Pennsylvania Code, , Section 227.24 - Procedures | Pennsylvania Code

(a) General. General procedures for AFDC/GA central office disbursement will be as follows:

(1) The main function of the central disbursing office will be to make assistance payments as authorized by the County Assistance Offices. These payments, made by check, will be of three types: regular, prorated and one-time. No checks will be issued, nor will grants be changed by the central disbursing office without an authorization. However, the central office will suspend a case, that is, stop sending checks, under certain conditions specified in subsection (e)(2).

(2) There should be a steady flow of authorizations so that they will not pile up at the last minute. The accumulations will impede the work of both the county office and the central office. Authorizations for changes received in the central office prior to the regular deadline will be included in the writing of checks for the regular payment day. Authorizations for changes received after the regular deadline will require special handling resulting in additional work. Reference should be made to § 225.22 (relating to definitions).

(3) It will be imperative that Form PA 122's be forwarded as regularly and promptly as possible to keep special handling to a minimum.

(b) Regular grants. Regular grants will be as follows:

(1) Authorizing initial grants. An initial grant may be authorized through the central disbursing office effective on a regular payment day or with an effective date other than a regular payment date as provided in § 225.22.

(2) Authorizing changes or discontinuances. The authorization of changes or discontinuances will be as follows:

(i) Form PA 122 received in central disbursing office prior to deadline. Changes or discontinuances received prior to the regular deadline will be effective on the next regular payment date.

(ii) Form PA 122 received in central disbursing office after deadline but prior to 9 a.m. on the day before mailing day. If the regular deadline has not been met but the Form PA 122 is received prior to 9 a.m. on the day before the mailing day the following action will be taken:

(A) A discontinuance will be made effective and the check redeposited.

(B) A change of address will be made by central disbursing office informing the Treasury Department, which will insert the change over the check without delaying the mailing.

(C) A change in payment name or a decrease of $1.00 or more will require redeposit of the original check. A new check will be written. The recipient should receive the correct check within 2 to 5 working days after the payment day.

(D) A decrease of less than $1.00 or an increase will not be made until the next regular payment day regardless of any other changes authorized. Reference should be made to subsection (d)(1)(ii) for deficiency payments.

(iii) Telephone deadline. If the Form PA 122 authorizing action in subparagraph (ii)(A), (B) or (C) can not reach the central disbursing office by 9 a.m. on the work day prior to mailing day, the case will be placed in suspension as follows:

(A) For cases paid on a semimonthly basis, a staff member of the central disbursing office will telephone the County Assistance Office between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on the work day prior to mailing day. At least one attempt to phone a County Assistance Office will have been made prior to 11:15 a.m. Therefore, if a call is not received by 11:15 a.m., a staff member of a County Assistance Office will telephone the central disbursing office between 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. No calls can be accepted after 11:30 a.m.

(B) To suspend cases paid on a monthly basis, a staff member of the County Assistance Office will telephone the central disbursing office between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on the work day prior to mailing day.

(C) If the telephone deadline for monthly payment cases is the same date as the semimonthly cases, the procedure for semimonthly cases will be used.

(D) The County Assistance Office will supply the identifying information, given in record number sequence by category, as follows:

(I) County Number.

(II) Record Number.

(III) Suffix.

(IV) Control Digit.

(V) Social Security Number.

(VI) Payment Name.

(3) Mailing day. Checks for regular grants will be mailed on the fourth work day following the regular deadline, as provided in § 225.22.

(4) Payment day. There will be 10 days in a semimonthly period on which regular semimonthly payments will be made. Numbers have been assigned to these payment days indicating the order in which they occur.

(c) Prorated grants. A case will be opened with a prorated grant whenever the effective date of the first opening is not a regular payment day, in accordance with § 225.24 (relating to procedures). The amount of the prorated grant will be the equivalent daily rate for the regular grant for each day in the period beginning with the effective date up to but not including the payment day on which the first regular grant will be made. The prorated grant will usually be authorized for disbursement by the central office in accordance with § 225.24, but when there is a demonstrated immediate need for cash and disbursement by the central office will not meet the situation, it may be paid by county disbursement, as provided in § 229.24 (relating to procedures).

(d) One-time grants. One-time grants will be as follows:

(1) General. A one-time grant may be authorized only when one of the following occurs:

(i) A person meets the eligibility conditions for a nonrecurring allowance as provided in § 175.23(b) (relating to requirements). The request must be made and the Form PA 122 certified within 30 calendar days from the date the goods or services were received. These cases will be given top priority to assure that this action is completed within the required 30-day time limit, using Financial Code 112 or 113. The authorization may be effected on a retroactive basis beyond 30 calendar days only in instances of agency error or delay. This will include instances in which the agency requires the person to obtain substantiation from a third party and that party causes the error or delay. The authorization must be approved as follows:

(A) By the Executive Director/District Director or his delegate, when the goods or services were received more than 30 days but less than 6 months before the date of request for or authorization of payment. The client shall receive the check for the one-time grant within 30 calendar days from the date of verification. If approved, the county office will complete appropriate items in Parts I, II and III of the Form PA 141, Request for Approval to Authorize Retroactive Payment, and will attach the form to the original Form PA 122 authorizing the grant.

