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MISSISSIPPI

Volume III | Chapter 1

[GENERAL: RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES]

Revised 06-01-06

RIGHTS OF APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS The determination of a person's initial or continued eligibility for assistance payments shall be conducted in a manner consistent with his rights under the Social Security Act as amended by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1 996 (Public Law 104- 193), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the ADA, and State laws. Thus, any practice which violates an individual's privacy or personal dignity, subjects him to any form of harassment, infringes on his constitutional rights, or discriminates on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, political beliefs or religion is forbidden. The above cited laws and other state and federal laws give each applicant and recipient: 1. The right to apply for assistance and to have eligibility determined promptly. Chapter 7, The Application Process, sets out procedures for taking applications in county Economic Assistance offices and other places and the time limits for processing applications. 2. The right to a choice in programs when the person may meet eligibility requirements in more than one program. This includes the right to be told the advantages of each program for which he may be eligible. 3. The right to participate in establishing eligibility by giving facts about his circumstances that relate to his eligibility and by obtaining, or authorizing the worker to obtain, documents or information from others when necessary for determining eligibility. 4. The right to timely notification of disposition of the application for assistance. 5. The right to assistance upon determination that the legal and administrative eligibility requirements are met. 6. The right to the unrestricted use of a money payment unless the appointment of a guardian, conservator, or protective payee has voided this right. 7. The right to a confidential relationship with the agency. Information concerning the client and his family shall not be released without the client's permission unless the disclosure is directly related to administration of the TANF program or another federal or federally-funded program