480-3 CHANGES
480-3 A. AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTING ON CHANGES
It is the responsibility of DPA to act promptly upon information from any source if that information might affect a recipient's continued eligibility or benefit amount. The case worker shall investigate any information that might affect a recipient's eligibility or benefit amount and, if necessary, adjust the amount of assistance or suspend or terminate assistance as necessary. Action on changes must be taken within 10 days of the date the change becomes known to DPA .
480-3 B. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT CHANGES
An APA client, or an individual acting on the client's behalf, must report any change in circumstances that may affect the client's eligibility or benefit amount. All changes that a client is required to report must be reported within 10 days of the date the client knows of the change. Changes reported within 10 days from the date the change actually occurred are considered timely. The client may report these changes in person, by telephone, or by mail, to the nearest Public Assistance Office.
Changes that a client must report include, but are not limited to, any:
Change in mailing or residence address;
Movement of a spouse or child into or out of the household;
Change in amount or source of countable income in the household;
Change in countable resources of the household;
Change in eligibility of a household member for other benefits which might affect APA eligibility or benefit level;
Death of a household member which might affect APA eligibility or benefit level;
Change in the marital status of a household member which might affect APA eligibility or benefit level;
Change in school attendance of a blind or disabled student child which might affect APA eligibility or benefit level;
Significant improvement in the condition of a blind or disabled person;
Refusal of an applicant or recipient to accept vocational rehabilitation services;
Departure of an applicant or recipient, or the applicant's or recipient's spouse or child, from the State, the United States, or both;
Refusal of the applicant or recipient to accept or to continue prescribed treatment for drug addiction or alcoholism;
Admission of the applicant or recipient, or the applicant's or recipient's spouse, to or discharge from a public institution, hospital, or nursing home;
Approval or disapproval of Social Security benefits, or a change in SSI appeal status for the applicant or recipient, or the applicant's or recipient's spouse or child.
480-3 c. EFFECTIVE DATES OF CHANGES
1. CHANGES THAT RESULT IN INCREASED BENEFITS
Changes that result in increased benefits are effective the first day of the month of the agency's receipt of the report of change, unless the change was not reported timely.
NOTE:
If the household reports a change timely and submits any necessary verification by the date requested, the caseworker must recalculate the benefit amount and issue a supplemental payment for the month the change was reported.
Example 1- Change reported timely:
Abbie reports on August 7 that her temporary job ended at the end of July. The caseworker verifies with the employer that the job ended on July 28 and the last pay was received July 31. The caseworker may issue a supplement for August.
Example 2 - Change not reported timely:
Zeus reports on March 16 that his temporary job ended in January. The caseworker increases the benefits beginning April because the change was not reported timely.
2. CHANGES THAT RESULT IN DECREASED BENEFITS
Changes that result in decreased benefits are effective the first of the month following the adverse action period. When the change is not reported timely, overpayments may be necessary (see APA MS 482-2).
Example 1- Change reported timely:
Nick reports on July 14 that he started a job on July 10. The caseworker decreases the benefit August 1.
Example 2- Change not reported timely:
Oscar reports on October 5 that he started a job on August 31. If the change had been reported timely, the first of the decreased benefits would have been October. An overpayment is processed for October and ongoing benefits decrease effective November 1.
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