AS OF: 07/01/2009 07:03
0400 RHODE ISLAND STATE SUPPLEMENT TO SSI
0400.05 SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM
0402 SSI STANDARDS OF ASSISTANCE
0404 STANDARDS
FOR SUPPLEMENTATION TO SSI
0404.10.05 Moving Request Procedures
0404.10.10 Disapproval of Moving Costs
0404.10.15 Moving of Donated Essential
Furniture
0404.25.05 Authorization Responsibility/Documentation
0404.25.10 Items Provided in Event of
Catastrophe
0404.35 LOST OR STOLEN SSI CHECKS OR CASH
0404.35.05 Authorization of Food Assistance
0404.40 ASSISTANCE TO ESTRANGED SSI SPOUSES
0404.40.05 The Application Procedure
0404.40.10 Determining Program Eligibility
0404.40.10.05 Examples of Program Eligibility
0404.40.15 Procedure for Authorizing Assistance
0404.40.20 Provision of Social Services
0404.40.25 Termination of Assistance
REV:01/2002
The
Supplemental Security Income Program, Title XVI of the Social Security Act,
established by P.L. 92-603, as amended, provides, on a national basis, a
minimum income level for persons 65 or over, or blind, or disabled persons who
do not have sufficient income and resources to maintain themselves at the
federal minimum income level. The SSI
Program, administered by the federal government through the Social Security
Administration and financed from the General Fund of U.S. Treasury, became
effective 1-1-74 and replaced Titles I, X, XIV, XVI of the Social Security Act which
had provided assistance to aged, blind, and disabled persons under state
administration.
Federal
law required the states to provide a mandatory supplement to those persons who,
in December 1973 under the old programs, were receiving a payment greater than
the new federal minimum level. Rhode
Island, however, established a level of payment greater than the federal
minimum payment and made it available to all eligible persons. In October 1990 Rhode Island also
established a standard for eligible residents living in a licensed residential
care facility.
The
states were given the option of state or federal administration of the state
supplement payments. Rhode Island
elected federal administration. In this
way, the SSI recipient receives one check from the Federal Government for the
federal and/or state payment.
Rhode
Island also provides to SSI recipients medical care, including group care
through the Medical Assistance Program (Title XIX Program), and social services
through a Social Services Block Grant.
Payment can also be made for moving expenses, for needs resulting from
an emergency of a catastrophic nature, for residence in a licensed sheltered
care facility, and for burial when the criteria for these services have been
met. The criteria are set forth in
Section 0404. Homemaking Services are
available to qualified individuals under the Social Services Program (see
Section 0530).
Essential
spouses of eligible SSI recipients who were included in an AABD payment in
December, 1973 were grandfathered into the SSI program. Essential spouses will be included in the
SSI payment of the eligible SSI person as long as his/her eligibility
continues.
REV:10/1989
Information
relative to eligibility requirements for the SSI Program can be obtained by
contacting the appropriate Social Security Administration office listed below:
55 Broad Street Pawtucket 724-9610 380 Westminster Mall
Providence
528-4501
Eugene O'Neil Dr. New London, Ct. 203-443-8454 130
Bellevue Ave. Newport 849-3487 90 Quaker Lane West Warwick 822-1456 127
Social St.
Woonsocket
767-2100
The
Rhode Island Level of payment for SSI is set forth in Section 0402.
REV:01/2009
Total Payment Federal
State
Level Share Supplement
Individual $
713.92 674.00 39.92
Individual
in $ 501.26 449.34 51.92 Another's Home
Eligible
Couple $ 1,090.38 1,011.00 79.38
Eligible
Couple $ 771.30 674.00 97.30 in Another's Home
Institutionalized $
50.00 $ 30.00 $
20.00 Individual Eligible for Federal/State Supplement
Individual
in $1,212.00* 674.00
538.00 Residential Care and Assisted Living Facility **
* Effective October 1, 1998, individuals
living in state
licensed residential care/assisted living
facilities who
receive SSI are allowed to retain a
minimum personal needs
allowance of fifty-five dollars ($55) per
month from their
SSI monthly benefit prior to payment of
the residential
care/assisted living facility monthly
fee.
