Come In If You Dare !!

Special Assistance

State/County Special AssistancePrepared and Presented by the Division of Aging and Adult

Services

Special Assistance Program Representatives:

Chris Urso, SA Program Administrator

Susan Castle, SA Program Representative

Angie Phillips, SA Program Representative

Contact us at specialassistance@dhhs.nc.gov

The Special Assistance listserv, specialassistance@dhhs.nc.gov

is the email for

Special Assistance Policy questions

Inquiries to add SA facilities to NC FAST

All NC FAST functional questions should be directed to your OSS, your county liaison, or the NC FAST Helpdesk.

The dedicated SA hotline number is 919-855-3200: Option 3, Option 5

Legislative changesSession Law 2014-110

Appropriations Act of 2014

CHANGE IN RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS SA-3250

EUGENICS ASEXUALIZATION AND STERILIZATION COMPENSATION PROGRAM (EASCP)

o DAAS Administrative Letter No. 14-11 issued September 22, 2014 effective November 1, 2014.

o Addendum issued November 24, 2014 for policy clarification for SA-IH program

CHANGE IN RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS

SA-3250

Eliminated one of the ways for applicants to meet the State residency requirement for State/County Special Assistance (SA.)

For applications after November 1, 2014, the applicant must either:

A. Meet the 90-day residency requirement by residing in North Carolina for at least 90 days immediately prior to receiving SA with the intent to remain.

Or :

B. Must have been discharged from a State facility as a result of an interstate mental health compact that requires the State to continue treating the person within the State.

EUGENICS ASEXUALIZATION AND STERILIZATION COMPENSATION PROGRAM

(EASCP)

The purpose of this legislation is to provide monetary compensation to those individuals who were involuntarily asexualized or sterilized under the authority of the Eugenics Board. Claimants received their first payments in October, 2014. The second and final payment shall be made after the exhaustion of all appeals arising from the denial of eligibility for compensation

EASCPFOR SA BENEFICARIES IN A FACILITY

The SA Program for facility cases is a state supplement to the federal SSI program. SA policy for facility cases must follow SSI regulations per 20 CFR 416.2001. SSI policy excludes the payment for nine months before counting it as a resource.

Therefore, for persons in a SA facility , this income will be excluded the for nine months before counting it as a resource.

EASCPFOR SA–IN HOME Beneficiaries

The Addendum was issued to establish that the resource policy for Eugenics Sterilization Compensation for Special Assistance (SA) facility cases and Special Assistance In-Home (SA/IH) is not the same.

Because the SA/IH Program is not considered a state SSI supplement, SA/IH policy will follow the State statute permanently excluding the Eugenics Sterilization Compensation payment as income or a resource.

OUICK TIPS FOR THE SA PROGRAM

IN

Facility not in NCFAST Job Aid- SA Application Process

Prior to starting the application, always complete a Facility Search to confirm the desired facility displays correctly in NC FAST. Expand the Shortcuts Panel and select the Searches folder and select Facility Search. Complete the necessary fields and initiate the Facility Search.

If the Facility is not found or doesn’t display as expected, email specialassistance@dhhs.nc.gov.

Delivery Pattern Job Aid-Delivery Patterns

Changing Delivery Pattern MUST be done prior to activating the PDC if the client does not want the default delivery pattern. Special Assistance in a facility- EBT Direct Deposit Special Assistance in Home- EBT Cash Card

The Address evidence should include the following: a. Marked as Primary b. Type of EBT Delivery, Mailing, or Private e. A pop-up, asking about ordering a new EBT card

appears. Click the applicable response.

Activating the PDCJob Aid- SA Application Process

If desired SA product is: Then: Special Assistance NOTE: Special Assistance must be activated first.

• Activate Special Assistance product • Check eligibility/reassess ABD product to

get the MA Cat Needy program. • Then Authorize and Activate the MA

products.

Special Assistance In-Home NOTE: MA must be activated first.

• If the decision is MA Cat Needy, Authorize and Activate ABD product

• Check eligibility/reassess • Then Authorize and Activate the SA In-

Home product

EBT DIRECT DEPOSITDAAS ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER 13-11

July 23, 2013

A Direct Deposit Authorization Form DSS-5023 must be completed and filed in the case file. Instructions for completion are found in DAAS AL 13-11.

