Date of Adoption: July 17, 2000.

Purpose: The revision was done to meet the requirements of the WAC migration of Title 388 WAC and to meet the standards of Executive Order 97-02 for regulatory improvement. Chapter 388-255 WAC was repealed and rewritten as chapter 388-473 WAC.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 388-255-1020, 388-255-1050, 388-255-1100, 388-255-1150, 388-255-1200, 388-255-1250, and 388-255-1300.

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

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 00-12-081 on June 6, 2000.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 6, Amended 0, Repealed 7.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 6, Amended 0, Repealed 7. Effective Date of Rule: September 1, 2000.

July 17, 2000

Marie Myerchin-Redifer, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

For the purposes of this chapter, "we" and "us" refers to the department of social and health services. "You" refers to the applicant or recipient. An "ongoing additional requirement" is a continuing need that you have for which you require additional financial benefits in order to continue living independently.

     (1) We may authorize ongoing additional requirement benefits if you are:

     (a) Eligible for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), refugee or general assistance cash, or SSI payments; and

     (b) Aged, blind, or disabled.

     (2) You may apply for ongoing additional requirement benefits by asking for it from staff that maintain your cash or medical assistance.

     (3) We authorize ongoing additional requirement benefits only when we determine the item is essential to you. In deciding if you are eligible for ongoing additional requirement benefits, we consider and verify:

     (a) The circumstances that created the need; and

     (b) Your health, safety and ability to continue to live independently.

     (4) When we determine ongoing additional requirement benefits are needed, we:

     (a) Increase your cash assistance benefit to provide the additional benefits by monthly payment;

     (b) Periodically review whether you continue to need the additional benefits. We conduct this review at least:

     (i) Twice a year for TANF and refugee cash assistance recipients;

     (ii) Yearly for general assistance or SSI recipients when we decide the need is not likely to change; or

     (iii) More frequently if we expect your circumstances to change.

     (5) Monthly payment standards for ongoing additional requirements are described under WAC 388-478-0050.

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We authorize benefits for restaurant meals when we decide you are:

     (1) Physically or mentally unable to prepare meals;

     (2) A roomer and meals are not provided or your housing arrangement does not provide for or allow cooking: or

     (3) Homeless.

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We authorize benefits for home-delivered meals, such as meals on wheels, when we decide the following conditions are all true:

     (1) You cannot prepare all of your meals, and home-delivered meals are available;

     (2) You require help in preparing meals and getting home-delivered meals would ensure your nutrition or health;

     (3) Help in preparing meals is not available without cost to you; and

     (4) Board (or board and room) is not available to you or would cost you more than home-delivered meals.

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(1) A "service animal" is one that has been trained at a recognized school or training facility to provide you with assistance that is necessary for your health and safety, and that supports your ability to continue to live independently.

     (2) We authorize benefits for food for a service animal if we decide the animal assists you in your daily living as described in WAC 388-473-0040(1).

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We authorize benefits for telephone services when we decide:

     (1) Without a telephone, your life would be endangered, you could not live independently, or you would require a more expensive type of personal care; and

     (2) You have applied for the Washington telephone assistance program (WTAP) through your local telephone company.

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We authorize benefits for laundry when we decide:

     (1) You are not physically able to do your own laundry; or

     (2) You do not have laundry facilities that are accessible to you due to your physical limitations.

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     The following sections of the Washington Administrative Code are repealed:

WAC 388-255-1020	Additional requirements -- General provisions.
WAC 388-255-1050	Additional requirements -- Restaurant meals.
WAC 388-255-1100	Additional requirements -- Home-delivered meals (meals on wheels).
WAC 388-255-1150	Additional requirements -- Food for guide dog or service animal.
WAC 388-255-1200	Additional requirement -- Telephone.
WAC 388-255-1250	Additional requirements -- Laundry.
WAC 388-255-1300	Additional requirements -- Winterizing homes AFDC.

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