(B) By the Director of Philadelphia Operations or by the Regional Managers of Income Maintenance if more than 6 months but less than 1 year have elapsed. The county office will complete appropriate items in Parts I and II of the Form PA 141 and will forward to the Director of Philadelphia Operations or Manager. The Director of Philadelphia Operations or the Manager will review the Form PA 141, will indicate a decision by completing the appropriate section in Part III and will return the form to the county office. If approved, the county office will attach the Form PA 141 to the original Form PA 122 authorizing the grant.

(C) By the hearing officer retroactive to the date the incorrect action was taken. Copy of hearing decision, with an original signature of the hearing officer, must be attached to the Form PA 122. Copies of signature, such as by Xerox machine, will not be acceptable, in accordance with § 275.4(h)(3) (relating to procedures).

(ii) A person is eligible for correction of an underpayment. Requirements for correcting underpayments are as follows:

(A) Subject to the time limits in clause (B), the Department will correct underpayments to current AFDC or GA recipients, or those who would be current AFDC or GA recipients if the error causing the underpayment had not occurred, when the error is caused by one of the following:

(I) Administrative error or delay.

(II) A third party caused the error or delay and the client substantiates this upon CAO request.

(III) A client caused the error. Underpayment resulting from a failure of the client to timely report a change in need is not subject to correction under clause (A). For example, a person cannot be added to a grant retroactively, such as before the date his application is completed, regardless of when the need began.

(IV) In the case of a newborn child who was eligible for benefits in accordance with § 133.23(b)(4) (relating to requirements) but for whom benefits were not paid, underpayments will be corrected for the following administrative errors, retroactive to the child's date of birth, once the eligibility of the child is established:

(-a-) The CAO failed to act on oral or written notification received during the grace period from the caretaker/relative or a representative.

(-b-) The CAO failed to act on the MA newborn eligibility form received during the grace period.

(-c-) The medical provider failed to process timely the MA newborn eligibility form, but later requested payment of expenses. The failure to process an MA newborn eligibility form because the expenses are billed to a third party is not an administrative error requiring correction.

(B) Corrections of underpayments are subject to the following time limits:

(I) For AFDC, there is no time limit for correction of underpayments.

(II) For GA, correction of the underpayment shall only be made for underpayments up to 12 months prior to the month in which the County Assistance Office discovered the underpayment.

(C) The following procedures will be used in correcting underpayments:

(I) The form PA 122 must be certified within 30 calendar days from the date the underpayment is discovered.

(II) The following financial codes will be used:

(-a-) Financial Code 113 will be used to correct underpayments to any individual who would have been a recipient if the error causing the underpayment had not occurred.

(-b-) Financial Code 110 or 111 will be used to correct an underpayment from a previous period of assistance to an individual reapplying for assistance.

(III) If the regular grant is to be increased and a one-time grant issued to correct the underpayment, the Form PA 122 should be sent with the authorization, if possible.

(IV) When both an underpayment and overpayment exist in one case, one will be offset against the other in order to correct the under/overpayment amount.

(iii) The recipient has to repay the person or firm that cashed a check which was endorsed by a member of the assistance unit other than the payee. Reference should be made to § 231.24 (relating to procedures) for the conditions under which a onetime grant may be authorized. Financial Code 116 should be used.

(iv) The recipient is eligible to receive only part of a stale-date or mutilated check. Financial Code 118 or 117 should be used for County Disbursement.

(v) An SBP recipient was underpaid during the preceding fiscal year. Financial Code 114 should be used.

(vi) A nonresident meets the eligibility conditions for a nonrecurring grant only under the provisions of § 147.24 (relating to procedures). Financial Code 113 should be used.

(vii) The check of the recipient for which he is eligible has been suspended or returned and there is a demonstrated immediate need for cash. Financial Code 117 should be used, county disbursement only.

(viii) An applicant is about to leave a public institution, as provided in § 161.24(b) (relating to procedures). Financial Code 113 should be used.

(ix) A recipient qualifies under provisions in the SSI program as provided in § 297.3 (relating to requirements).

(2) Authorizing one-time grants. The authorization of one-time grants will be as follows:

(i) The appropriate Financial Code must be entered on the Form PA 122 or Form PA 122-E. Only one 110-series code may be used on an authorization. If the one-time grant is being authorized for more than one reason, that is, for Financial Codes 110 through 118, the combined authorization should bear the most appropriate code.