** Effective December 1, 1998, an individual
must be screened,
assessed, and certified by DHS or its
agent to be residing
in a residential care/assisted living
facility to be within
this category. All individuals who receive this category
payment level in October 1998 or November
1998 will be
forever exempt from the screening,
assessment, and
certification process.
REV:07/1999
The
standard for Personal Needs in Rhode Island is $50 for persons in medical
facilities.
Effective
March 1, 1991, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will administer both
the Federal and State SSI supplement.
REV:10/1990
Persons
in Rhode Island who are eligible for either Federal and State SSI payment, or
only the State share of the SSI payment, are automatically eligible for Medical
Assistance, Social Services, and for assistance to meet the following needs
according to specified criteria:
-
Moving;
-
Homemaker Service;
-
Burial;
-
Emergency Assistance in the Event of a Catastrophe;
-
State Supplemental Payment to Estranged Spouses Receiving
SSI as a Couple;
-
Assistance in the Event of Unreceived, Lost, Stolen or
Destroyed SSI Checks and Lost or
Stolen Cash.
Supplemental
payments may be made to recipients of SSI for in-state moving, homemaker
service, and burial expenses. A payment
for an emergency of a catastrophic nature may be made when agency requirements
are satisfied. If an SSI recipient is
without food or food stamps as a result of an unreceived, lost, stolen, or
destroyed SSI check or for lost or stolen cash, assistance to obtain food only
may be given. Agency personnel have
responsibility in the authorization process to assure that recipients are
properly assisted as determined by the provisions of the policy. (Social
Services has the responsibility in meeting Emergency Shelter under specified
conditions. See Social Service Program
Manual, Section 0514.)
In
addition, to meet the needs for persons who do not qualify in an SSI
recipient's payment as an eligible essential spouse, Rhode Island will provide
General Public Assistance if the spouse is unemployable and otherwise eligible.
REV:03/1990
Payment
for in-state moving, within cost guidelines, is provided for recipients of SSI
when the move is determined to be socially desirable, the move cannot be
provided by the city or town or other community resources, and the recipient
requests vendor payment for the move.
The agency makes no provision to meet the cost of out-of-state moves.
The
social caseworker in Economic and Social (E&SS) Services has the
responsibility for making a recommendation to E&SS eligibility staff as to
the social desirability of the recipient's move based on criteria outlined in
Section 0512 on Housing Services. The
E&SS eligibility staff has responsibility for verifying the cost of the
move and for authorizing the moving payment to the vendor.
REV:03/1990
When a
request for moving is received, the eligibility technician completes, in
triplicate, Part I of form DHS-48A, Request for Moving Payment to Vendor. The original and one copy are transmitted to
the E&SS social caseworker for a determination of the social desirability
of the move and completion of Parts II and III of the form. The social caseworker must, in consultation
with the casework supervisor, assess the desirability of the move in accordance
with the agency criteria, inform the latter's responsibility in the moving
process if the move is approved.
(See
section 0512). The social caseworker
must obtain the client's decision on whether to have the payment sent directly
to the vendor and return the original and one copy of the DHS-48A, with the
moving recommendation indicated, to the eligibility technician. The second copy is retained for the social
services record.
Upon
receipt of the DHS-48A and if the move is recommended, the eligibility
technician advises the recipient to have the moving company contact the
eligibility technician for authorization.
The amount of payment authorized for moving is based on the established
prevailing rate. The agency can authorize payment to licensed
movers only. A list of licensed movers
is available in each district office.
An exception to this may be made when the recipient chooses to rent a
vehicle to move himself.
When
the moving bill is received, the eligibility technician reviews the bill with
the recipient to verify the number of hours.
The
bill must also be checked for accuracy.
If payment is approved, the eligibility technician processes an AP-57B
authorizing a payment either to the vendor or to the client. The decision is confirmed in writing to the
recipient as well as to the moving company.
When a
client is moving out of a region, the AP-57B must be processed, whenever
possible, prior to transferring a record to another office.
REV:03/1990
E&SS
eligibility staff may deny moving payments for any of the following reasons:
-
Moving costs above the prevailing rate.
A letter must
be sent to the moving company
advising them that the
amount above the rate is not
approved. (The amount
within the rate is approved.)
