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Public Benefits

Public Benefits. An Overview. Where?. Illinois Department of Human Services Approx. 24 offices in Cook County Office based on Zip Code Can locate office from IDHS web page http://www.dhs.state.il.us/. Applications . Applications Must Be Taken The Same Day Client Requests Services

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Public Benefits

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  1. Public Benefits An Overview

  2. Where? • Illinois Department of Human Services • Approx. 24 offices in Cook County • Office based on Zip Code • Can locate office from IDHS web page • http://www.dhs.state.il.us/

  3. Applications • Applications Must Be Taken The Same Day Client Requests Services • Only a signature required • One application is for all programs • Applicants Are Given A Return Date For Eligibility Appointment and to Bring Back Documents • Individuals Must Be Screened For Emergency Food Stamps on the Day They Apply

  4. How Are Benefits Accessed? • Link Card • For Cash and Food Stamps • Works like a debit card • Use at ATM’s or certain grocery stores • Fees for use at ATM’s • 2 free withdrawals and 2 free balance inquiries per month • Accounts become stale after 90 days of inactivity • Medical Card • Mailed each month

  5. What are we talking about? Food Stamps Cash Medical Childcare Child Support

  6. Food Stamps • Almost everyone qualifies – just need to be poor • Some citizenship rules apply • Only program with emergency benefits • No address necessary • People who prepare and purchase food together are considered one Food Stamp household. • Spouses must always be together. • If you live with your parents, must be included until age 22. • Under 18 must be included with the adult you live with. • Work Program “Earnfare” For Adults Without Children in Their Care

  7. Expedited Food Stamps • Only have to prove identity and: • Income and liquid assets less than rent and utilities or • Income less than $100 and liquid assets less than $150 for month of application • 5 calendar days for expedited benefits

  8. Cash • Temporary Assistance To Needy Families “TANF” • For families with related children 18 and under • Pregnant Women • Eligible as soon as pregnancy confirmed • General Assistance • Families who are guardians • Individuals without children • Aid to Aged,Blind, and Disabled

  9. Medical • Medicaid • KidCare • FamilyCare • Transitional Assistance Medical

  10. Other General Eligibility Requirements • Verification of Income, Resources, Living Expenses • Caseworkers Must Assist for Third-party Verifications • Cooperation with Child Support • Domestic Violence, Rape, Incest Exceptions • No Knowledge Exception

  11. Single Adults In Chicago Can Get Transitional Assistance Cash Benefits • $100 a month • And a TA medical card • Covers many prescription drugs • Age 55 or over with little earnings • Prescribed medication for seizures, high blood pressure, or diabetes • Under age 20 and full- time in high school or vocational school • Homeless within past 6 months • Temporarily ill • Caring for someone who lives with you and needs full -time care due to a medical condition. • Applicants for SSI may qualify for P-3 • $100 plus Medicaid card

  12. Transitional Assistance Medical • Covers prescription medications • Does not cover hospital services • Covers physician services – not provided at a hospital • P-3 TA receives regular Medicaid

  13. GA Family • Legal guardians and their children • Same grant level as TANF • TA medical card for adult • Medicaid for the child

  14. Special Rules for TANF • Job Search while application pending • Responsibility and Services Plan (RASP) • Work and Training Requirements • 60-month Lifetime Limit • Family Cap • Teen Live with Relative Requirement • SSI recipients excluded from the TANF unit

  15. Special Populations • Limited English Proficiency • Must offer interpreter or use language line. • Should not use family member • Teen Parents • Can apply for anything • Parent’s income will be needed for TANF if under 18 or Food Stamps if under 22. • Assigned to Teen Parent Liaison

  16. Job Search For Applicants • Must assess for barriers • Must offer childcare and transportation referral • Front Door Partners

  17. Responsibility And Services Plan • Comprehensive • Outlines Tasks • Must Be Signed • Should Be Given Copy • Can Be Appealed

  18. Work and Training Requirements • 30 hours per week (35 for two-parent households) • 2/3 of Earnings Disregarded • Vocational School, GED, or Post-Secondary education can be acceptable alternative • Most people enrolled in Work First • Pay-for-performance (Cash and Food Stamps added together and divided by minimum wage) • Supportive Services Provided • Transportation funds, childcare payments

  19. Barriers for TANF Job Program Requirements • Disability • Child under age 1 • Caring for someone with disabilities • If not spouse or child, must apply to DORS or DOA • Domestic Violence

  20. 60 Month Life-Time Limit • Applies to any month an adult (age 18 or over) receives TANF. • When the adult reaches 60 months, the adult and his/her children are ineligible for TANF if they reside together. • Family still eligible for Food Stamps and medical

  21. Stopping The 60 Month Clock • Work 30 hours or more per week (35 if couple) • Approved degree program • Caring for disabled child or spouse • Domestic Violence exclusion

  22. Extending The 60 Month Clock • SSI application pending and probably eligible • Medical condition makes client unable to engage in 30 hours per week of work • Intensive Program Involvement • Domestic violence, homeless services, substance abuse, mental health • Approved Education and Training program • Must be expected to complete within 6 months • Disabled Spouse or Child

  23. Family Cap • TANF benefits do not increase if another child is born to a family already receiving TANF • As of January 1, 2004, cap will not apply to additional children born • Current children can remain capped until no later than July 1, 2007

  24. Teen Live With Relative Requirement • Teen Parents or pregnant (under 18) must live with relative • Exceptions exist • Health and safety, parent refuses to allow the child to remain, parent abuses drugs, teen has been out of home for year • New statute allows 6 month grace period.

