12 Fair Hearings,2605(b)(13) - Assurance 13

12.1 How many fair hearings did the Grant recipient have in the prior federal Fiscal Year? 41 12.2 How many of those fair hearings resulted in the initial decision being reversed? 1 12.3 Describe any policy and/or procedural changes made in the last federal Fiscal Year as a result of fair hearings? There were no policy or procedural changes made in the last federal Fiscal Year as a result of fair hearings. 12.4 Describe your fair hearing procedures for households whose applications are denied and/or not acted upon in a timely manner. The Division of Social Services provides an opportunity for an administrative hearing to individuals whose claims for assistance are denied or who claim their application was not acted upon with reasonable promptness. The procedure for requesting a hearing is as follows: • Applicant/Recipient submits a written request for a hearing and/or case review within 90 days of the date of notice. • A pre-hearing conference may be held. The pre-hearing conference is an informal proceeding between the applicant/recipient and the LIHEAP/EAP Program Manager and/or Program Officer or another designated representative. The applicant/recipient may authorize a representative to assist with the pre-hearing conference. • If the issues are not resolved, a Hearing Officer, who shall be designated by the Division of Social Services Administrator, conducts a formal hearing within 90 days of receipt of the hearing request. The hearing decision may be appealed to the district court. 12.5 When and how are applicants informed of these rights? Applicants are advised of their right to an administrative hearing through the "Rights and Obligations" and "Notice of Decision" forms. The "Rights and Obligations" form is provided to every person who requests an application. If an applicant is denied benefits, he/she is sent formal notification specifying the reason for the denial. This notice outlines the applicant's rights, including the right to request an administrative hearing if they disagree with the decision made on their case. If any of the above questions require further explanation or clarification that could not be made in the fields provided, attach a document with said explanation here.