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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 20

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 11 Chapter 20 Emergency and Special Assistance Programs

If the AG member agrees to convert the asset, but fails in his attempt to do so, the Worker may request that he verify his attempt. 20.2.2.H Available Community Resources Meeting the emergency needs of individuals and families without resources is a responsibility for the community in which they reside. This includes all social welfare related agencies and certain individuals within the community. 20.2.2.H.1 Role of the DOHS The DOHS will assume a major role in meeting the emergency needs of eligible applicants through emergency financial assistance funds and/or referral of the applicant to other agencies or individuals within the community that have available resources which can prevent or eliminate the emergency. In some communities, arrangements have been made for cooperative efforts between the DOHS and other community agencies in meeting emergency needs. Such arrangements should be maintained, and similar efforts established in other communities where they currently do not exist. 20.2.2.H.2 Worker Responsibilities In evaluating the referral of an applicant for EA to a community resource, the Worker must determine that the resource is available to the applicant and will eliminate or prevent the emergency. In some situations, the applicant, after being referred to a community resource, may be required to make application for benefits from the agency to which he was referred. However, the Worker must consider the resource available until the applicant is refused or found ineligible to receive the benefits for which he applied. The Worker must follow up with the applicant and/or the agency to determine if the benefits were actually received. If the agency or individual to which the applicant was referred cannot NOTE: The application must be denied if the AG member fails to cooperate in the conversion of non-liquid assets.