124-3         SSI Supplemental Security Income CHILDREN AND YOUTH    

SSI Supplemental Security Income children are categorically eligible for Medicaid and are registered as Medicaid-only (ME Medicaid-AD Aid to the Disabled) cases in EIS Eligibility Information System.  These Medicaid-only cases are normally handled by a DPA Division of Public Assistance caseworker in the District Office responsible for the area where the child resides.  When an SSI Supplemental Security Income child is taken into OCS Office of Children's Services custody, the child’s DPA Division of Public Assistance Medicaid case must be closed and a separate Medicaid case established and handled by OCS Office of Children's Services Full Service Office 060.

A. SSI Supplemental Security Income CHILD TAKEN INTO OCS CUSTODY

1. When an SSI Supplemental Security Income child is taken into OCS Office of Children's Services custody, the OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician will email the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker responsible for handling the SSI Supplemental Security Income child’s ME Medicaid-AD Aid to the Disabled case.  

2. The DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker will then take action to close the child’s existing ME Medicaid-AD Aid to the Disabled case as soon as possible, preferably by the end of the month in which the child entered OCS Office of Children's Services custody.  A 10-day adverse action notice is not required to close the DPA Division of Public Assistance ME Medicaid-AD Aid to the Disabled case, only adequate notice.  

3. The OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician will then register a separate Medicaid case for the SSI child in Full Service Office 060, with the child as the PI Primary Information Person.  The benefit start date may begin the first day of the month after the effective date of custody.  If the DPA Division of Public Assistance ME Medicaid-AD Aid to the Disabled case cannot be closed right away, the benefit start date may begin the first day of the month after the DPA Division of Public Assistance ME Medicaid-AD Aid to the Disabled case closes.

4. The OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician should code the MERE screen on the OCS Office of Children's Services case with a DC subtype and a 54 Medical Eligibility Code.

B. SSI Supplemental Security Income CHILD LEAVES OCS Office of Children's Services CUSTODY BEFORE REACHING AGE 18

When an SSI Supplemental Security Income child leaves OCS Office of Children's Services custody before reaching age 18, the OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician will close the child’s Medicaid case in Full Service Office 060, and notify DPA Division of Public Assistance of the case closure by sending an email to DPA Division of Public Assistance’s Field Services Office (dpafield@alaska.gov) in Anchorage.  A Public Assistance Analyst in the Field Services Office will contact the most appropriate DPA Division of Public Assistance District Office so that the Medicaid case may be established or resumed within that office.

C. SSI Supplemental Security Income CHILD REACHES AGE 18 AND LEAVES OCS Office of Children's Services CUSTODY

An SSI Supplemental Security Income child who receives Medicaid becomes eligible for Adult Public Assistance benefits upon reaching age 18.  These children do not need to apply for APA Adult Public Assistance.  Instead, an APA Adult Public Assistance/Medicaid case must be opened for these children beginning with the date the child reaches age 18.  When an SSI Supplemental Security Income child is released from OCS Office of Children's Services custody upon reaching age 18, the following procedures apply:

Prior to closing out the OCS Office of Children's Services SSI Supplemental Security Income Case, OCS Office of Children's Services will:

• Petition the court to establish an adult guardian for the SSI Supplemental Security Income child if it is determined that a guardian is necessary. If the court has appointed an adult guardian, OCS Office of Children's Services will notify DPA Division of Public Assistance who the adult guardian is. If an adult guardian is not appointed, OCS Office of Children's Services will notify DPA Division of Public Assistance that an adult guardian has not been appointed;

• Establish a good physical mailing address for Medicaid coupons;

• Establish a good mailing address for APA Adult Public Assistance and potential FS Food Stamps benefits;

• If a Special Needs Trust is needed due to PFD Permanent Fund Dividend income or other monies, OCS Office of Children's Services will advise the youth, or the youth’s representative, about the possibility of continued SSI Supplemental Security Income, APA Adult Public Assistance, and Medicaid benefits through the use of a Special Needs Trust.  If a Special Needs Trust is established, OCS Office of Children's Services and/or the adult guardian will forward all trust paperwork to DPA Division of Public Assistance Policy in Juneau at dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

Only after all processes above are completed, the OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician will:

• Close the case in Full Service office 060; and

• Email DPA Division of Public Assistance Field Services at dpafield@alaska.gov requesting a new APA Adult Public Assistance/ME Medicaid case be established. The Public Assistance Analyst in Field Services will register and authorize APA Adult Public Assistance/ME Medicaid on a new case number and then CARC Case Record Control the case to the appropriate field office.

D. SSI Supplemental Security Income CHILD REACHES AGE 18 BUT REMAINS IN OCS CUSTODY

In some cases, an SSI Supplemental Security Income child may voluntarily remain in OCS Office of Children's Services custody beyond the age of 18.  In these situations, a separate APA Adult Public Assistance/Medicaid case must still be established by DPA Division of Public Assistance for the individual, but OCS Office of Children's Services remains responsible for reporting any changes and completing any paperwork requested by the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker.  The following procedures apply:

1. The OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician will close the child’s Medicaid case in Full Service Office 060, and notify DPA Division of Public Assistance of the case closure by sending an email to DPA Division of Public Assistance’s Field Services Office (dpafield@alaska.gov) in Anchorage.

2. A Public Assistance Analyst in the Field Services Office will CARC Case Record Control the case to a specialized caseload.

