EMERGENCY RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Effective Date of Rule: April 29, 2011.
Purpose: The department is proposing to amend by emergency adoption WAC 388-432-0005 to reduce diversion cash assistance (DCA) from $1250.00 to $1000.00 in a twelve month period through the remainder of fiscal year 2011.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-432-0005.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.57 [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: HB 3225 approved by the legislature during the December 11, 2010, special session 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 remainder of SFY 2011. The 2011 supplemental omnibus operating budget detail associated with HB 3225 includes a reduction to DCA to meet $856,000 of the department's GF-S reduction in appropriations from the 2011 supplemental omnibus operating budget. This savings is achieved by decreasing DCA from $1250 to $1000. It is essential to maintain the continued reduction of the maximum DCA benefit through the remainder of SFY 2011, as this reduction is necessary to achieve a balanced WorkFirst budget for the current fiscal year. The department has filed a CR-101, preproposal statement of inquiry, on April 20, 2011, as WSR 11-09-087 to propose changes in the DCA program.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: April 21, 2011.
Katherine I. Vasquez
Rules Coordinator
4267.1(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.]