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Public Benefits. An Overview. Where?. Illinois Department of Human Services Approx. 24 offices in Cook County Office based on Zip Code Can locate office from IDHS web page http://www.dhs.state.il.us/. Applications . Applications Must Be Taken The Same Day Client Requests Services
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Public Benefits An Overview
Where? • Illinois Department of Human Services • Approx. 24 offices in Cook County • Office based on Zip Code • Can locate office from IDHS web page • http://www.dhs.state.il.us/
Applications • Applications Must Be Taken The Same Day Client Requests Services • Only a signature required • One application is for all programs • Applicants Are Given A Return Date For Eligibility Appointment and to Bring Back Documents • Individuals Must Be Screened For Emergency Food Stamps on the Day They Apply
How Are Benefits Accessed? • Link Card • For Cash and Food Stamps • Works like a debit card • Use at ATM’s or certain grocery stores • Fees for use at ATM’s • 2 free withdrawals and 2 free balance inquiries per month • Accounts become stale after 90 days of inactivity • Medical Card • Mailed each month
What are we talking about? Food Stamps Cash Medical Childcare Child Support
Food Stamps • Almost everyone qualifies – just need to be poor • Some citizenship rules apply • Only program with emergency benefits • No address necessary • People who prepare and purchase food together are considered one Food Stamp household. • Spouses must always be together. • If you live with your parents, must be included until age 22. • Under 18 must be included with the adult you live with. • Work Program “Earnfare” For Adults Without Children in Their Care
Expedited Food Stamps • Only have to prove identity and: • Income and liquid assets less than rent and utilities or • Income less than $100 and liquid assets less than $150 for month of application • 5 calendar days for expedited benefits
Cash • Temporary Assistance To Needy Families “TANF” • For families with related children 18 and under • Pregnant Women • Eligible as soon as pregnancy confirmed • General Assistance • Families who are guardians • Individuals without children • Aid to Aged,Blind, and Disabled
Medical • Medicaid • KidCare • FamilyCare • Transitional Assistance Medical
Other General Eligibility Requirements • Verification of Income, Resources, Living Expenses • Caseworkers Must Assist for Third-party Verifications • Cooperation with Child Support • Domestic Violence, Rape, Incest Exceptions • No Knowledge Exception
Single Adults In Chicago Can Get Transitional Assistance Cash Benefits • $100 a month • And a TA medical card • Covers many prescription drugs • Age 55 or over with little earnings • Prescribed medication for seizures, high blood pressure, or diabetes • Under age 20 and full- time in high school or vocational school • Homeless within past 6 months • Temporarily ill • Caring for someone who lives with you and needs full -time care due to a medical condition. • Applicants for SSI may qualify for P-3 • $100 plus Medicaid card
Transitional Assistance Medical • Covers prescription medications • Does not cover hospital services • Covers physician services – not provided at a hospital • P-3 TA receives regular Medicaid
GA Family • Legal guardians and their children • Same grant level as TANF • TA medical card for adult • Medicaid for the child
Special Rules for TANF • Job Search while application pending • Responsibility and Services Plan (RASP) • Work and Training Requirements • 60-month Lifetime Limit • Family Cap • Teen Live with Relative Requirement • SSI recipients excluded from the TANF unit
Special Populations • Limited English Proficiency • Must offer interpreter or use language line. • Should not use family member • Teen Parents • Can apply for anything • Parent’s income will be needed for TANF if under 18 or Food Stamps if under 22. • Assigned to Teen Parent Liaison
Job Search For Applicants • Must assess for barriers • Must offer childcare and transportation referral • Front Door Partners
Responsibility And Services Plan • Comprehensive • Outlines Tasks • Must Be Signed • Should Be Given Copy • Can Be Appealed
Work and Training Requirements • 30 hours per week (35 for two-parent households) • 2/3 of Earnings Disregarded • Vocational School, GED, or Post-Secondary education can be acceptable alternative • Most people enrolled in Work First • Pay-for-performance (Cash and Food Stamps added together and divided by minimum wage) • Supportive Services Provided • Transportation funds, childcare payments
Barriers for TANF Job Program Requirements • Disability • Child under age 1 • Caring for someone with disabilities • If not spouse or child, must apply to DORS or DOA • Domestic Violence
60 Month Life-Time Limit • Applies to any month an adult (age 18 or over) receives TANF. • When the adult reaches 60 months, the adult and his/her children are ineligible for TANF if they reside together. • Family still eligible for Food Stamps and medical
Stopping The 60 Month Clock • Work 30 hours or more per week (35 if couple) • Approved degree program • Caring for disabled child or spouse • Domestic Violence exclusion
Extending The 60 Month Clock • SSI application pending and probably eligible • Medical condition makes client unable to engage in 30 hours per week of work • Intensive Program Involvement • Domestic violence, homeless services, substance abuse, mental health • Approved Education and Training program • Must be expected to complete within 6 months • Disabled Spouse or Child
Family Cap • TANF benefits do not increase if another child is born to a family already receiving TANF • As of January 1, 2004, cap will not apply to additional children born • Current children can remain capped until no later than July 1, 2007
Teen Live With Relative Requirement • Teen Parents or pregnant (under 18) must live with relative • Exceptions exist • Health and safety, parent refuses to allow the child to remain, parent abuses drugs, teen has been out of home for year • New statute allows 6 month grace period.