3. Once a separate APA Adult Public Assistance/Medicaid case is registered for the individual in EIS Eligibility Information System, the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker assigned to the case will contact the previous OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician to confirm the information needed to process and maintain the individual’s APA Adult Public Assistance /Medicaid cases with DPA Division of Public Assistance.  This information includes:

• APA Adult Public Assistance Payment.  While the individual remains in custody, OCS Office of Children's Services is the payee for the individual’s APA Adult Public Assistance payment.  A Protective Payee Agreement (APA 14) is not needed because OCS Office of Children's Services is legally responsible for the individual while he or she remains in OCS Office of Children's Services custody.  The individual’s APA Adult Public Assistance payment must be issued to:

Office of Children’s Services

PO Box 110630

Juneau, AK 99811

• Notices.  Notices and requests for information should be directed the mailing address used for the individual’s previous Medicaid case in Full Service Office 060.

• Medicaid Coupons.  Medicaid coupons should continue to be sent to the Medicaid benefit address used for the individual’s previous Medicaid case in Full Service Office 060.

4. When the individual is eventually released from OCS Office of Children's Services custody, OCS Office of Children's Services will:

1. • Petition the court to establish an adult guardian for the SSI Supplemental Security Income youth if it is determined that a guardian is necessary.  If the court has appointed an adult guardian, OCS Office of Children's Services will notify DPA Division of Public Assistance who the adult guardian is. If an adult guardian is not appointed, OCS Office of Children's Services will notify DPA Division of Public Assistance that an adult guardian has not been appointed;

   • Establish a good physical mailing address for Medicaid coupons;

1. • Establish a good mailing address for APA Adult Public Assistance and potential FS Food Stamps benefits;

1. • If a Special Needs Trust is needed due to PFD Permanent Fund Dividend income or other monies, OCS Office of Children's Services will advise the youth, or the youth’s representative, about the possibility of continued SSI Supplemental Security Income, APA Adult Public Assistance, and Medicaid benefits through the use of a Special Needs Trust.  If a Special Needs Trust is established, OCS Office of Children's Services and/or the adult guardian will forward all trust paperwork to DPA Division of Public Assistance Policy in Juneau at dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

After all processes in Step 4 are completed, the OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician will notify the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker assigned to the case so that all EIS Eligibility Information System screens can be updated.

E. SSI Supplemental Security Income YOUTH OVER AGE 18 RE-ENTERS OCS CUSTODY

In some cases, a youth who is receiving SSI Supplemental Security Income may re-enter OCS Office of Children's Services custody after their 18th birthday (or before their 18th birthday if they were emancipated).  In these situations, the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker continues to maintain the APA Adult Public Assistance/Medicaid case, and OCS Office of Children's Services is responsible for reporting any changes and completing any paperwork requested by the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker.  The following procedures apply:

1. OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician will email the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker responsible for handling the youth’s Medicaid case to notify them that the youth has been taken into custody.  

2. The DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker will continue to maintain the Medicaid case.

3. The DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker assigned to the case will contact the OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician to confirm the information needed to process and maintain the individual’s APA Adult Public Assistance/Medicaid cases with DPA Division of Public Assistance.  This information includes:

• APA Adult Public Assistance Payment.  

1. • If OCS Office of Children's Services has cost of care for the youth, the OCS Office of Children's Services caseworker will ask the youth to sign a Protective Payee Agreement (APA 14) naming OCS Office of Children's Services as the representative payee for APA Adult Public Assistance benefits.  OCS Office of Children's Services will forward the signed agreement to the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker.  When the signed agreement is received by DPA Division of Public Assistance, the individual’s APA Adult Public Assistance payment must be issued to:

Office of Children’s Services

PO Box 110630

Juneau, AK 99811

• If OCS Office of Children's Services does not have cost of care for the youth, the individual’s APA Adult Public Assistance payment will be issued directly to the youth.

• Notices.  Notices and requests for information should be sent to the mailing address used for the individual’s previous Medicaid case in Full Service Office 060.

• Medicaid Coupons.  Medicaid coupons should continue to be sent to the Medicaid benefit address used for the individual’s previous Medicaid case in Full Service Office 060.

4. When the individual is eventually released from OCS Office of Children's Services custody, OCS Office of Children's Services  will:

• Petition the court to establish an adult guardian for the SSI Supplemental Security Income youth if it is determined that a guardian is necessary.  If the court has appointed an adult guardian, OCS Office of Children's Services will notify DPA Division of Public Assistance  who the adult guardian is.  If an adult guardian is not appointed, OCS Office of Children's Services will notify DPA Division of Public Assistance  that an adult guardian has not been appointed;

• Establish a good physical mailing address for Medicaid coupons;

• Establish a good mailing address for APA Adult Public Assistance and potential FS Food Stamps benefits;

•  If a Special Needs Trust is needed due to PFD Permanent Fund Dividend income or other monies, OCS Office of Children's Services will advise the youth, or the youth’s representative, about the possibility of continued SSI Supplemental Security Income, APA Adult Public Assistance, and Medicaid benefits through the use of a Special Needs Trust.  If a Special Needs Trust is established, OCS Office of Children's Services and/or the adult guardian will forward all trust paperwork to DPA Division of Public Assistance Policy in Juneau at dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

After all processes in Step 4 are completed, the OCS Office of Children's Services eligibility technician will notify the DPA Division of Public Assistance team or caseworker assigned to the case so that all EIS Eligibility Information System screens can be updated.

Refer to section 124-1 for children and youth not receiving SSI Supplemental Security Income.