Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a) Definitions.
(1) Grants of assistance for guide dogs
(GAGD) means grants of assistance to blind, deaf or disabled individuals who
maintain guide, hearing or service dogs and who have been determined to be
eligible for or are receiving Federal supplemental security income benefits
and/or additional State payments. The grants are for the purchase of food for
such guide, hearing or service dogs.
(2) Application means an action by which a
person indicates, in writing on a form prescribed by the department, his desire
to receive GAGD.
(b)
Factors of eligibility. In order to be eligible for GAGD, an applicant shall:
(1) reside in New York State;
(2) be eligible for or in receipt of SSI
benefits or additional State payments;
(3) be blind, deaf or disabled;
(4) maintain a guide, hearing or service dog;
and
(5) not have earned income
exempted for maintenance of a guide, hearing or service dog pursuant to Federal
law or regulation.
(c)
Determination of eligibility.
(1) The social
services official shall determine each applicant's eligibility for GAGD on the
basis of a completed application and verification of the circumstances of the
applicant.
(2) The verification
shall include documentation of the facts alleged in the application, including:
(i) the applicant's eligibility for SSI or
additional State payments;
(ii)
blindness, deafness or disabling condition;
(iii) maintenance of a guide, hearing or
service dog; and
(iv) lack of
earned income exempted for maintenance of a guide, hearing or service dog
pursuant to Federal law or regulation.
(3) Eligibility shall be determined on the
basis of a completed application; a face-to-face interview shall not be
required of applicants for GAGD.
(d) Granting of GAGD. A grant must be issued
in the amount of a $35 monthly cash payment to eligible individuals.
(e) Records and reports. Each social services
official shall maintain case records and report claiming and caseload
information as requested by the department to insure compliance with this
Part.
(f) Authorization. A
State-prescribed authorization form must be marked GAGD to identify it as
grants of assistance for guide, hearing and service dogs. Such authorization
must not exceed the amount permitted by this Part.
(g) Recertification.
(1) All factors of eligibility under
subdivision (b) of this section shall be reevaluated and verified not less
frequently than every six months.
(2) The GAGD application and recertification
form shall be used for recertification.
(3) Recertification shall be done by mail. A
face-to-face recertification shall not be required.
(4) Recipients shall be required to report
changes of circumstances between recertifications.
(h) Reimbursement. Expenditures properly made
by social services districts under this section, including costs of
administration, shall be reimbursed by the State in an amount equal to 100
percent of such expenditures.
(i)
Notification and fair hearing. The social services official shall inform each
applicant for GAGD of the determination made by the social services district.
An applicant for GAGD shall be informed of his right to appeal to the
department and request a fair hearing when his application is denied.