-
More than one move a year unless approved by the
Regional Manager.
-
Moving to a destination out of state.
-
Blank moving bill signed by the recipient.
-
Unauthorized moving.
-
Unauthorized packing costs and/or fumigation costs.
REV:10/1981
When a
request is received for moving essential items of furniture that have been
donated to the recipient, the request is referred to the social caseworker for
evaluation.
If the
essential item(s) of furniture is/are lacking, or if the present equipment
needs replacing, the social caseworker's recommendation is referred to the
Regional Manager for a decision.
Approval
is based on the condition of the item(s) and the cost of the moving.
When
the recipient has no furniture, the cost of moving the donated furniture is
considered when the move will result in lower living costs such as a move to
public housing or when it is determined socially desirable for the
individual(s) to move from inadequate housing to improved housing and the cost
of the new housing is not excessive in relation to the family's income.
In lieu
of the use of licensed movers, payment for moving donated items may be made to
a recognized non-profit social service agency having a vehicle utilized for
this purpose. The maximum allowable
cost for the use of the vehicle is $10 for one item; $20 for two items; or a
total of $25 for any three items or more from the same location.
REV:03/1990
Homemaker
Service is a social service provided through the E&SS social caseworker to
recipients of SSI. Refer to the Social
Services Program, Section 0530, for the criteria, determination of eligibility,
cost and procedures for the authorization of Homemaker Service.
REV:03/1990
The
cost of burial can be met through General Public Assistance funds for any
person who dies leaving no or insufficient resources to meet the expense. See GPA Section 0620 of this Manual for the
cost standards and conditions under which funeral and burial expenses can be
met.
REV:09/1985
Funds
for shelter, clothing, food, essential household equipment, and furnishings, if
necessary, are provided in the event of a catastrophe only if all of the
following conditions are met:
-
An emergency is defined as the occurrence of a
catastrophe caused by fire, flood,
lightning, or severe
wind. Compensable fire damage is further restricted to
that caused by flame, smoke, and
subsequent secondary
water damage where there is damage
to the dwelling.
Furthermore, the incident must be
reported immediately
to the fire department. Other specific exclusions
under any circumstances are
destruction for which a
landlord can be held responsible,
willful destruction
or willful neglect by the recipient
or a member of
his/her family, damage covered by
insurance policies,
and isolated mechanical or
electrical failures where
there is no secondary damage.
-
Coverage is limited to possessions of the recipient or
those of another member of the
assistance unit.
-
For active cases, the catastrophe or disaster must have
occurred at the address recorded in
the case record.
Or, if it occurred at a different
address, the
recipient must demonstrate that
s/he had moved and was
living there prior to notifying the
agency. Acceptable
evidence of residence may include,
for example, a
moving bill, rent receipt, or
statement from a utility
company attesting to the
recipient's responsibility for
service on the date and at the
address in question.
When the catastrophe occurred at an
address other than
the address of record, the facts of
the situation along
with verification of residence are
presented to the
Regional Manager for a decision on
whether this
condition for emergency assistance
has been met.
-
To be considered, the incident must be reported
immediately by the recipient to the
Family and Adult
Services staff of the district
office.
-
Community resources must first be explored and
utilized, whenever possible.
-
Whenever reasonable, a partially destroyed item of
household goods or furnishings must
be repaired rather
than replaced. If
replacement is required, the
purchase of used items must be
considered before funds
for new items can be authorized.
-
Any repairs to the basic structure of a recipient-owned
dwelling, such as roof, stairs,
septic systems,
plumbing, wiring, siding, etc., are
specifically not
covered regardless of the reason
for the repair.
-
Thefts of clothing, food, and household furnishings and
equipment are specifically not
covered.
-
If repeated emergencies occur for one case, or the
circumstances are questionable,
payment may be denied.
REV:09/1985
The
recipient must report the catastrophe immediately. A social caseworker must visit the site as soon as possible to
begin to help the recipient and to authorize shelter, food, and clothing as
defined in Section 0404.25.10.
Assistance
Payments must be notified of the situation by Family and Adult Services. The eligibility technician must visit the
site within a working day of the recipient's notification of the catastrophe to
document the facts related to Section 0404.25, if additional food and clothing
or essential household items, as defined in Section 0404.25.10 are to be
authorized. The social caseworker works
with Assistance Payments staff.