(ii) A brief explanation of the reason for the one-time grant must be entered in the financial code section of the Form PA 122 or Form PA 122-E. The explanation should be stated briefly but must specify the particular expense or expenses or origin of income and the rate on every Form PA 122 and Form PA 122-E submitted during the entire period the special allowance is included in the grant. This will include those changes that may not affect the grant such as a change of name or address.

(iii) The following example illustrates the amount of information and the way it is to be entered on the Form PA 122 or Form PA 122-E.

WIN Allowance-Baby-sitting ($100 per month)

Moving Allowance-5000 lbs. ($4.85 per 100 lbs.)

U.C. Adjusted-Not Received ($65 per week)

Two persons added to grant-Hearing Aid batteries ($2.00 per month)

(iv) When transportation allowance is requested, the following will be indicated:

(A) Number of visits.

(B) Round trip distance.

(C) Rate and form of transportation.

(D) If applicable, the reason for long distances or excessive number of trips. When such excessive travel is for medical care, the type of medical care should be indicated.

(v) The following examples illustrate the amount and type of information required to explain a transportation allowance:

(A) Bus fare for training, 5 days per week at 80¢ per day.

(B) Twelve 200-mile trips by the car of a relative at $20 per trip for kidney dialysis.

(vi) For retroactive grants extending beyond 30 calendar days, the statement "Administrative Error" or "Administrative Delay" will be entered in the financial codes section. A Form PA 743/743RE Document, Blue ink copy of page 1, must be attached to each authorizing Form PA 122 and Form PA-122E, One-Time Grant Authorization, bearing an "H" Action Code.

(vii) Individuals have a right to receive corrective payments when they have been underpaid due to agency error or delay. In these cases, corrective payment will be made promptly, so that the client will receive the check for the one-time grant within 30 calendar days from the date of verification.

(3) Restricted endorsement. Restricted endorsements will occur under the following circumstances:

(i) When the plan for meeting the need of the client demands that the check for the one-time grant be restricted as to its use, a restricted endorsement may be placed on the check. Financial Code 172 must appear in addition to a 110 series code. There will be no Federal participation in such a grant. A payment to a protective payee, WIN or Money Management, will not be a restricted endorsement.

(ii) A check with a restricted endorsement issued through the Central Disbursing Office will be mailed by the Treasury Department directly to the payee. With the check will go a memorandum explaining how to present the check for payment.

(e) Suspension. Grant suspension will occur in the following circumstances:

(1) General. In general suspension will be governed by the following:

(i) Whenever an assistance grant is suspended, either on telephone instruction, via Form PW 451 from the county or by the central office, a notice of suspension, Form PA 205-S, indicating the reason will be sent to the county office by the Central Office.

(ii) Upon its receipt, the active assistance file should be cleared to determine whether a Form PA 122 already has been sent to the central office with the information necessary to dispose of the suspension. If not, the information on the Form PA 205-S should be posted to the active assistance file card, the card flagged and immediate action taken toward authorizing disposition.

(iii) If the central disbursing office does not receive a Form PA 122 disposing of the suspension within 60 days of the date of the notice, the regional office will be notified and consultation will be held with the county to help resolve the difficulty so that the suspension can be disposed of.

(iv) Action must be taken in anticipation of receipt of a suspension notice.

(2) Reasons for suspension. Assistance will be suspended in the following situations:

(i) Checks suspended by county office. If a case is suspended on instructions from the county office, the central disbursing office will not issue any more checks. The grant will be held in suspension until a Form PA 122 with Financial Code 161 or 162 is received.

(ii) Checks returned to county office. Checks returned to the county office will be handled as follows:

(A) Uncashed assistance checks received in the county office will be turned over to the staff member designated to receive and receipt for them and to transmit them to the central office. The checks must not be held in the county office.

(B) A separate Transmittal of Returned Check, Form PA 364, must be prepared in quadruplicate for each check and signed by the employe. The returned check, attached to three copies of the Form PA 364 by paper clips, will be sent at once to the Director, Bureau of Data Processing, even if the reason for the return is not known at the time. This should be sent to the Director personally in a separate envelope enclosed in a special automatic disbursement envelope. The fourth copy of the Form PA 364 will be held pending return of a receipted copy from the Central Office.

(C) If the necessary information is available, a Form PA 122 showing disposition should accompany the check and the Form PA 364. Otherwise the authorization should follow as quickly as possible.

(D) Where death is the reason for the return, Financial Code 106 should appear on the Form PA 122.

(iii) Incorrect authorization for a decrease, discontinuance, change of payment name or change of address. Incorrect authorization for a decrease, discontinuance, change of payment name or change of address will have the following effect:

(A) A case will be suspended when a Form PA 122 authorizing a decrease, discontinuance, change of payment name or change of address is incorrect in one of the following respects:

(I) The identifying information does not agree with that of any other active case.

(II) The "Change To" column contains an error, erasure or strike-over.

