Purpose: To amend WAC 388-400-0005 Who is eligible for temporary assistance for needy families? and 388-400-0025 General assistance -- Unemployable -- General eligibility requirements, which are rules related to eligibility for the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) and General assistance -- Unemployable programs. These summary rules are being updated to reflect changes under the department's simplified reporting initiative.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-400-0005 and 388-400-0025.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510.

     Other Authority: SB 6411 (chapter 54, Laws of 2004).

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 04-19-131 on September 21, 2004.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: November 3, 2004.

Brian H. Lindgren, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

     (a) Can be in a TANF/SFA assistance unit as allowed under WAC 388-408-0015 through 388-408-0030;

     (b) Meet the citizenship/alien status requirements of WAC 388-424-0001;

     (c) Live in the state of Washington. A child must live with a caretaker relative, guardian, or custodian who meets the state residency requirements of WAC 388-468-0005;

     (d) Do not live in a public institution unless specifically allowed under RCW 74.08.025;

     (e) Meet TANF/SFA:

     (i) Income requirements under chapter 388-450 WAC;

     (ii) Resource requirements under chapter 388-470 WAC; and

     (iii) Transfer of property requirements under chapter 388-488 WAC.

     (f) Assign your rights to child support as required under WAC 388-422-0005;

     (g) Cooperate with the division of child support (DCS) as required under WAC 388-422-0010 by helping them:

     (i) Prove who is the father of children applying for or getting TANF or SFA; and

     (ii) Collect child support.

     (h) Tell us your Social Security number as required under WAC 388-476-0005;

     (i) Cooperate in a review of your eligibility as required under WAC 388-434-0005;

     (j) Cooperate in a quality assurance review as required under WAC 388-464-0001;

     (k) Participate in the WorkFirst program as required under chapter 388-310 WAC; ((and))

     (l) Report changes of circumstances as required under WAC 388-418-0005; and

     (m) Complete a six-month report and provide proof of any changes as required under WAC 388-418-0011.

     (2) If you are an adult and do not have a child living with you, you must be pregnant and meet the requirements of WAC 388-462-0010.

     (3) If you are an unmarried pregnant teen or teen parent:

     (a) Your living arrangements must meet the requirements of WAC 388-486-0005; and

     (b) You must attend school as required under WAC 388-486-0010.

     (4) In addition to rules listed in subsection (1) of this section, a child must meet the following rules to get TANF:

     (a) Meet the age requirements under WAC 388-404-0005; and

     (b) Live in the home of a relative, court-ordered guardian, court-ordered custodian, or other adult acting in loco parentis as required under WAC 388-454-0005; or

     (c) If the child lives with a parent or other adult relative that provides care for the child, that adult cannot have used up their sixty-month lifetime limit of TANF or SFA cash benefits as defined in WAC 388-484-0005.

     (5) You cannot get TANF if you have been:

     (a) Convicted of certain felonies and other crimes under WAC 388-442-0010; or

     (b) Convicted of unlawful practices to get public assistance under WAC 388-446-0005 or 388-446-0010.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090. 04-15-057, § 388-400-0005, filed 7/13/04, effective 8/13/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, 2000 2nd sp.s. c 1. 01-03-121, § 388-400-0005, filed 1/22/01, effective 3/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, and 74.04.510. 00-05-007, § 388-400-0005, filed 2/4/00, effective 3/6/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-400-0005, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

     (a) ((You)) Are incapacitated as required under WAC 388-448-0010 through 388-448-0120;

     (b) ((You)) Are at least eighteen years old or, if under eighteen, a member of a married couple;

     (c) ((You)) Are in financial need according to GAU income and resource rules in chapters 388-450, 388-470 and 388-488 WAC;

     (d) ((You)) Meet the general assistance citizenship/alien status requirements under WAC 388-424-0015(2);

     (e) ((You)) Provide a Social Security number as required under WAC 388-476-0005;

     (f) ((You)) Reside in the state of Washington as required under WAC 388-468-0005;

     (g) ((You)) Undergo a treatment and referral assessment as provided under WAC 388-448-0130 through 388-448-0150;

     (h) ((You)) Assign interim assistance as provided under WAC 388-448-0210;

     (i) Report changes of circumstances as required under WAC 388-418-0005; and

     (j) Complete a six-month report and provide proof of any changes as required under WAC 388-418-0011.

     (2) You cannot get GAU benefits if:

     (a) You are eligible for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) benefits;

     (b) You are eligible for state family assistance (SFA) benefits unless you are not eligible under WAC 388-400-0010;

     (c) You have the ability to, but refuse to meet a TANF or SFA eligibility rule;

     (d) You are eligible for supplemental security income (SSI) benefits;

     (e) You are an ineligible spouse of an SSI recipient; or

     (f) You were denied benefits or your benefits were terminated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for failing to follow a SSI program rule or application requirement.

     (3) The assistance unit will be established according to WAC 388-408-0010.

     (4) You may be eligible for GAU if you reside in a public institution. A "public institution" is an institution that is supported by public funds, and a governmental unit either is responsible for it or exercises administrative control over it. Your eligibility will depend upon the type of institution you are in.

     (a) If you reside in a public institution and are otherwise eligible for GAU, you may be eligible for general assistance if you are:

     (i) A patient in a public medical institution; or

     (ii) A patient in a public mental institution and are:

     (A) Sixty-five years of age or older; or

     (B) Twenty years of age or younger.

     (b) You are not eligible for GAU when you are in the custody of or confined in a public institution such as a state penitentiary or county jail including placement:

     (i) In a work release program; or

     (ii) Outside of the institution.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090. 04-15-057, § 388-400-0025, filed 7/13/04, effective 8/13/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.057, 74.08.090. 00-15-017, § 388-400-0025, filed 7/10/00, effective 9/1/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-400-0025, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

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