A
written report must be prepared by the eligibility technician for review by the
Regional Manager or Chief Supervisor as the final approving authority for
payment of the items in 0404.25.10.
The
report must contain the firsthand information required to support and verify
each condition or requirement listed in Section 0404.25.
A
police or fire department official and any appropriate collateral source is
contacted and a written report requested.
If a written report cannot be obtained, an oral report will suffice,
provided that the official's name, title, telephone number, and all the
relevant facts are recorded by the eligibility technician in a memorandum. Unless there is a delay in obtaining a
police or fire report, the eligibility technician must submit his/her report
within three working days of the recipient's notification.
The
eligibility technician's report must also contain a statement signed by the
recipient attesting to the circumstances of the catastrophe and the extent of
the damage. Also required is a detailed
list of damaged or destroyed major items of household equipment and furnishings
by room, including an indication as to whether each item is to be obtained from
a non-agency community resource, repaired, replaced with a used item, or
replaced with a new item. If repair or
replacement is indicated, only items contained in "Household Furniture and
Furnishings Emergency Replacement List," a copy of which is in the
possession of each Regional Manager, can be replaced at agency expense. Also included should be a brief narrative
describing the immediate action taken (such as use of emergency shelter, the
extent of any personal injury, whether hospitalization was required, etc.) and
any other data needed to further evaluate the situation and to better assist
the recipient.
The
Regional Manager or Chief Supervisor reviews the report and discusses it, if
necessary, with the eligibility technician and determines the final amount of
the payment.
REV:10/1987
Social
Services has the responsibility of making an immediate determination of the
need for emergency shelter, initial food and initial clothing, and may
authorize the following, as required:
-
Emergency shelter, on a temporary basis, will be
provided only where the damage to
cooking or heating or
plumbing facilities is severe
enough to prevent their
use in a minimally acceptable
manner or the existing
damaged structure either cannot
provide adequate
protection from the elements or is
not safe to occupy.
Approval for use of emergency
shelter must be made on a
daily basis by the social worker
assigned to help the
recipient relocate to permanent
shelter.
-
Initial food and transportation for each recipient in
the amount of $5.00 per person per
day, if meals are
home-prepared, or $15.00 per person
per day, if
restaurants are used, are provided
from the date of the
catastrophe through the fifth
working day (or to the
date of the next recurring SSI
check, if earlier).
-
Initial clothing, if an individual recipient's clothing
has been destroyed, can be
authorized only to meet
immediate clothing need. (Maximum combined initial and
additional clothing allowance is
$123. See below.)
Assistance
Payments has the responsibility to verify and document the need for essential
household items, additional food, additional clothing, and storage of household
goods.
-
Essential Household Items
If repair is unreasonable and
second-hand items are not
available, household items
contained in "Household
Furniture and Furnishings,
Emergency Replacement List,"
a copy of which is in the
possession of each Regional
Manager, are provided. Items not on the list, such as
a television, are not replaced.
-
Additional Food
Funds for additional food and
transportation for each
recipient are provided at the rate
of $5.00 per person
per day, if meals are
home-prepared, or $15.00 per
person per day, if restaurants are
used, from the sixth
working day to the date of the next
income or SSI
check, if damage to the food supply
occurred.
-
Additional Clothing
The maximum amount that can be
authorized for clothing
for a recipient is $123. Assistance Payments can
authorize up to this amount, less
any amount previously
authorized by Social Services, if
an individual
recipient's clothing was destroyed.
-
Stored Household Goods
Storage expenditures can be
authorized when it is
necessary to store household goods
to prevent further
damage.
REV:10/1987
The SSI
recipient is certified for Medical Assistance automatically concurrent with the
determination of eligibility for SSI and/or the State Supplement. Refer to the Medical Assistance Program
(Section 0300) for further information regarding medical care.
REV:10/1987
This
section outlines policy regarding lost, stolen, destroyed, or not received SSI
checks and lost or stolen cash.
Checks
When an
SSI recipient requests assistance because his/her SSI check is lost, stolen,
destroyed, or not received for other reasons, the recipient must be referred to
the SSA office to report the fact.
