Z-1039.4  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6584

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      53rd Legislature     1994 Regular Session

By Senator Rinehart; by request of Department of Social and Health Services

Read first time 02/01/94.  Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

Providing benefits under the family emergency assistance program.

    AN ACT Relating to the family emergency assistance program; and amending RCW 74.04.660.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 74.04.660 and 1993 c 63 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    The department shall establish a consolidated emergency assistance program for families with children.  Assistance may be provided in accordance with this section.

    (1) Benefits provided under this program shall ((not be provided for more than two months of assistance in)) be limited to one period of time, as determined by the department, within any consecutive twelve-month period.

    (2) Benefits under this program shall be provided to alleviate emergent conditions resulting from insufficient income and resources to provide for:  Food, shelter, clothing, medical care, or other necessary items, as defined by the department.  Benefits may also be provided for family reconciliation services, family preservation services, home-based services, short-term substitute care in a licensed agency as defined in RCW 74.15.020, crisis nurseries, therapeutic child care, or other necessary services as defined by the department.  Benefits shall be provided only in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of the specific need, subject to the limitations established in this section.

    (3)(a) The department shall, by rule, establish assistance standards and eligibility criteria for this program in accordance with this section.

    (b) ((Eligibility standards and resource levels for this program may be income up to one hundred percent of the federal poverty level, and may include consideration of resource levels.

    (c))) Eligibility for benefits or services under this section does not automatically entitle a recipient to medical assistance.

    (4) The department shall seek federal emergency assistance funds to supplement the state funds appropriated for the operation of this program as long as other departmental programs are not adversely affected by the receipt of federal funds.

    (5) If state funds appropriated for the consolidated emergency assistance program are exhausted, the department may discontinue the program.

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