(III) A required financial code is missing or incomplete.

(IV) The Form PA 122 is not certified by an authorized person.

(V) The Form PA 122 is incorrect or incomplete for any other reason, such as failure to include the social security number in accord with subsection (j)(5)(viii).

(B) The central disbursing office will return the incorrect Form PA 122 attached to the Form PA 205-S and Form PW 122-R showing the reason for the return. The error should be corrected by the County Assistance Office and another Form PA 122 showing Financial Code 161 or 162 will be forwarded to the central disbursing office without delay. The authorization will be effected in accordance with subsection (e)(3).

(C) If the County Assistance Office is of the opinion that the Form PA 122 or any disbursement document originally submitted was correct and complete, the document will be sent to the Director, Bureau of Policy, with a memorandum setting forth the reasons of the county as to why it should not have been sent back as well as the appropriate Manual reference to substantiate the claim. The situation will be reviewed and an immediate disposition made.

(iv) Request by recipient to central office for discontinuance or change of address. Upon receipt of a request from the recipient that assistance be discontinued or that checks be mailed to a different address, the central office will suspend the case and send the letter of the recipient to the county office with the Form PA 205-S. If, where discontinuance is requested, a check is returned by the letter of the recipient, the Form PA 205-S will so state. The request of a recipient for discontinuance will require immediate preparation of a discontinuance authorization.

(v) Treasury Department investigator unable to locate recipient. Procedures for Treasury Department investigators unable to locate recipients will be as follows:

(A) When an assistance check is reported as not received, lost, or forged, the Treasury Department will make an investigation in accordance with § 231.24 (relating to procedures). If the investigator is unable to locate the payee after two attempts, the Bureau of Investigation will send a Form A-3 requesting the County Assistance Office to arrange an interview between the client and the Bureau of Investigation representative.

(B) If the payee does not appear for the meeting, a joint decision will be made to suspend. The client will be notified of the proposed suspension and informed of his right to appeal. If the client does not appeal within the specified period as provided in Chapter 275 (relating to appeal and fair hearing and administrative disqualification hearings), the Treasury investigator will send a Treasury Form A-4 to the Director, Bureau of Data Processing, requesting suspension of the case. The case will be suspended and a Form PA 205-S will be sent to the County Assistance Office. If the client appeals, the Treasury Department will be notified of the hearing decision and appropriate action will be taken.

(C) Reinstatement can be made only after written notification from the Treasury Department. No assistance may be granted through the Emergency Fund until the suspension is lifted by the Treasury Department.

(D) In order to limit the number of cases in which the Treasury Department cannot locate the payee, when a client has a change of address while a Form PA 207, Investigation, is pending, a new Form PA 207, unsigned, will be sent to the central disbursing office and clearly marked "Change of Address Only."

(vi) Presumptive eligibility not verified. The following procedure will be followed if presumptive eligibility is not verified.

(A) When AFDC is granted presumptively pending determination of certain eligibility factors such as incapacity of AFDC parent, this must be established within the first 3 fiscal months, in accordance with § 225.22, for which the person received assistance. The central disbursing office will be notified of the determination by means of a Form PA 122 bearing Financial Code 131. After 6 semimonthly checks have been issued by the central disbursing office, the county office will be notified by Form PW 205 bearing the statement "Three Month Warning."

(B) If the Form PA 122 is not received by the work day prior to the eighth semimonthly, or fourth monthly check, the case will be suspended.

(vii) Monthly reporting requirements not met. Cases subject to monthly reporting which fail to meet the requirements will be handled as follows:

(A) The monthly reporting master data base will direct central disbursing office to suspend assistance in the following circumstances:

(I) The Monthly Reporting Form (MRF) was not received by the due date.

(II) The CAO notifies the data base that a Monthly Reporting Form (MRF) was submitted incomplete.

(B) The grant will be held in suspension until the CAO transmits a cash data entry transaction in accordance with paragraph (3).

(3) Disposition of suspension. Disposition of suspension will take place in the following cases:

(i) Discontinuance. When the Form PA 122 includes Financial Code 161 with a closing action, the central disbursing office will discontinue the grant without reissuing any suspended checks. To discontinue an assistance grant which is in suspension with an effective date subsequent to that of the initial suspended check, Code 162 with a C Action Code will be used.

(ii) Reinstatement of retroactive reinstatement. Cases may be reinstated currently or retroactively by submitting the Form PA 122 turn-around from the file using Financial Code 161 or 162 with the date of the check which is to be reinstated. An authorization for reinstatement will not be considered an initial grant as the grant has not been discontinued. The effective date may not be earlier than the two payment dates preceding the date the Form PA 122 is certified except for SBP as follows:

(A) For reinstatement with the grant paid from county disbursement, reference should be made to Chapter 229 (relating to county disbursement).