The SSA
office determines whether:
-
the payee is in a current payment status or was at the
time of the alleged non-receipt;
and
-
the check was issued to him/her.
If both
these criteria are met, the Treasury Department reissues and mails the check
within the following time frames:
-
A lost or destroyed check for the current month is
reissued within fifteen (15) days
of the date the check
was reported lost or destroyed.
-
If the check was not received for unexplained reasons,
SSA requires the recipient to
report back after the
third mailing day from the date the
check was due. If
it is still not received, a
substitute check is issued
within fifteen (15) days from the
time the client
notified SSA.
-
If the current month's check is reported stolen, it may
take up to twenty-one (21) days for
an investigation to
be completed before a replacement
check can be issued.
-
If a client receives a mutilated or smudged check, s/he
should return it to an SSA district
office. If there
is enough information remaining to
identify the check
(i.e., check number and amount), it
can be replaced by
the Treasury Department within 48
hours. However, if
it is not identifiable, it is processed in the same
manner as a destroyed check and may
take up to eighteen
(18) days to be reissued.
When
the recipient has not been placed on the payroll because of a computer error,
replacement of a check takes considerably longer.
Contact
with the SSA office should be made as often as necessary to determine whether
the SSI check is to be issued. This
helps in planning for the needs of the recipient.
The
above policy of the SSA office on replacement of SSI checks does not apply to
advance payment checks; one-time payment checks; lost, stolen or destroyed
checks that have been endorsed; or cash that is lost, stolen or destroyed.
Lost or
Stolen Cash
When a
recipient of SSI reports that s/he has lost cash or has had cash stolen, s/he
must report the loss or theft to the police department before assistance can be
given. S/He must also sign an affidavit
(AP-55A) attesting to the fact.
REV:09/1988
Before
any food assistance can be given to the SSI recipient, the agency staff member
must verify that the following criteria have been met:
-
the recipient has reported to the SSA office that
his/her SSI check was lost, stolen
or destroyed and is
participating in any requirements
determined to be
necessary for replacing the check;
and
-
the recipient has signed the Affidavit, AP-55A,
attesting to the above.
If the
above conditions have been met, and if the recipient is without food or food
stamps, assistance to obtain food only may be given.
The
allowance is based on the standards below for the appropriate number of days
that food is required for each person in the SSI plan. However:
- at no time will the
food allowance exceed the actual
amount of the SSI check;
-
nor will the number of days for which food will be
provided extend beyond the receipt
of SSI, SSA, or any
other source of income.
Payment
may only be made through the AP-57B authorization process.
In each
situation the authorization should be identified to indicate that payment is
for an SSI recipient who reported a lost or stolen check or cash.
DAILY STANDARDS FOR FOOD FOR SSI
RECIPIENTS
__________________________________________________
Group Size 1 2 3 4
ADULT $2.33 $2.14 $1.94
$1.75
__________________________________________________
REV:12/1990
Persons
eligible for and receiving SSI benefits less than the appropriate GPA Standard
of Need (see Section 0618), due to Federal SSI regulations which treat
estranged spouses as a couple for SSI purposes until the month after the month
they begin living apart are eligible for cash assistance, if they meet the
financial criteria outlined in Sections 0610 and 0612.
When
there is an initial SSI application or an SSI reinstatement following a period
of ineligibility, and the couple is not living together on the date of the
application or date of request for reinstatement, the SSI regulations treat
each member of the couple as an individual as of the date of the application or
request regardless of how recently the separation occurred. Such individuals are not eligible for cash
assistance from DHS.
REV:01/1991
The
application process starts when a person or his/her representative contacts the
agency to request assistance, and ends with either the decision by the agency
to approve or to deny a payment, or the decision by the person to withdraw
his/her request for assistance.
A
request for assistance may be received in the district office in person, by
phone or by mail. The adult service
worker gives, or mails, to the applicant, the application packet which
includes:
-
Application for Assistance (MA-1)
-
Information for Applicants (MA-1A)
The
adult service worker plans for an intake appointment with the applicant. If an emergency intake is needed
immediately, the adult service worker plans for the intake according to the
district office system for handling emergencies. The applicant is asked to prepare the MA-1 prior to the
interview. The adult service worker
must witness the signature at the interview.