Sanctions • Cash Benefits Only • For Work Program Violations and Child Support Non-Cooperation • Reconciliation Must be Offered • Can demonstrate ‘good cause’ or agree to cooperate • Progressive • Level 1: 50% of entire grant until cooperate • Level 2: 50% for 3 months must cooperate • Level 3: 100% for 3 months must cooperate
Terminations • Missed Redetermination Appointment or Failed to Return Form • Missed Special Appointment • Unable To Locate Client • WorkFirst Noncooperation • Cash only • Called a SWAP
Crisis Assistance • Available to TANF families and TANF eligible families • Processed in 5 days, including TANF application. • Your family is being evicted for any reason, • Voucher up to $250 • You are homeless because of fire, flood or other natural disaster, • You have been forced to move because your landlord failed to provide essential services such as heat, • You had to leave your home because of physical abuse by a person who still occupies the home, • You need furniture, clothing, and/or household supplies due to fire, flood, or other natural disaster, • Your family is deprived food or needed clothing because of lost or stolen cash.
Child Support for Non-Custodial Parents • Order must be modified if income changes • Contact DCSE • 312-793-7987
Child Support • Recipients of TANF get $50 pass through if support is paid. State keeps the rest. • If current support plus $50 is more than the TANF grant, TANF stopped and child support is paid directly.
AABD Benefits For Some Disabled Individuals • Must be receiving SSI or not eligible for SSI due to income • must be disabled or • age 65 or older • Immigrant found not disabled by the Social Security Administration • must be 65 or older and • a Legal Permanent Resident who was legally residing in the U.S. on 8/22/96 • Needs based
Time Lines • Cash, Medical • 45 days • 60 days for disability determination • Food Stamps • 30 days • Emergency Food Stamps 5 calendar days
Disputes • Appeals • Actions or Inactions with the case • 800-435-0774 • 60 days cash or medical • 90 days Food Stamps • Appeals filed on or before “Date of Change” keep the status quo. • Can reapply while appeal pending • Judicial Review • 35 days for cash and medical • 6 months for Food Stamps • Grievances • Treatment by an IDHS employee • Hearings for both held at the local office
Overpayments - Cash • Cash • Recoupment – 10% usually • Tax intercepts • Administrative garnishment of state employees' salaries
Food Stamp Overpayments • Food Stamps • Administrative Error or Inadvertent Error • 10% recoupment • Intentional Program Violation • Administrative Disqualification Hearing required or waiver. • 20 % recoupment • 12 month disqualification for first violation, 24 months for second violation, permanent disqualification for third violation • Offset of other benefits • SSI exempt • $9000 exempt annually
Overpayments Continued • Court Suits • fraud penalties • double recovery • permanent bar if two fraud findings. • 10 year TANF bar if convicted of welfare fraud involving simultaneous receipt of benefits in more than one state. • Don’t forget bankruptcy as a possible remedy.
Welfare Reform Created Two Distinctions Among Immigrants • Immigrants Who Arrived (either legally or illegally) on or before 8/22/96 • Immigrants Who Arrived After 8/22/96
Qualified Immigrants • Refugees, asylees, and those whose deportation is being withheld. • Lawfully present active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their spouses and dependent children. • Lawfully present veterans with an honorable discharge and their spouses and dependent children. • Legal Permanent Residents
Qualified Immigrants Who Arrived on or Before 8/22/96 Eligible For • All programs from Illinois Department of Human Services • Cash, Medicaid, Food Stamps
Qualified Immigrants Who Arrive After 8/22/96 • Distinction between LPRs and other Qualified Immigrants • Other Qualified Immigrants Eligible For Cash, Medical, Food Stamps • Refugees, asylees, and those whose deportation is being withheld. • Lawfully present active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their spouses and dependent children. • Lawfully present veterans with an honorable discharge and their spouses and dependent children.
LPR’s Who Arrive After 8/22/96 • 5 year bar on cash, medical, Food Stamps • Exception for: • Under 19 eligible for Kidcare and Food Stamps. • Disabled or blind eligible for Food Stamps. • Individuals who can be credited with 40 quarters eligible for Food Stamps.
Special Eligibility For Certain Abused Noncitizens • LPR or Petition for Status Pending • Spouse, widow, or child of U.S. Citizen or LPR • Abused by that person or relative that lives with the person • Needs the Assistance • No longer lives with the person or plans to separate within a month of receiving assistance • Citizenship requirements for Cash, Food Stamps, and Medical waived
Any Client Who Works, Attends High School, GED or ESL Classes, or VocationalTraining is Eligible for Child Care • Clients who attend college while working or volunteering (as part of their education program) are also eligible for child care. • Clients do not apply at IDHS, apply through the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency • (877) 202-4453 • Can also get help with finding child care. • Most clients will have a copay. • Often relatives can receive payments for providing care.
Medical Assistance For Children • Children under age 19 are eligible for medical assistance if the household income is at or below 185% of the poverty level. • Parents whose have health insurance for their children may be eligible for a rebate of part of their health insurance premium payments. • Apply at IDHS • Some public health clinics and community organizations are also application agents.
Emergency Medical Care • Available to anyone • Regardless of Citizenship • Still must meet a category of medical coverage • Parent with child • Child • Disabled • 65 or over
Pregnant Women, Regardless of their Immigration Status, are Eligible For Medicaid.
Hotline • A free service of the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago • Serves Cook County Residents • 1-888-8Welfare (893-5327)