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Ohio Laws and Rules
(A) Eligibility standards for supplemental security income (SSI) assistance groups are as follows:
SSI recipients, except those in cash-out states, may apply for and participate in the program. If all members of the assistance group receive SSI, neither the gross income test nor the net income test are used in determining eligibility. Additionally, the assistance group is considered to be within the resource limits for food assistance benefits. SSI-only assistance group must meet the nonfinancial eligibility criteria. The county agency shall not require persons potentially eligible for SSI to make application for SSI benefits as a condition of food assistance eligibility.
(B) SSI assistance groups
SSI assistance groups are those in which all members are applicants for, or recipients of SSI, and who are neither certified for food assistance benefits nor have applied for food assistance benefits during the previous thirty days. These assistance groups have the option of applying for food assistance benefits at their local social security administration (SSA) district office or at the local county agency. SSA shall refer non-SSI assistance groups to the correct county agency. The application document used will be the JFS 07200, "Request for Cash, Food, and Medical Assistance" (rev. 12/12) . If a home visit interview or telephone interview is called for, the JFS 01846, "Case Worksheet-Cash, Food Stamp, and Medical Assistance Interview" (5/05) shall be completed by the SSA agency to capture additional data and the JFS 07501, "Program Enrollment and Benefit Information" (rev. 10/12) provided to the assistance group. An assistance group which consists of a resident or residents of a public institution(s) which applies for SSI under SSA's prerelease program for the institutionalized shall be allowed to apply for food assistance benefits jointly with their application for SSI prior to their release from the institution. These applications will be forwarded to the county agency by SSA. The application documents used for prerelease applicants will be the JFS 07200 and the JFS 07501, to be followed by an interactive interview.
The following procedures apply only to those assistance groups who apply at SSA offices and the prerelease applicants.
(1) SSA responsibility
The SSA will accept and complete food assistance applications received at the SSA office from SSI assistance groups and forward them within one working day after receipt of a signed application to the county agency. SSA shall also forward to the county agency a transmittal form. The prerelease applications will be forwarded to the county agency consistent with the above timeframe. SSA will later notify the county agency of the applicant's impending release date. Note: counties are required to keep local SSA offices supplied with the JFS 07200, JFS 01846 and the JFS 07501.
(2) County agency responsibility
Upon receipt of the JFS 07200 by the county agency, the county agency shall conduct an interactive interview with the applicant and enter the data into CRIS-E in order for (ED/BC) and (SFU) to be determined. If the system is down or a home visit is called for, the JFS 01846 and JFS 07501 shall be used by the county agency in lieu of the interactive interview. The JFS 01846 information must then be data entered into CRIS-E. The county agency shall make an eligibility determination and issue food assistance benefits to eligible SSI assistance groups within thirty days following the date the application was received by the SSA. Applications shall be considered filed for normal processing purposes when the signed application is received by SSA. The county agency shall make an eligibility determination and issue food assistance benefits to a resident of a public institution who applies jointly for SSI and food assistance within thirty days following the date of the applicant's release from the institution.
(3) Telephone interviews
If SSA takes an SSI application or reapplication on the telephone from a member of a pure SSI assistance group, a JFS 01846 shall also be completed by SSA during the telephone interview. In these cases, the JFS 07200 and JFS 07501 shall be mailed to the claimant for signature for return to the SSA office or to the county agency. SSA shall then forward any food assistance applications it receives to the county agency. The county agency may not require the assistance group to be interviewed again and it shall not contact the assistance group further in order to obtain additional information unless:
(a) The application is improperly completed.
(b) Mandatory verification is missing.
(c) Certain information is questionable.
(C) Verification - county interview waived and documentation Assistance groups making applications at the SSA office will not be required to also see a county eligibility worker or otherwise be subjected to an additional office interview unless they request one. SSA will provide the county with documentation (i.e., photocopies) of items that must be verified (e.g., income) if the applicant is in possession of such documents at the time of the SSA interview.
