425-3        PROCEDURES FOR INITIAL BLINDNESS OR DISABILITY DECISIONS

425-3 A.   BLIND OR DISABLED APPLICANTS WHO HAVE BEEN FOUND ELIGIBLE FOR SSASocial Security Administration , AND DO NOT APPEAR ELIGIBLE FOR SSISupplemental Security Income

SSASocial Security Administration disability requirements are the same asAlaska Statute the disability requirements for the SSISupplemental Security Income and APAAdult Public Assistance programs.  Persons who have been determined eligible to receive SSASocial Security Administration disability benefits also meet the blind or disabled criteria for APAAdult Public Assistance .   SSA usually requires a five-month waiting period from the date that they determine the disability began before they begin to pay disability benefits.  Persons who are eligible for SSASocial Security Administration disability include individuals who are serving their five-month waiting period.  Persons who are eligible for SSASocial Security Administration disability who do not appear income eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income are not required to apply for SSISupplemental Security Income .

The case worker must verify that eligibility for SSASocial Security Administration disability exists.   APA benefits are then authorized if the individual meets all other factors of eligibility for the APAAdult Public Assistance program.

425-3 B.   BLIND OR DISABLED APPLICANTS WHO APPEAR ELIGIBLE FOR SSISupplemental Security Income

Individuals in this category include persons who appear eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income benefits asAlaska Statute well asAlaska Statute persons who may be eligible for both SSASocial Security Administration Disability benefits and for SSISupplemental Security Income benefits.

Applicants in this category are not eligible for APAAdult Public Assistance or Medicaid benefits while awaiting an SSISupplemental Security Income eligibility decision, but may be eligible for Interim Assistance.  To receive Interim Assistance benefits, these applicants must meet the eligibility requirements described in manual section 426-2.

425-3 C.   BLIND OR DISABLED APPLICANTS WHO DO NOT APPEAR ELIGIBLE FOR SSISupplemental Security Income AND HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED ELIGIBLE FOR SSASocial Security Administration DISABILITY

Applicants in this category include persons who do not appear eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income and who have applied for and are waiting for an SSASocial Security Administration disability determination.  It also includes individuals who do not appear eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income and have previously been determined ineligible for SSASocial Security Administration disability for a reason other than lack of blindness or disability.

These applicants are not eligible for Interim Assistance because they are not financially eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income .  (See section 426-2B.)  They must meet all APAAdult Public Assistance eligibility requirements except for a finding of blindness or disability.  The blindness or disability is determined by the DDSDisability Determination Service .  The APAAdult Public Assistance /Medicaid application must be pended for a DDSDisability Determination Service determination.

AsAlaska Statute a condition of eligibility, each applicant in this category must provide all of the following completed forms:

1. APA 4Disability and Vocational Report, "Disability and Vocational Report" and
   
   
2. MED 2Medical Release of Information Form, "Medical Release of Information".

Once the applicant provides the required forms, follow the procedures listed below:

Document the receipt of the APA 4Disability and Vocational Report and MED 2Medical Release of Information Form in the case file and complete the agency portion of the APA 4Disability and Vocational Report.

Immediately mail all forms, along with a completed form GEN 141Referral for Disability Determination, Referral for Disability Determination, and any other related medical/social/work history materials, to:
 

Disability Determination Services

Attn:   DPA Adjudicator

619 East Ship Creek, Suite 305

Anchorage, AK 99501

The district office will maintain a log of all disability determination requests it sends to the DDSDisability Determination Service.

The DDSDisability Determination Service, under an agreement with the Division of Public Assistance, will issue a decision:  blind/disabled, not blind/disabled, or failed to cooperate.

The DDSDisability Determination Service will send its decision back to the district office.  The district office will log the DDSDisability Determination Service decision and forward it to the case worker.

The case worker will promptly:

• Approve the application and authorize full APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid benefits if the DDSDisability Determination Service has decided the individual is blind or disabled, and the individual meets all other eligibility factors of the APAAdult Public Assistance program.  To determine the benefit start dates for APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid, refer to manual section 410-7; or
  
  
• Deny the application if the DDSDisability Determination Service has decided the individual is not blind or disabled; or
  
  
• Deny the application if the individual has failed to cooperate with the DDSDisability Determination Service in the process of determining blindness or disability; or
  
  
• Deny the application if the individual is not eligible for APAAdult Public Assistance for any other reason.