PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
(Division of Assistance Programs)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Eliminate the state-funded general assistance for children (GA-H) program for children living with a legal guardian or custodian. Expand the eligibility criteria for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) and state family assistance (SFA) to cover the entire population of people currently eligible for GA-H.
This change may require the department to create new rules, revise, or repeal WAC sections in chapter 388-400 WAC, Program summary, chapter 388-404 WAC, Age requirements, chapter 388-408 WAC, Assistance units, chapter 388-422 WAC, Child support, chapter 388-424 WAC, Citizenship/alien status, chapter 388-450 WAC, Income, chapter 388-454 WAC, Living with a relative, and chapter 388-478 WAC, Standards for payments, and other chapters as necessary.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, H-5321.3 as passed by the 2000 Washington state legislature and signed by Governor Locke.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Provisions of H-5321.3 require the department to make this change. This change will allow the department to use federal funds to provide assistance for children currently receiving benefits provided by state funds. This will also give clients access to services that are currently provided to TANF clients that are not available under the GA-H program.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The United States Department of Health and Human Services provides funding for the TANF program and sets some of the requirements of the program by publishing the federal requirements in the United States Code and issuing policy clarifications. The Washington state legislature sets some of the DSHS' requirements for the TANF program and publishes the requirements in the Revised Code of Washington. DSHS incorporates the requirements under state and federal law in the process of creating rules for public assistance.
Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. After the rules are drafted, DSHS will file a copy with the Office of the Code Reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the draft will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting John Camp, Program Manager, Division of Assistance Programs, Lacey Government Center, P.O. Box 45470, Olympia, WA 98504-4570, phone (360) 413-3232, fax (360) 413-3493, e-mail CAMPJX@DSHS.WA.GOV.
May 24, 2000
Marie Myerchin-Redifer
Manager