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Vermont Department for Children and Families Reach Up Eligibility Rules Economic Services Division 2200 22

d. A household receiving a benefit amount shall not knowingly use any benefit amounts in a: 1. Retail establishment which sells exclusively or primarily any alcoholic beverages defined in 7 V.S.A § 2; 2. Casino, gambling casino, or gaming establishment; or

3. Retail establishment that provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment.

e. A household that uses or accesses benefit amounts in any of the places prohibited in subsection (d) shall reimburse the Department for the amount of benefits used or accessed in the prohibited establishment.

f. State law prohibits assignment, transfer, attachment, trustee process, or execution of benefits. (33 V.S.A. § 124)

g. When funds available for payment of SSI/AABD and Reach Up benefits are insufficient to provide assistance to all eligible individuals, benefit amounts shall be reduced until sufficient funds become available. (33 V.S.A. § 114)

2214.1 Benefit Payment (08/01/2024, 23-28)

a. Reach Up benefits shall be approved in the amount specified by Department rules and continue until changed.

b. Benefit payments are effective on the date of Department approval, provided all eligibility factors are met, or 30 days from the date of the application, whichever is earlier. 1. Benefit payments become available to the household the day after the Department's approval. c. The benefit effective date applies to all applicants or applicants who apply after their eligibility for benefits has ended, except that households meeting the conditions specified in rule 2232.6 for reinstatement shall have a benefit effective date of the first of the month child support was reduced or terminated.

d. The initial benefit shall be computed by multiplying the monthly amount of benefits to be approved (obtained by subtracting total net income from the precomputed payment standard) by the percentage below, which corresponds to the calendar day on which the benefit is effective.

1. Pro-Ration Benefit Table:

Date Percentage Date Percentage Date Percentage Date Percentage Date Percentage 1 100 7 80 13 60 19 40 25 20 2 97 8 77 14 57 20 37 26 17 3 93 9 73 15 53 21 35 27 13 4 90 10 70 16 50 22 30 28 10 5 87 11 67 17 47 23 27 29 7 6 83 12 63 18 43 24 23 30/31 3