Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
The worker certifies or denies applications received online
or in Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) offices within time limits specified in
(1) of this Section.
(1)
Application processing time limits. OKDHS workers process
applications within program specific time limits. Refer to Oklahoma
Administrative Code (OAC)
340:65-3-2.1, when the time
limit's last day occurs on a day OKDHS is not open for business. The time
limits are:
(A) Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF) - 30-calendar days;
(B) Title IV-E Foster Care - 30-calendar
days;
(C) Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program - 30-calendar days unless the household is eligible for
expedited service. When the household is eligible for expedited service, OKDHS
workers must complete the application within seven-calendar days, per OAC
340:50-11-1;
(D) State Supplemental Payment (SSP) for
persons:
(i) categorically related to Aid to
the Aged - 30-calendar days; and
(ii) categorically related to Aid to the
Blind or Disabled - 60-calendar days; and
(E) SoonerCare (Medicaid) benefits for:
(i) persons categorically related to Aid to
the Aged - 30-calendar days;
(ii)
persons categorically related to Aid to the Blind or Disabled - 60-calendar
days;
(iii) Optional Tuberculosis
(TB) Coverage group - 45-calendar days; and
(iv) persons requesting long-term care
services - 45-calendar days; and
(F) TANF Emergency Assistance - five -working
days;
(G) Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program, per OAC
340:20-1-14:
(i) 60-calendar days of the application date
for winter heating and summer cooling; or
(ii) no later than 18 hours of the
application date for an Energy Crisis Assistance Program (ECAP) application
involving a life-threatening medical situation or 48 hours for all other ECAP
applications; and
(H)
Refugee Medical Assistance - 30-calendar days;
(I) Child Care subsidy benefits -
two-business days from the interview date and required proof is provided or,
when not provided, within 30-calendar days; and
(J) Diversion Assistance - seven-working
days.
(2)
Delayed
applications. When it is not possible to process the application timely,
the worker sends the applicant Form 08MP038E, Client Notice of Action Taken, to
inform the applicant of the reason for the delay and the applicant's hearing
rights. An application is not denied when it cannot be processed timely due to:
(A) the applicant's failure or delay in
providing needed information because of circumstances beyond the applicant's
control;
(B) an examining
physician's failure or delay in supplying needed information;
(C) the Social Security Administration's
failure or delay in making a disability decision; or
(D) the worker's failure to take timely
action.
(3)
Certification for cash assistance. When TANF eligibility is
established for the application month, certification is effective from the
application date and benefits are prorated per (5) of this Section. When SSP
eligibility is established for the application month, certification is
effective from the first day of the month and the SSP is not prorated.
(A) When a TANF applicant requests benefits
for an additional person after the application date, but before certification,
the worker approves benefits for the additional person effective on the same
date as the rest of the assistance unit.
(B) When a TANF recipient requests benefits
for an additional person after certification, the recipient must complete a new
application before adding the additional person to the TANF benefit. When
eligible, the worker prorates benefits for the additional person from the
application date per (5) of this Section.
(C) A retroactive payment may be authorized
for any month the worker establishes eligibility prior to the current month. An
application denied in error must have payment authorized for the period
eligibility is established.
(D) A
certification is valid even when a month of ineligibility is determined between
application and the date the certification action is taken. An applicant who is
ineligible for the month of application and eligible for a subsequent month is
certified effective the first day of the subsequent month.
(4)
Notice of ineligibility.
When an applicant is ineligible, a computer-generated denial notice is sent to
the applicant explaining the reason. The applicant may request a fair hearing
within the time period specified in the notice.
(5)
Proration of TANF benefits.
When eligible, the worker certifies a TANF application from the application
date and prorates the initial month's benefit, unless the applicant applied on
the first day of the month or received a TANF benefit for the previous month
and is eligible to be reopened, per OAC
340:65-5-6. Proration also
applies for the first month the worker adds an additional person to an open
TANF cash assistance benefit. The family is eligible for the full TANF benefit
effective the following month, when applicable.
(A) The worker refers to OKDHS Appendix C-1,
Maximum Income, Resource, and Payment Standards, Schedule IX to determine the
full monthly TANF benefit before computing the prorated benefit.
(B) The worker uses Appendix B, Prorated TANF
and Food Benefit Payment, to compute the prorated benefit amount or the
formula: 31 - application date x full monthly TANF benefit, 30 = the prorated
payment. The prorated payment is rounded down to the lower dollar amount.
(i) When the prorated benefit is less than
$10, the family is not eligible for a money payment, but is eligible for
SoonerCare (Medicaid) benefits for the entire month.
(ii) When the worker certifies food benefits
in the TANF case at the same time or after the TANF certification for the month
the TANF payment is prorated, the food benefit unearned income shows the TANF
benefit before proration.
(iii) The
computer-generated client notice shows the benefit amount for the initial month
and following month.
Amended at 10 Ok Reg 471, eff 11-30-92 (emergency);
Amended at 10 Ok Reg 2343, eff 6-11-93; Amended at 10 Ok Reg 4465, eff 8-5-93
(emergency); Amended at 11 Ok Reg 1347, eff 3-14-94 (emergency); Amended at 11
Ok Reg 4363, eff 7-8-94 (emergency); Amended at 11 Ok Reg 4501, eff 8-1-94
through 7-14-95 (emergency); Amended at 13 Ok Reg 353, eff 12-11-95; Amended at
14 Ok Reg 2412, eff 5-1-97 (emergency); Amended at 15 Ok Reg 1644, eff 5-11-98;
Amended at 15 Ok Reg 3546, eff 7-1-98 (emergency); Amended at 16 Ok Reg 1019,
eff 4-26-99; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 2096, eff 7-1-01; Amended at 19 Ok Reg 1918,
eff 4-29-02 (emergency); Amended at 20 Ok Reg 300, eff 1-1-03 (emergency);
Amended at 20 Ok Reg 918, eff 6-1-03; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 1272, eff 6-1-09;
Amended at 28 Ok Reg 880, eff 6-1-11; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 689, eff
6-1-13
