WSR 11-02-034

EMERGENCY RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)

[ Filed December 29, 2010, 1:51 p.m. , effective January 1, 2011 ]


     Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2011.

     Other Findings Required by Other Provisions of Law as Precondition to Adoption or Effectiveness of Rule: HB 3225 modified appropriations for the 2009-11 operating budget. The state general fund appropriations were reduced by $490.4 million, while the total budgeted amount was reduced by $336.5 million. The department appropriations included a reduction of $856,000 GF-S for the remaining of SFY 2011 which can be achieved by decreasing of diversion cash assistance (DCA) from $1250 to $1000.

     Purpose: The department is proposing to amend by emergency adoption WAC 388-432-0005 to reduce the availability of DCA from $1250.00 in [a] twelve-month period to $1000.00. This reduction was approved as part of the supplemental omnibus operating budget, HB 3225, by the legislature during the December 11, 2010, special session, and it is not carried forward in the governor's proposed budget for 2011-13.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-432-0005.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, and 74.08.090.

     Other Authority: HB 3225.

     Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that in order to implement the requirements or reductions in appropriations enacted in any budget for fiscal years 2009, 2010, or 2011, which necessitates the need for the immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the fiscal needs or requirements of the agency.

     Reasons for this Finding: It is essential to reduce the maximum diversion cash assistance availability to be in place by January 1, 2011, as this reduction is necessary to achieve a balanced WorkFirst budget for the current fiscal year. The proposed amendments are necessary for the program to contain costs and ensure the program's fiscal stability.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: December 23, 2010.

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator

4267.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 10-24-064, filed 11/30/10, effective 12/31/10)

WAC 388-432-0005   Can I get help from DSHS for a family emergency without receiving monthly cash assistance?   DSHS has a program called diversion cash assistance (DCA). If your family needs an emergency cash payment but does not need ongoing monthly cash assistance, you may be eligible for this program.

     (1) To get DCA, you must:

     (a) Meet all the eligibility rules for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF)/state family assistance (SFA) except:

     (i) You do not have to participate in WorkFirst requirements as defined in chapter 388-310 WAC; and

     (ii) You do not have to assign child support rights or cooperate with division of child support as defined in chapter 388-422 WAC.

     (b) Have a current bona fide or approved need for living expenses;

     (c) Provide proof that your need exists; and

     (d) Have or expect to get enough income or resources to support yourselves for at least twelve months.

     (2) You may get DCA to help pay for one or more of the following needs:

     (a) Child care;

     (b) Housing;

     (c) Transportation;

     (d) Expenses to get or keep a job;

     (e) Food costs, but not if an adult member of your family has been disqualified for food stamps; or

     (f) Medical costs, except when an adult member of your family is not eligible because of failure to provide third party liability (TPL) information as defined in WAC 388-505-0540.

     (3) DCA payments are limited to:

     (a) One thousand ((two hundred fifty)) dollars once in a twelve-month period which starts with the month the DCA benefits begin; and

     (b) The cost of your need.

     (4) We do not budget your income or make you use your resources to lower the amount of DCA payments you can receive.

     (5) DCA payments can be paid:

     (a) All at once; or

     (b) As separate payments over a thirty-day period. The thirty-day period starts with the date of your first DCA payment.

     (6) When it is possible, we pay your DCA benefit directly to the service provider.

     (7) You are not eligible for DCA if:

     (a) Any adult member of your assistance unit got DCA within the last twelve months;

     (b) Any adult member of your assistance unit gets TANF/SFA;

     (c) Any adult member of your assistance unit is not eligible for cash assistance for any reason unless one parent in a two-parent-assistance unit is receiving SSI; or

     (d) Your assistance unit does not have a needy adult (such as when you do not receive TANF/SFA payment for yourself but receive it for the children only).

     (8) If you apply for DCA after your TANF/SFA grant has been terminated, we consider you an applicant for DCA.

     (9) If you apply for TANF/SFA and you received DCA less than twelve months ago:

     (a) We set up a DCA loan.

     (i) The amount of the loan is one-twelfth of the total DCA benefit times the number of months that are left in the twelve-month period.

     (ii) The first month begins with the month DCA benefits began.

     (b) We collect the loan only by reducing your grant. We take five percent of your TANF/SFA grant each month.

     (10) If you stop getting TANF/SFA before you have repaid the loan, we stop collecting the loan unless you get back on TANF/SFA.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, and chapters 74.08A and 74.12 RCW. 10-24-064, § 388-432-0005, filed 11/30/10, effective 12/31/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.04.050. 01-03-066, § 388-432-0005, filed 1/12/01, effective 3/1/01.]

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