UPM 1523.01 - Qualified Entities

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL ______________________________________________________________________________ Date: 11-1-05 Transmittal: UP-06-03 1523.01 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: The Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: Presumptive Eligibility for Children FMA _______________________________________________________________ Subject: Qualified Entities ______________________________________________________________________________

1523.01 A. Qualified Entity Categories

A qualified entity is an organization that is permitted under federal and State law to determine presumptive eligibility. The types of entities that may be permitted to serve as qualified entities include the following:

those eligible to receive payments for medical services provided to children under the State administered Title XIX program;

those authorized to determine eligibility of a child to participate in a Head Start program under the Head Start Act (42U.S.C. 9821 et seq.);

those authorized to determine eligibility of a child to receive child care services for which financial assistance is provided under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.);

those authorized to determine eligibility of an infant or child to receive assistance under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC) under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786);

elementary and secondary schools;

homeless shelters that provide food and shelter under a grant under the Stuart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act;

child support workers; Medicaid, SCHIP and TANF workers;

certain public housing authorities that determine eligibility for any assistance or benefits provided under any program of public or assisted housing that receives Federal funds including the program under section 8 or any other section of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S C. 1437); and

any other entity approved by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services at the request of the Department.

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL ______________________________________________________________________________ Date: 11-1-05 Transmittal: UP-06-03 1523.01 page 2 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: The Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: Presumptive Eligibility for Children FMA _______________________________________________________________ Subject: Qualified Entities ______________________________________________________________________________

1523.01 B. Standards for Designating a Qualified Entity

1. The Department decides which specific qualified entities are authorized to make presumptive eligibility determinations for children. The Department is not required to authorize all entities that fall within the foregoing categories to make presumptive eligibility determinations.

The Department may limit which organizations, entities and persons it invites to participate as a qualified entity based on the Department’s capacity to train and monitor qualified entities in the performance of their presumptive eligibility responsibilities.

The Department retains the right to determine, at any time, in its discretion, whether a qualified entity will be allowed to continue making presumptive eligibility determinations.

A qualified entity shall agree to:

. a. accurately determine presumptive eligibility;

b. process applications in a timely manner; and

c. not participate in unfair, discriminatory, or unequal treatment of applicants or recipients.

The Department may revoke, suspend, or deny a qualified entity’s authorization to make presumptive eligibility determinations at any time for any reason deemed sufficient by the Department including, but not limited to, its failure to meet the requirements of 4 above.

C. Procedures for Designating a Qualified Entity

The Department will contact organizations, entities and persons that are permitted to determine presumptive eligibility as set forth in A. above to inquire about their interest in participating as a qualified entity;

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL ______________________________________________________________________________ Date: 11-1-05 Transmittal: UP-06-03 1523.01 page 3 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: The Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: Presumptive Eligibility for Children FMA _______________________________________________________________ Subject: Qualified Entities ______________________________________________________________________________

1523.01 C. Procedures for Designating a Qualified Entity (continued)

The Department will explain the requirements for being designated a qualified entity;

3. The qualified entity must agree to the terms and conditions as set forth in a Memorandum of Agreement between the qualified entity and the Department and execute the required Memorandum Agreement;

4. The Department can revoke the authority of an organization, entity or person to make presumptive eligibility determinations at any time, in its discretion.