(B) If the authorization includes Financial Code 161 with action Code F, the central disbursing office will reinstate to the effective date specified. The effective date may not be earlier than the two payment dates preceding the date the Form PA 122 is certified, except for SBP.

(C) The grant may be reinstated for a larger or smaller amount than the previous grant, using Financial Code 161 with action code D or E. If reinstated with a different payment name, the proper spaces on the Form PA 122 will be used.

(D) When the amount of the initial check is to be reissued in a different amount than the recurrent grant, a single Form PA 122 using Code 162 with action code D or E will accomplish the two actions.

(f) Transfer between grant groups. Transfer between grant groups will conform with the following:

(1) General. Transfers between grant groups will include the following:

(i) A case transferred from one type of assistance to another.

(ii) A member of a case transferred to another case of the same or different category.

(A) The Form PA 122 for the current case and the Form PA 122 for the case into which the transfer is to be made must be sent, stapled together, to the central disbursing office. Financial Code 173 must be used on both authorizations.

(B) A Form PA 743 Document, Blue Ink Copy of Page 1, must be attached to the Form PA 122 for the case into which the transfer is to be made, when the entire case is being transferred.

(C) When a member of a case is transferred to another case of the same or different category, a Form PA-743RE must be attached to the Form PA 122 showing the change in grant composition, and a Form PA 743 must be attached to the Form PA 122 authorizing the person in the new case or category.

(D) Prorated grants as provided in subsection (c) will be issued automatically by the central disbursing office as a result of a transfer whenever necessary to avoid a break in assistance, except that no prorated grant will be issued for less than $1.00. A case in which grant is increased because of person or persons added through transfer will require a Form PA 122 authorizing a one-time grant for the amount of the increase, prorated.

(E) If the Form PA 122 is received after the deadline but before the mailing date for the category from which the case is being transferred, the check will be redeposited. This will result in a delay of several days in mailing the check for the new category.

(2) Transfer to AFDC, GA or SBP. The authorizations will be sent to the central disbursing office in time to meet the scheduled deadline for the case from which the transfer is being made.

(g) Presumptive eligibility (PE). Procedures for presumptive eligibility will be as follows:

(1) The type of assistance for which a person is otherwise eligible will be granted presumptively pending verification of the incapacity of a parent for AFDC. The eligibility factor must be established within the first three fiscal months, in accordance with § 225.22, for which the person received assistance. For example, if an AFDC case receives an initial grant effective May 5, and the payment days are May 5 and 19, June 3 and 18, July 6 and 20, and August 4, the eligibility factors must be established no later than August 3. However, if the initial grant was effective May 23 and the payment days are the same, the eligibility factors must be established no later than August 3 as the fiscal month begins on May 5, even though he did not receive an initial grant until May 23.

(2) Assistance may not be granted presumptively beyond 3 fiscal months for a determination of eligibility for a category. However, if a decision has been made that a person is not eligible for the category because he does not meet the presumptive eligibility conditions, assistance in the same category may be authorized presumptively at a later date, if eligibility for the category is being redetermined because new information or a change in regulations indicates the person may not be eligible for the category.

(3) Some "PE" cases will be closed within 3 fiscal months and before the presumptive eligibility factors are established. Federal participation may be obtained if complete eligibility is established within the first three fiscal months. Therefore, the process of establishing complete eligibility for these cases should be completed and the central office notified by a case message, Form PA 85, in duplicate, containing the proper financial codes and signed by a person authorized to sign Form PA 122's.

(4) The following rules will be followed when authorizing a presumptive eligibility grant:

(i) Presumptive conditions. Financial Code 130 will be used on the Form PA 122, "A" opening, authorizing the recurring grant from Central Office.

(A) The results of the findings will be reported to the Central Office by a Form PA 122 as soon as all presumptive eligibility requirements have been established. Financial Code 131 or 132 will be used as appropriate. This authorization must be received in the Central Office not later than the workday following the second semimonthly payment day in the fourth fiscal month or the case is suspended, in accordance with subsection (e).

(B) Incapacity of an AFDC parent will be established on the date the county office makes the final determination.

(ii) Case moves to another Commonwealth county. If a PE case moves to another Commonwealth county before PE status is cleared the following rules will apply:

(A) Assistance may be authorized at the new address in accordance with § 147.24 and these subparagraphs.

(B) If the case is eligible for AFDC in the new county, the information noted in the comment section of the Form PA 122 should include the date PE started in the county of origin and the former case number and name of the county.

(C) The facts regarding the PE status should be recorded in the narrative before the case record is forwarded to the new county office. The new county office must complete the determination of eligibility and clear the PE status.

(h) Change of address to another county. Reference should be made to § 147.23 (relating to requirements) for eligibility regulations applying to recipients who leave this Commonwealth or go to another Commonwealth county. The following will apply to all categories of address changes to another Commonwealth county:

(1) Permanent move. A permanent move will require the following:

(i) If a person makes a permanent move and he continues to be eligible, the original county office will send to the central office at the same time the following:

(A) A Form PA 122 changing the address and grant, if appropriate.

