S-1242.2                   _______________________________________________

                                                     SENATE BILL 5729

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senator Rinehart

Read first time 02/10/93.  Referred to Committee on Health & Human Services.

Changing the family emergency assistance program.

          AN ACT Relating to the family emergency assistance program; amending RCW 74.04.660; and repealing RCW 74.14C.065.

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

        Sec. 1.  RCW 74.04.660 and 1989 c 11 s 26 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 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) ((In determining eligibility for this program, the department shall consider all cash resources as being available to meet need.

          (4))) (a) The department shall, by rule, establish assistance standards and eligibility criteria for this program in accordance with this section.  ((Eligibility for this program does not automatically entitle a recipient to medical assistance.))

(b) Eligibility standards and resource levels for this program ((shall be stricter than the standards for eligibility and resource levels for the aid to families with dependent children program.

          (5))) may be income up to one hundred percent of the federal poverty level, without 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((.  If)) as long as other departmental programs are not adversely affected by the receipt of federal funds ((would require a reduction of funds available to households not receiving aid to families with dependent children below the amount of state funds appropriated for this program, the department may operate a program utilizing only state funds unless the aid to families with dependent children additional requirement program is substantially reduced in scope)).

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  RCW 74.14C.065 and 1992 c 214 s 11 are each repealed.

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