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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 12/2014

COUNTY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DISPUTES

0006.27

MFIP, DWP: You must process a case even if your county disagrees that it is financially responsible. Refer the case to the county you believe to be financially responsible within 60 days after approving the case.

The county you believe to be responsible has 30 days to accept or reject financial responsibility. Failure to respond within 30 days makes the receiving county financially responsible. To reject responsibility, the county must give Department of Human Services (DHS) evidence clearly showing why it rejects financial responsibility. Send copies to the servicing agency.

The servicing agency has 15 days from the date it gets the evidence disputing financial responsibility to send its position and supporting evidence to DHS. If the servicing agency does not submit its position, DHS will issue a binding opinion based on the evidence submitted by the county claimed to be responsible. The servicing agency must not delay any case actions pending the DHS decision.

Do not send information to DHS until the servicing agency has determined eligibility, issued assistance, and sent its referral. DHS has no jurisdiction to resolve residence and financial responsibility matters until an open case exists. Send evidence to:

Appeals and Regulations Division PO Box 64941 St. Paul, Minnesota 55164 0941

Within 60 days after receiving evidence from the county claimed to be responsible, DHS will issue an order to the county it finds financially responsible. A county disagreeing with the order may appeal to the district court within 30 days of its issuance. The county must follow the order pending the district court's decision.

When county agencies send disputes to DHS within the time guidelines above, reimbursement from the financially responsible county starts with the date of application or eligibility. If counties send the dispute late, reimbursement begins with the submission date.

If the non-responsible county has not received federal and state reimbursement, the financially responsible county must reimburse the non-responsible county for the total amount paid. When a county receives federal and state reimbursement, the financially responsible county must pay the county share only.

SNAP: No provisions.

MSA, GA, GRH: Follow MFIP. In addition, the time allowed for submission of financial responsibility disputes to DHS for settlement determination is 3 years from the date of application. County agencies may submit open or closed cases for settlement determination within the 3-year time limit.