(B) A Form PA 122 discontinuing assistance effective the third semimonthly check, or second monthly check for blind pension, after the move was reported.

(ii) Because intercounty transfers will require special processing, Form PA 122's and supplemental information relating to intercounty transfer transactions are to be placed in a plain white envelope, sealed, and identified on the front as "Inter-County Transfers." They may be submitted with other Form PA 122's in the special Data Processing envelope.

(A) Code 152 must be used along with the required information relating to case number and the name of the transferring county.

(B) Within a week, the new county will receive a Form PA 122, machine printout, confirming the change of address. Eligibility for continued assistance in the new county will be redetermined as soon as the client contacts the new county office. If the client remains eligible, assistance will be authorized in the new county effective with the closing date of the transferring county.

(C) Reason Code 61 will not be used if the new county authorizes assistance after the effective discontinuance date as set forth in § 147.24.

(iii) Temporary absence. If the absence of the recipient in another county is temporary and he continues to be eligible, the original county office will send the central office an authorization for a temporary change of address, and grant, if appropriate.

(i) Mailing address of resident different county or State from residence. Recipients whose mailing address is in a different county from that in which they reside will be identified through the county name on the Form PA 122. No financial code will be needed.

(j) Form preparation and use of authorization for assistance. The Form PA 122, Authorization for Assistance, will be used as follows:

(1) General. Assistance payments to be disbursed by the central office will be authorized by the county office on Authorization for Assistance, Form PA 122. Throughout the disbursement procedure, reference will be made to the authorization for assistance in the following two ways:

(i) A turnaround Form PA 122, a blank form which is prepared in its entirety by the county office.

(ii) A turnaround Form PA 122, an assistance authorization on which case data has been machine printed at central office. Complete preparation of the turnaround Form PA 122 by the county will be required only in the following instances:

(A) The first recurring grant authorization.

(B) One-time grant authorization for inactive cases.

(C) The turnaround Form PA 122 will not be usable.

(2) Authorization for assistance, turnaround system. Procedures for authorization for assistance turnaround system, will be as follows:

(i) Central office disbursement will utilize the turnaround document in the interest of saving time and effort. A new case will be entered in the disbursement system as follows:

(A) The county will complete a turnaround Form PA 122 in its entirety. The original will be sent to central office for processing. In certain instances the original and first copy will be submitted as provided in subsection (j)(4). The second copy, buff card stock, will be retained in the Active Form PA 122 File as a pending transaction.

(B) Within 7 work days, the county will receive from Central Office a complete turnaround Form PA 122 set on which the authorization information has been machine printed. This information must be compared very carefully with the information on the second copy, buff card stock, pending in file. If incorrect, the county will enter corrections on "change to" line and resubmit. When proofed, the complete set will replace the pending copy.

(ii) Subsequent changes will be accomplished by entering changes in information on the "change to" line on the turnaround Form PA 122 in file and submitting the original, and where necessary, the second copy to the central disbursing office. The second copy will be retained as a pending transaction and replaced by the turnaround after proofing.

(iii) It will be the responsibility of the county to review the pending transactions on an ongoing basis. If a transaction is pending more than 8 work days, another turnaround Form PA 122 must be submitted.

(iv) The Bureau of Data Processing will issue additional Form PA-122's in the case of Incentive Payment checks issued under the Child Support Enforcement Program. These will be duplications of the turnaround documents in county files and should be checked against the files. If the Form PA-122 received was not generated by the county office, but resulted from the issuance of an Incentive Payment check, it may be destroyed.

(3) Source of information. The Form PA 122 will be prepared from information on the Face Sheet, Form PA 740, and the Authorization Sheet, Form PA 21-P, or State Blind Pension Authorization Sheet, Form PA 21-B. Financial data will be given on Form PA 21-B or Form PA 21-P, identifying data on Form PA 740.

(4) Number of copies required and distribution. The number of copies required and distribution procedures will be as follows:

(i) The Form PA 122 will be prepared in an original and two copies. The original and first copy will be on white paper, the second copy on buff card stock. The three copies will be furnished in sets.

(ii) Form PA 122's will be grouped together by type of transaction, such as transfers between categories, intercounty transfers, openings on a date other than the regular payment date, and the like, except Form PA 122's submitted simultaneously for a one-time grant, and subsequent closing of the same case must be stapled together as one group.

(iii) Generally, the original only will be sent to central office on a daily basis in the special 122 envelope. An original and one copy of the standard transmittal form PW 361-S showing the total number of PA 122's will be included in each envelope. Individual cases will not be listed. The PW 361-S transmittals will be numbered in consecutive order beginning with the number "1" and running through the end of the month. The number will be written and circled in the upper right corner of the PW 361-S under the county number. Central office will date stamp the original and return for the control of the county. The last envelope mailed in the monthly series will be indicated by writing in the upper right corner of the PW 361-S beneath the circled number the notation "Final."

