cash assistance amount for an eligible assistance unit: 1. Deduct the earned income disregard(s) from the gross earned income, received or expected to be received by members of the assistance unit, in the month of application; 2. Add to the result from step 1, above, the unearned income received or expected to be received by members of the assistance unit; 3. Deduct the total from step 2, above, from the grant amount for the household size. J. Reporting of Earned Income When the assistance unit reports earned income: 1. Apply the appropriate earned income disregards to the gross earned income of each employed member of the budgetary unit as described in Section 3.606.2; and, 2. Add the unearned income received by each member of the budgetary unit; and, 3. Compare the total to the need standard for the household size. 4. If the net countable income equals or exceeds the need standard, the assistance unit is not eligible for Colorado Works basic cash assistance. K. Calculation of an Eligible Assistance Unit To calculate the basic cash assistance grant amount for an eligible assistance unit: 1. Deduct the net countable income from the grant amount for the assistance unit; and, 2. Drop the cents, and the remainder is the authorized grant.