(1) The county agency shall not contact the assistance group further in order to obtain information for certification for benefits unless the application is improperly completed, mandatory verification is missing, or the county agency determined that certain information on the application is questionable. In no event would the applicant be required to appear at the county agency.
(2) It is suggested that the county obtain the needed documentation as follows: contact a collateral contact; ask the assistance group to mail the documentation; conduct a home visit; use state data exchange (SDX) or beneficiary and earnings data exchange (Bendex) information. For prerelease applications the county agency should obtain whatever additional information is available from SSA at the time of release or if necessary contact the applicant/institution to obtain needed information.
(D) Expedited service - SSA responsibility
The SSA shall prescreen all applications for entitlement to expedited services on the day the application is received at the SSA office and shall mark "Expedited Processing" on the first page of all applications that appear to be entitled to such processing. The SSA will inform assistance groups which appear to meet the criteria for expedited service that benefits may be issued a few days sooner if the assistance group applies directly at the county agency. The assistance group may take the application from SSA to the county agency for screening, an interview, and processing of the application.
(1) Expedited service - county agency responsibility
The county agency shall prescreen all applications received from the SSA for entitlement to expedited service on the day the application is received. All SSI assistance groups entitled to expedited service shall be certified in accordance with applicable regulations except that the expedited processing time standard shall begin on the date the application is received at the correct county agency office. Expedited processing time standards for an applicant who has applied for food assistance and SSI prior to release shall begin on the date of the applicant's release from the institution.
(2) Lost benefits
The county agency shall restore to the assistance group, benefits which were lost whenever the loss was caused by an error by the county agency or by the SSA through joint processing. Such an error shall include, but not be limited to, the loss of an applicant's application after it has been filed with SSA. In addition, if, for any reason, the county agency is not notified on a timely basis of an applicant's release date from a public institution, the county agency shall restore benefits.
(E) JFS 04219 "Request for contact notice" (rev. 4/10)
In cases jointly processed in which the SSI determination results in denial, and the county agency believes that food assistance eligibility or benefit levels may be affected, the county agency shall send the assistance group a JFS 04219, advising that work registration may be required unless the individual meets another work registration exemption of rule 5101:4-3-11 of the Administrative Code.
(F) Work registration AG members who are applying for SSI and for food assistance at the local social security district office shall have the requirement for work registration waived until:
(1) They are determined eligible for SSI and thereby become exempt from work registration; or
(2) They are determined ineligible for SSI and sent a JFS 04219, advising that work registration may be required.
(G) Social security applicants or recipients
An applicant for or recipient of social security benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act shall be informed at the SSA office of the availability of benefits under the food assistance program and the availability of a food assistance application at the SSA office. The SSA office is not required to accept applications or to conduct interviews for Title II applicants/recipients.
(H) SSI applicants or recipients
An applicant for or recipient of SSI shall be informed at the SSA office of the availability of benefits under the food assistance program and the availability of a food assistance application at the SSA office. The SSA office is not required to accept applications or to conduct interviews for SSI applicants or recipients who are not members of assistance groups in which all members are SSI applicants or recipients.
Effective:
02/01/2013
R.C.
119.032 review dates:
01/01/2014
Promulgated
Under: 111.15
Statutory
Authority:
5101.54
Rule
Amplifies: 329.04,
329.042,
5101.54
Prior
Effective Dates: 6/2/80, 12/1/80, 5/3/85(Emer.), 8/1/85, 8/16/85(Emer.),
11/1/85(Emer.), 1/1/86, 1/1/87(Emer.), 4/6/87, 1/5/90(Emer.), 3/22/90, 10/1/90,
7/1/92, 8/1/92(Emer.), 10/30/92, 7/1/94, 5/1/96, 10/1/96, 5/1/97, 2/1/99,
2/1/04, 5/2/05, 1/1/09, 3/1/11, 7/1/11