(iv) The original Form PA 122 stapled to the first copy will be submitted to central office in the following instances:

(A) Decreases that will be received in the central disbursing office after the regular deadline but prior to 9 a.m. on the day before mailing day.

(B) Name changes that will be received in the central disbursing office after the regular deadline but prior to 9 a.m. on the day before mailing day.

(C) Reinstatements which are to be effective earlier than the next regular payment day whose deadline can be met.

(D) Openings on which the effective date is other than the next regular payment date whose deadline can be met.

(E) A case is opened, discontinued or address changed, in which there is an outstanding restitution or reimbursement referral in the claim settlement area office. A dummy copy will be sent to the claim settlement area office as long as the "CS" remains in effect on the Fact Sheet and a carbon copy retained of the PW 361-S transmittal in the transmittal file. At the same time, in the "Financial Codes and Explanations" section of the Form PA 21-P after the appropriate column number, "Dummy Form PA 122 to C.S. on (date)" will be entered.

(5) Preparing the Form PA 122. Instructions for preparation of the Authorization for Assistance, Form PA 122, are as follows:

(i) Case number section. The county number, record number, suffix, and control digit will be entered in the proper sequence, such as:

51 / 734 / 776 / C / 3

(A) The control digit must appear on all Form PA 122's except for openings and H grants. If a grant change is required on a newly opened case prior to county receipt of the Form PA 122 Turnaround, the notation "Case Opened" and the date of the opening will be entered in the "County Use Only" section.

(B) If the control digit is not entered on a Form PA 122, except under the above conditions, it will be returned to the county office for completion and resubmission.

(ii) District (Dist). The district office number or letter will be entered. No entry will be made in this section by counties which are not districted.

(iii) Composition. The following will be entered in the composition section:

(A) Per (Persons). The total number of persons in the grant group will be entered.

(B) Child (Children). The total number of AFDC included in the grant group will be entered.

(C) SR (Specified Relative). For C cases either "1" or "2" will be entered depending on the inclusion of one or both parents.

FOR EXAMPLE, An AFDC case with a mother and two children will appear thus:

Composition

3 2 1

/ Per / Child / SR /

(iv) Grant amount and grant changes. Grant amount and grant changes will be handled in accordance with the following:

(A) The semimonthly grant, monthly for SBP, will be entered.

(B) For one-time grant authorization, the exact amount of the total payment will be entered on the "Change To" line. This amount must agree with the amount entered in conjunction with the appropriate Financial Code.

(C) When authorizing discontinuances, zeroes will be entered in the spaces for composition and grant amount.

(D) When authorizing changes, the changed information will be entered in the appropriate blocks. If any of the composition has changed, the entire composition information will be entered in the "Change To" line.

(v) Effective date. This block will be completed on "A" transactions only.

(A) The effective date of opening will be entered in the Effective Date Block on the "Change To" line. If the effective date of the opening is other than a regular payment day, the date will also be entered in the "County Use Only" block.

(B) The central disbursing office will effect a grant change beginning on the next regular payment date whose deadline can be met, as modified in subsection (b)(2).

(C) The date which appears in the shaded area on the "Present" line of the Form PA 122 Turnaround will be the date the previous transaction was processed and will not correspond with the effective date appearing on the Form PA 21-P, Form PA 21-B, and the like.

(vi) Reason code. The appropriate reason code will be entered. If Code 99 is used, a Case Message, Form PA 85, containing the explanation will be stapled to the Form PA 122. The explanation will not be entered on the Form PA 122.

(vii) Action code. The appropriate action code will be entered.

(viii) Social security claim number. The social security number of the payee will be entered in the appropriate block of the Form PA-122. If the payee has no social security number when the PA-122 is submitted, 000-00-0000 will be inserted. When the payee receives a social security number the County Assistance Office will do a correcting PA-122 to add the number to the check issuance data base. The social security number entered on the PA-122 will be placed on each check that is disbursed by the central office to a public assistance recipient.

(ix) Certified by and date. The person authorized to sign Form PA 122's and whose signature card, OA 275, is on file in the central office shall sign in this space exactly as the signature appears on the signature card. In addition, the date the Form PA 122 is certified will be entered. The original and first copy must be certified. This may be accomplished by signing the form before the carbons are removed. Sufficient pressure must be used so that the signature on the first copy is legible. The name must be signed in ink. The Executive Director, or District Supervisor in districted counties, is the only person authorized to sign the Form PA 122 or Form PA 122-E for GA cases with dependent children. The Executive Director or District Supervisor enters his or her signature in this space. This authority may not be delegated except in cases of authorized leave. The person next in authority at the county or district office shall then assume the responsibility for certifying authorizations for GA cases with dependent children. Signature cards, OA 275, must be on file for these individuals. The signature of the person certifying the Form PA 122 indicates that the entries are a correct copy of the appropriate information.