  25. Sanctions • Cash Benefits Only • For Work Program Violations and Child Support Non-Cooperation • Reconciliation Must be Offered • Can demonstrate ‘good cause’ or agree to cooperate • Progressive • Level 1: 50% of entire grant until cooperate • Level 2: 50% for 3 months must cooperate • Level 3: 100% for 3 months must cooperate

  26. Terminations • Missed Redetermination Appointment or Failed to Return Form • Missed Special Appointment • Unable To Locate Client • WorkFirst Noncooperation • Cash only • Called a SWAP

  27. Crisis Assistance • Available to TANF families and TANF eligible families • Processed in 5 days, including TANF application. • Your family is being evicted for any reason, • Voucher up to $250 • You are homeless because of fire, flood or other natural disaster, • You have been forced to move because your landlord failed to provide essential services such as heat, • You had to leave your home because of physical abuse by a person who still occupies the home, • You need furniture, clothing, and/or household supplies due to fire, flood, or other natural disaster, • Your family is deprived food or needed clothing because of lost or stolen cash.

  28. Child Support for Non-Custodial Parents • Order must be modified if income changes • Contact DCSE • 312-793-7987

  29. Child Support • Recipients of TANF get $50 pass through if support is paid. State keeps the rest. • If current support plus $50 is more than the TANF grant, TANF stopped and child support is paid directly.

  30. AABD Benefits For Some Disabled Individuals • Must be receiving SSI or not eligible for SSI due to income • must be disabled or • age 65 or older • Immigrant found not disabled by the Social Security Administration • must be 65 or older and • a Legal Permanent Resident who was legally residing in the U.S. on 8/22/96 • Needs based

  31. General Rules

  32. One Application at IDHS Covers All Programs

  33. Time Lines • Cash, Medical • 45 days • 60 days for disability determination • Food Stamps • 30 days • Emergency Food Stamps 5 calendar days

  34. Disputes • Appeals • Actions or Inactions with the case • 800-435-0774 • 60 days cash or medical • 90 days Food Stamps • Appeals filed on or before “Date of Change” keep the status quo. • Can reapply while appeal pending • Judicial Review • 35 days for cash and medical • 6 months for Food Stamps • Grievances • Treatment by an IDHS employee • Hearings for both held at the local office

  35. Overpayments - Cash • Cash • Recoupment – 10% usually • Tax intercepts • Administrative garnishment of state employees' salaries

  36. Food Stamp Overpayments • Food Stamps • Administrative Error or Inadvertent Error • 10% recoupment • Intentional Program Violation • Administrative Disqualification Hearing required or waiver. • 20 % recoupment • 12 month disqualification for first violation, 24 months for second violation, permanent disqualification for third violation • Offset of other benefits • SSI exempt • $9000 exempt annually

  37. Overpayments Continued • Court Suits • fraud penalties • double recovery • permanent bar if two fraud findings. • 10 year TANF bar if convicted of welfare fraud involving simultaneous receipt of benefits in more than one state. • Don’t forget bankruptcy as a possible remedy.

  38. Welfare Reform Created Two Distinctions Among Immigrants • Immigrants Who Arrived (either legally or illegally) on or before 8/22/96 • Immigrants Who Arrived After 8/22/96

  39. Qualified Immigrants • Refugees, asylees, and those whose deportation is being withheld. • Lawfully present active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their spouses and dependent children. • Lawfully present veterans with an honorable discharge and their spouses and dependent children. • Legal Permanent Residents

  40. Qualified Immigrants Who Arrived on or Before 8/22/96 Eligible For • All programs from Illinois Department of Human Services • Cash, Medicaid, Food Stamps

  41. Qualified Immigrants Who Arrive After 8/22/96 • Distinction between LPRs and other Qualified Immigrants • Other Qualified Immigrants Eligible For Cash, Medical, Food Stamps • Refugees, asylees, and those whose deportation is being withheld. • Lawfully present active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their spouses and dependent children. • Lawfully present veterans with an honorable discharge and their spouses and dependent children.

  42. LPR’s Who Arrive After 8/22/96 • 5 year bar on cash, medical, Food Stamps • Exception for: • Under 19 eligible for Kidcare and Food Stamps. • Disabled or blind eligible for Food Stamps. • Individuals who can be credited with 40 quarters eligible for Food Stamps.

  43. Special Eligibility For Certain Abused Noncitizens • LPR or Petition for Status Pending • Spouse, widow, or child of U.S. Citizen or LPR • Abused by that person or relative that lives with the person • Needs the Assistance • No longer lives with the person or plans to separate within a month of receiving assistance • Citizenship requirements for Cash, Food Stamps, and Medical waived

  44. Any Client Who Works, Attends High School, GED or ESL Classes, or VocationalTraining is Eligible for Child Care • Clients who attend college while working or volunteering (as part of their education program) are also eligible for child care. • Clients do not apply at IDHS, apply through the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency • (877) 202-4453 • Can also get help with finding child care. • Most clients will have a copay. • Often relatives can receive payments for providing care.

  45. Medical Assistance For Children • Children under age 19 are eligible for medical assistance if the household income is at or below 185% of the poverty level. • Parents whose have health insurance for their children may be eligible for a rebate of part of their health insurance premium payments. • Apply at IDHS • Some public health clinics and community organizations are also application agents.

  46. Emergency Medical Care • Available to anyone • Regardless of Citizenship • Still must meet a category of medical coverage • Parent with child • Child • Disabled • 65 or over

  47. Pregnant Women, Regardless of their Immigration Status, are Eligible For Medicaid.

  48. Hotline • A free service of the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago • Serves Cook County Residents • 1-888-8Welfare (893-5327)

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