Instructions on how to complete the DSS-5023 for COLLECTIVE ACCOUNTS owned by facilities are included in the DAAS AL13-11.

Using official bank documents, such as cancelled checks, deposit slips, can help ensure that bank account information is correct.

Redetermination

The DAAS-8191 has been designed to use as the redetermination for the SA program. This form must be completed and signed for a redetermination to be considered valid. SA-3320 is currently being rewritten to include this information. Counties may continue to use the DAAS-8190 or can use the new form to complete redeterminations.

Benefits will not be issued after the certification end date. Therefore it is imperative that reviews be done timely. A SA case will go into suspend status at the end of the certification period and close after 30 days.

SA POLICY REMINDERS

A valid FL-2 must be completed and in the case file for every application and redetermination. (See SA-3100. Eligibility Requirements IV. VALID FL-2 REQUIREMENT).

If the date of the FL-2 has expired in NCFAST (over a year old), benefits will not be issued. The case will go into suspend status.

SA In-Home Approvals for Individuals with Verified Supported Housing Slots Continue to follow the directives in AL- DAAS-

13-07 Instructions for SA In-Home Approvals for Individuals with Verified Supported Housing Slots issued April 24, 2013 when notified that a person is a Transition to Community Living individual. Work with the LME is vital to this individual to return or continue to live in the community with proper supports.

SA POLICY REMINDERS

The Integrated Eligibility manual, Section 4100 contains instructions for assisting the Special Assistance (SA) applicant/beneficiary (a/b) to access the maximum income for which he/she is entitled. If the a/b’s non-SSI income is less than the Federal benefit rate (FBR) for SSI, the a/b is required to apply for SSI. Provides guidance on working with a/b to increase income to the FBR and procedure when the SA Applicant/Beneficiary is not receiving FBR, as well as Special review codes required for cases with TCMI less than the FBR

SA POLICY REMINDERS Each SA a/b and/or his/her authorized representative

must be informed that he/she must apply for all benefits to which he/she may be entitled, including receiving the maximum benefit for which the he/she is eligible. This includes any income to which he/she is legally entitled.

The SA a/b cannot waive or renounce benefits to which he/she may be entitled in order to become eligible for SA. If income is waived, the gross amount for which the individual is entitled must be counted.

SA ELECTRONIC BENEFITS

The Cash Reject Report in XPTR identifies returned Special Assistance and Cash Assistance direct deposit payments. It is posted on a routine basis. The report is titled DHREJA CASH ISS REJECT RECORDS.

If  the SA beneficiary changes their location/address and/or bank account information, “end date” the current information and enter the new evidence with a new begin date. Do not delete any evidence related to the SA case in NCFAST that is evidence that was associated to the SA beneficiary past or present.

SA ELECTRONIC BENEFITS SA 3300 has not changed regarding overpayments. It is

being updated to address electronic payments.

Completes the DSS 1656, Refund Receipt, and submit to the Controller’s office, Program Benefits Section.

The SA team nor the county can view this credit to the SA PDC. Only office that can view this information at the present time.

Contact the Controller’s Office at (919) 527-6130 to verify that the DSS 1656 has been received prior to re-issuing the same month’s SA benefit as a replacement. Proper documentation needs to be included in the SA PDC.

The SA benefits have to match ( the DSS 1656 and what was authorized in NCFAST)

Replacements for EIS checks

Replacements for EIS checks are still done via DSS8129. The Controller’s Office will be issuing paper checks until 10/2015, then payments will come via EBT cards. There is a year limit for SA replacements.

EBT CARD ISSUANCES Facilities that did not receive the SA benefit that have a

delivery pattern of EBT cash cards and you learn the EBT cash card is an old FNS cash card, you need to advise the facility to contact the EBT Customer Service Center at 1-888-622-7328.

The county can also work with an FNS worker at the agency to see if you can deactivate the card that was issued and reissue a new one.

Only the beneficiary/authorized representative can request a new card through EBT Customer service, so if the facility is not listed as the AR, then we are not aware that this request can be made by the facility.

EBT Edge can be used to view the last 90 days of transaction history. You can see most failed transactions, in addition to successful ones.