The applicant is advised of the documentation of information required in
the determination of eligibility. The
applicant is also made aware that, in completing the MA-1, s/he may be helped
by a relative or friend, or the adult service worker.
REV:01/1993
When an
SSI estranged spouse applies for assistance at a district office, the adult
service worker:
- Determines that the couple has separated
in the same month or
before the month the application for
assistance is received;
- Refers the applicant to the SSA office to
notify the SSA of
the change in the couple's living
arrangements and to ensure
the increase in the SSI payment begins
the month after the
separation;
- Reviews the MA-1, Application for
Assistance, to determine
whether or not the applicant's resources
are within the limits
outlined in Section 0610; specifically,
ownership of only one
automobile with an equity value not in
excess of fifteen
hundred ($1,500) dollars, and liquid
assets not in excess of
four hundred ($400) dollars; and,
- Determines if the applicant's income
(Section 0612) is less
than the appropriate GPA Standard of Need
as outlined in
Section 0618.
Note
that only the income and resources that are attributable to the applicant are
used in the determination of eligibility.
REV:01/1994
Since most
assistance to estranged spouses will be prorated for a portion of a month,
beginning on the day the application is date stamped in a district office, a
daily GPA Standard is calculated.
This is
the GPA Standard divided by thirty.
EXAMPLE
1
Mr. & Mrs. H are each disabled and
are receiving the SSI
couple standard of $789.50 per
month. Each receives a check
for one-half of the couple standard or
$394.75 per month.
Mrs. H. leaves the home on January
12th. Mr. H. applies for
the State Supplemental Payment on January
15th due to his
receiving only his share of the SSI
couple standard.
Although it is verified that his
resources are within the GPA
standards, his SSI payment of $394.75 is
in excess of the GPA
Standard of Need and, therefore,
eligibility for assistance
does not exist.
EXAMPLE
2
Mr. and Mrs. C. are both over 65 years of
age. Mr. C.
receives a partial disability pension
from the Veterans
Administration which reduces the SSI couple
payment to $199.50
per month.
Mr. C. leaves the home on March 8th,
leaving Mrs. C. with her
share of the SSI payment which amounts to
$99.75 for the
remainder of the month. She applies for assistance on March
9th.
She has no resources and her income is within the
prorated amount of the correct GPA
Standard of Need.
Therefore, eligibility for assistance
exists.
Computation
GPA Standard $ 327.00
Mrs. C's SSI payment - 99.75
__________
Deficit $ 227.25
Counting the day the application is
filed, March 9th through
March 31st, there are 22 days of
potential eligibility.
The deficit of $227.25 divided by 30 days
multiplied by 22
equals a prorated payment for the month
of $166.65.
REV:12/1990
A
completed MA-1 Application is required to determine if eligibility exists.
When
eligibility is determined to exist, the monthly assistance payment is computed
by deducting the SSI payment, plus any other countable income from the
appropriate GPA Standard of Need converted to a monthly amount. The balance is
then compared to the prorated share of the GPA Standard.
The
prorated share is calculated by multiplying the correct daily GPA Standard by
the number of days for which the individual is eligible, beginning the day the
application is date stamped.
If
eligibility for the program exists, an AP-57B is completed by the adult service
worker, in accordance with the instructions outlined in Section 1220. It is especially important to correctly
complete Item #15, Payment to Recipient.
In this item:
-
Print and underline the phrase, "State Payment Only";
-
Print the term, "SSI Spouse"; and
-
Enter the total amount of the assistance payment.
If, in the month of eligibility, the
recipient claims that his/her assistance payment check is not received:
-
An AP-59 must be completed to stop payment on the
check.
-
To issue a replacement check, an AP-57B is completed
according to the procedure outlined
above.
REV:12/1990
The
changes in both marital and financial status may have a detrimental effect on
the recipient. The adult service worker
should be sensitive to these issues and be available to provide supportive
and/or referral services as necessary.
REV:12/1990
Starting
in the month after the month of the separation, each estranged spouse is
treated as an individual claimant by the SSA for SSI payment purposes.
Termination
of program eligibility will, therefore, occur at the end of the month of
separation.