Overview of Income Overview of Income Maintenance ProgramsMaintenance Programs

2012 Copyright Monica Bogucki2012 Copyright Monica Bogucki

Need Based ProgramsNeed Based Programs

1. 1. Is the client categorically eligible?Is the client categorically eligible?

2. 2. Is the client financially eligibleIs the client financially eligible??Is the client within income limits?Is the client within income limits?Is the client within assets limits?Is the client within assets limits?

The income and asset limits The income and asset limits are different for every are different for every program.program.

Public Interest LawyersPublic Interest Lawyers

Recognizing need based Recognizing need based programs-income and asset programs-income and asset limitslimits

Recognizing clients’ eligibility for Recognizing clients’ eligibility for programsprograms

Recognizing special benefits of Recognizing special benefits of programs-such as the family programs-such as the family violence waiver for MFIP-Sviolence waiver for MFIP-S

Government Benefit ProgramsGovernment Benefit ProgramsFor Families

▪MFIP-S-monthly cash assistance MFIP-S-monthly cash assistance program for familiesprogram for families

▪Food StampsFood Stamps▪Medical AssistanceMedical Assistance▪EBT Cards link in Minn.EBT Cards link in Minn.▪http://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/http://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/

lfserver/Legacy/DHS-3315A-ENGlfserver/Legacy/DHS-3315A-ENG

Government Benefit Programs Government Benefit Programs

▪General AssistanceGeneral Assistance▪Food Stamps Food Stamps ▪General Assistance Medical General Assistance Medical

CoverageCoverage

▪For individual or couples For individual or couples without childrenwithout children

General AssistanceGeneral Assistance

Sixteen different categories for Sixteen different categories for eligibilityeligibility

Minn. Stat. 256D.05Minn. Stat. 256D.05

Food StampsFood Stamps

Federal Funding-United States Federal Funding-United States Department of AgricultureDepartment of Agriculture

Cost of living adjustment every Cost of living adjustment every yearyear

Food StampsFood Stamps

Also available as a stand alone Also available as a stand alone programprogram

Underutilized-important to refer Underutilized-important to refer clients who eligibleclients who eligible

Food Support or Food StampsFood Support or Food Stamps

National National http://www.cbpp.org Food Research and Action CenterFood Research and Action Center http://www.frac.org

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-new nameSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-new name

\\

Food Stamp CalculatorFood Stamp Calculator

Example:Example: http://www.ndhealth.gov/dhs/foo

dstampcalculator

Government Benefits for Government Benefits for ImmigrantsImmigrants

Issue-Issue-Public ChargePublic Charge

Government Benefit Programs for Government Benefit Programs for EmergenciesEmergencies

▪MFIP-Emergency AssistanceMFIP-Emergency Assistance▪Varies by countyVaries by county

▪Emergency General AssistanceEmergency General Assistance▪Emergency Minnesota Supplemental Emergency Minnesota Supplemental

Assistance (this is now merged into the Assistance (this is now merged into the Emergency General Assistance Program.Emergency General Assistance Program.

What kinds of emergencies do these What kinds of emergencies do these programs cover?programs cover?

▪Mortgage foreclosureMortgage foreclosure▪EvictionEviction▪Damage depositDamage deposit▪First and last months rentFirst and last months rent

More EmergenciesMore Emergencies

▪Utility shut-offUtility shut-off▪Homeless shelterHomeless shelter▪Broken furnaceBroken furnace▪FireFire▪FloodFlood▪Other health and safety repairs on Other health and safety repairs on

the housethe house

Disability Programs through Social Disability Programs through Social Security AdministrationSecurity Administration

▪Supplemental Security Income Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI)Program (SSI)

▪Retirement, Survivors, Disability Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance (RSDI)Insurance (RSDI)

Low Income Families Who are WorkingLow Income Families Who are Working

▪May qualify for programs such as:May qualify for programs such as:▪Food stampsFood stamps▪Minnesota CareMinnesota Care▪Emergency AssistanceEmergency Assistance

Social Security Administration Social Security Administration Disability ProgramsDisability Programs

Supplemental Security Income Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI)-Need based Program (SSI)-Need based programprogram

Retirement, Survivors, Disability Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance program-not need Insurance program-not need based (RSDI)based (RSDI)

www.ssa.gov

SSA Disability Programs and SSA Disability Programs and Medical CoverageMedical Coverage SSI and Medical Assistance SSI and Medical Assistance

(Medicaid)(Medicaid) RSDI and MedicareRSDI and Medicare No time limitNo time limit Important to shift clients from Important to shift clients from

MFIP to SSI/RSDI if the client is MFIP to SSI/RSDI if the client is qualified qualified

Also means more money for the Also means more money for the familyfamily

Unemployment Insurance or Unemployment Insurance or Reemployment InsuranceReemployment Insurance

State administered and State administered and employer fundedemployer funded

Minnesota Department of Minnesota Department of Economic SecurityEconomic Security

Minnesota Supplemental AidMinnesota Supplemental Aid

Supplemental monthly cash Supplemental monthly cash grant for grant for Elderly and DisabledElderly and Disabled

State funded and county State funded and county administered programadministered program

Appeal RightsAppeal RightsClient has a right to appeal most unfavorable

actions such as:

▪Termination of benefitsTermination of benefits▪Reduction of benefitsReduction of benefits▪Suspension of benefitsSuspension of benefits▪Delay in processing benefitsDelay in processing benefits▪SanctionsSanctions

Appeal Time linesAppeal Time lines

▪Vary by programVary by program▪Must move quickly to get continued Must move quickly to get continued

benefits pending appealbenefits pending appeal

Clients may have many workersClients may have many workers

▪Financial workerFinancial worker▪Job counselorJob counselor▪Child care providerChild care provider▪Child care subsidy workerChild care subsidy worker▪School, special educationSchool, special education▪Court system: Social workers, Court system: Social workers,

Probation officersProbation officers▸Child protection workersChild protection workers

In Your PracticeIn Your Practice

What benefit programs are you clients What benefit programs are you clients and their family members receiving?and their family members receiving?

Have clients bring in all of their written Have clients bring in all of their written noticesnotices

If client cannot remember what If client cannot remember what programs-ask client where they go for programs-ask client where they go for their benefitstheir benefits

Get the name of the clients’ work, Get the name of the clients’ work, including phone number and case including phone number and case numbernumber

Do they have an EBT card?Do they have an EBT card?

General AssistanceGeneral Assistance

Categorical Eligibility ExercisesCategorical Eligibility Exercises

Minn. Stat. 256D.05Minn. Stat. 256D.05