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06 DEFINITION OF AUTHORIZATION Authorization is an official act, usually performed by the county director or their designee, certifying as to the eligibility or continuing eligibility of any assistance payments group. The authorization requests the issuance of a TANF benefit and authorizes the expenditure of public tax funds. LEGAL BASE State statute sets the administrative structure and responsibilities of the Department for handling and completing applications and redeterminations for TANF benefits. Refer to Chapter 1, Legal Provisions, for the complete discussion of the legal provisions. AUTHORITY FOR CERTIFICATION AND AUTHORIZATION The process of certification, authorization, and payment involves the county Economic Assistance Office and State Office. The responsibilities of each are discussed below. Decision of the County Office The duties of county staff include: 1. Authorization by the county director or supervisor is required on all applications and reapplications for the TANF program. At the discretion of the county director all other types of actions may be authorized by county staff. 2. The eligibility worker will acquire, record, and evaluate the needed facts about eligibility and determinations of eligibility. He will sign applicable forms, complete the eligibility determination screens in MAVERICS, and route the record to the county director or case reviewer for review and final decision, if supervisory level authorization is required. 3. If supervisory level authorization is required by MAVERICS or by decision of the county director, the county director or case reviewer, in counties having this position, will review the case record for completeness and accuracy of information on each factor of eligibility. The MAVERICS screens will be reviewed for accuracy of data entry and the computation of the grant, if any, for conformity with agency policy. Note that if supervisory level authorization is not required, the eligibility worker is responsible for performing these functions. Authorization of the case will be accomplished through the Authorization of Supervisor (AUSP) screen in MAVERICS. Each benefit month worked in the determination of eligibility must be authorized through this screen. If the county director so requires, the notice of approval must be set up by the worker and pended for supervisory release through the Notice Release (NOTR) screen in MAVERICS at the time the case is authorized.

Volume III | Chapter 7 [ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION PROCESS:

MISSISSIPPI CERTIFICATION AND AUTHORIZATION]

MISSISSIPPI [ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION PROCESS: CERTIFICATION AND AUTHORIZATION] Revised: 08-01- 7100