Connecticut Department of Social Services Uniform Policy Manual: 1505.35P Application Process - Processing Standards

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICESPRIVATE UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: 11-1-97 Transmittal: UP-98-12 P-1505.35 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: Eligibility Process PROCEDURES ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: AFDC The Application Process AABD _______________________________________________________________ MA Subject: FS Processing Standards ______________________________________________________________________________

P-1505.35 1. Maintain controls and monitor the status of each pending application.

2. Determine eligibility within the established time limits, except in unusual circumstances where a delay is necessary.

3. Give priority to emergencies. Process these cases first, and refer the applicant to other agencies if they can provide assistance faster. Emergencies include situations in which the following conditions either exist or are soon likely to exist:

° immediate medical treatment is required and no medical assistance is available; or

° there is no money and there is a threat of serious harm as a result; or

° there is no deliverable fuel to heat a home and that fact presents an immediate threat.

4. Give next priority to those cases which are either overdue or are approaching overdue status.

5. Whenever an emergency case is overdue or is going to become overdue, refer the case to the client representative system for expedited attention, unless an eligibility determination can be made immediately.

6. EMS will default to "E" for all new, reopened, or reinstated cash assistance units that have an instrument type of "X" on MISC. If the case that is being reopened or reinstated had an instrument type code of "C" or "D", EMS will default to that instrument type code for that assistance unit.

Ask the State Supplement applicant who is not in a boarding facility if he/she wants to receive benefits by EBT, EFT, or check. The Department prefers not to issue benefits via EBT to State Supplement recipients who live in boarding facilities. Therefore ask these recipients if they want to receive benefits in check form or via direct deposit.

° For EBT, enter "E" in the "INSTR TYPE" field on MISC

° For check, enter "C" in the "INSTR TYPE" field on MISC.

° For direct deposit, have the client get the necessary form from the reception area in the regional office or go to his/her bank to get the necessary form, complete the form and send it to the Financial Management Unit in C. O. CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: 2-1-97 Transmittal: UP-97-3 P-1505.35 page 2 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: Eligibility Process PROCEDURES ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: AFDC The Application Process AABD _______________________________________________________________ MA Subject: FS Processing Standards ______________________________________________________________________________

P-1505.35 7. For cases whose benefits are not to be issued through EBT or EFT, adjust the processing schedule to make allowances for:

° weekends;

° mail delivery days;

° redemption requirements in the FS Program;

° other administrative delays.

8. Notify the assistance unit if action is taken or if the eligibility determination will not be completed on time.

9. Document any case actions or notifications in the case file.