HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 665

BYRepresentatives Grimm, Locke, B. Williams, Dellwo, Brekke, Appelwick, Ebersole, Heavey, Niemi, Lewis, Pruitt, Leonard, Wang, H. Sommers, Winsley, Scott and Todd

Establishing a pilot supplemental security income referral program.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (8)

     Signed by Representatives Brekke, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Leonard, Moyer, H. Sommers, Sutherland, Wang and Winsley.

Minority Report:     Do not pass.  (1)

     Signed by Representative Padden.

House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7132)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means

Majority Report:     The substitute bill by Committee on Human Services as further amended by Committee on Ways & Means do pass.  (28)

     Signed by Representatives Grimm, Chair; Bristow, Vice Chair; Allen, Appelwick, Basich, Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Ebersole, Fuhrman, Grant, Hine, Holland, Locke, Madsen, McLean, Nealey, Niemi, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Schoon, Silver, H. Sommers, Sprenkle, Taylor, Valle and B. Williams.

House Staff:    Sandi Gray (786-7154)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS MARCH 4, 1987

BACKGROUND:

With increasing General Assistance caseloads and decreasing state funding, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and outside groups have been encouraged to examine alternatives to the procedures followed in the current General Assistance program.  Increasing the successful referral rate to the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program would assist in alleviating the cost of the state General Assistance Program.  Pilot programs in other states, such as Massachusetts, utilizing a contracted program coordinator have proven highly successful in reducing General Assistance costs. In Massachusetts, some $5,500,000 in net savings was generated in three years, 1983-85.

It is suggested that a pilot program for SSI referrals be implemented in Washington State to evaluate the impact of such a program on General Assistance expenditures.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Many General Assistance recipients have long-term disabilities that would qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) but may need increased assistance in making a successful application for that federal program.  A pilot SSI referral program is established July 1, 1987 in three sites.  Each pilot Community Service Office in the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) shall have an SSI program facilitator. The facilitator's responsibilities include informing all General Assistance applicants and recipients of the federal program, assisting them in gathering necessary medical information, referring denied persons to legal representatives to facilitate the appeal process and educating physicians and other medical professions about SSI and needed medical information to qualify for SSI benefits.

A DSHS-contracted program coordinator is required.  The coordinator has the following duties:  (1) establishing a qualified referral panel of legal practitioners available to General Assistance applicants and recipients; (2) monitoring and evaluating the referral program in each community service office; (3) providing training for involved professionals; and (4) reporting to the Department of Social and Health Services by November 1, 1988 on the administration of the program and any suggested recommendations.

The Department of Social and Health Services shall report to the Ways and Means Committee of each house of the legislature by December 1, 1988 on the program outcome. Employees of the Department of Social and Health Services and the program coordinator are held harmless for negligent referrals.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The three urban pilot sites are changed to two urban and one rural.  Training is expanded to health care professionals, not just medical.  The $50,000 limit on contracted services is deleted.

EFFECT OF AMENDMENT BY WAYS & MEANS:  Appropriation is removed.

Fiscal Note:    Attached.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     (Human Services)  Representative Dan Grimm, Sponsor; Tony Lee, Catholic Conference; Barbara Baker, Legal Services of Washington; Peter McKee, National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives; and Phil Kaplan, Washington Poverty Law Advocates.

(Ways & Means)  Phil Kaplan, Washington Poverty Law Advocates.

House Committee - Testified Against: (Human Services)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     (Human Services)  Many General Assistance-Unemployable (GA-U) applicants and recipients are incapacitated for long periods of time and, more appropriately, should be receiving federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and federally linked Medicaid.  Expanding the successful referral rate to SSI will be beneficial to the state in saving state funds and be beneficial to the client in providing additional monies over and above the GA-U payment rate.

(Ways & Means)  Same as testimony in Human Services Committee.

House Committee - Testimony Against: (Human Services)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means)  None Presented.