(x) Payment name and address. The name and address will be entered according to the following rules:

(A) The maximum number of lines will be four.

(B) The minimum number of lines will be two, Payment Name-City/State.

(C) The maximum number of characters per line including spaces will be 26.

(D) The zip code must appear as part of the address. The Postal Zip Code Directory should be used if necessary.

(E) Following are examples of Payment Name and address formats.

(I) Standard four line Name and Address.

John Doe

Apt. 8

125 East 5th Street

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111

(II) Standard three line Name and Address.

John Doe

125 East 5th Street

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111

(III) Standard two line Name and Address.

John Doe

Union Deposit, Pennsylvania 17036

(IV) Guardian/Trustee Case.

John Doe, Gdn. for	John Doe, Tr. for
Mary Doe	Mary Doe
125 East 5th Street, Apt. 8	125 East 5th Street, Apt. 8
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111	Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111

(V) Nursing Home Care Case.

John Doe Old Age Home R. D. 4 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17046

(VI) Nursing Home Care Guardian/Trustee Case.

John Doe, Gdn. for Mary Doe 125 East 5th Street Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111

The name of the Nursing Home will be typed in the "Financial Code" Section.

(VII) Final Payment Name to Nursing Home.

Old Age Home A/C John Doe R. D. 4 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17046

(VIII) Payment to a Revenue Agent on behalf of a client in a State institution.

Revenue Agent for Mary Doe Hamburg State School & Hospital Hamburg, Pennsylvania 19526

(k) Direct delivery system. The direct delivery system will be as follows:

(1) Description. Direct delivery is a system in which recipients obtain their public assistance checks at specified banks.

(i) The system is designed to provide recipients with a safe, reliable means of receiving public assistance grants and the Commonwealth with an efficient means of delivery these grants. The system is also designed to accomplish this without major additions or changes in staff or the method of operation. Direct delivery is needed and implemented only in high density urban areas where large numbers of public assistance checks are lost or stolen. When and where the system is implemented will be determined by the Secretary.

(ii) Participation in direct delivery will be required for C, Cu and GA recipients living within a direct delivery area, except for those persons determined inappropriate because of one or more of the following reasons:

(A) Physical and mental health. Individuals incapacitated by illness, or physical or emotional handicaps.

(B) Home responsibilities. The check payee will be required to provide services at home because of illness or incapacity of another member of the household on a sustained basis. If a payee can make adequate arrangements for the required services he may participate in Direct Delivery.

(C) Location of available banks. Individuals living so remote from any participating bank that it will be impractical for them to participate.

(D) Religious beliefs. Individuals whose religion prohibits the photographing of members or followers. Affiliation must be verfified.

(E) Employment. An individual employed at a location so remote from any participating bank within the county of residence or outside a district office boundary as to render his participation in the direct delivery system unreasonable. The person is excused from direct delivery provided he has not repeated replacement requests as defined in § 229.24(b)(3).

(2) Direct delivery disbursement file. Prior to starting direct delivery in a selected area it will be necessary to establish a direct delivery master file for the direct delivery area. This file will consist of the following information on a case: the name of the county, record number category, control digit or date case opened, district and bank code or number of the bank to which the case is assigned. Special instructions for creating this file will be furnished a county whenever it is decided to implement the direct delivery system in any city or district within the county. After the direct delivery master file is established in the central disbursing office, additions, changes or deletions to the file will be made in accordance with subsection (k)(3).

(3) Changes to the direct delivery disbursement file. The normal authorization procedure in this chapter and Chapters 225, 229, 231 and 233 will apply to the direct delivery system with the following additional requirements:

(i) Adding clients already on assistance to the direct delivery system (DDS). Adding of clients already on assistance to the direct delivery system will be done in accordance with the following:

(A) The carbon copy of the Form PA 122 (Turnaround) in the active assistance file will be used to add a currently authorized client to the DDS. The word "ADD", action indicator, and code number of the bank assigned to the client will be printed on the right side of the financial code section. As another Form PA 122 (Turnaround) will not be produced by central office, only the original and buff copy of the Form PA 122 will remain in the active assistance file. The word "ADD" and bank number noted above will also be printed on these forms.

(B) Direct delivery client will also be photographed for a photo identification card which will include the case number of the client, name, signature, category, signature of worker or technician, bank number and validating signature of the Secretary or State seal. The card will be used to identify the client when he collects his check at the bank.

(ii) Changing banks for clients already in direct delivery. Changing of banks for clients already in direct delivery will be done in accordance with the following:

(A) The carbon copy of the turnaround Form PA 122 in the active assistance file will be used to reassign a client from the bank where he is receiving his check to another bank. The word "ADD " with a bank number following should be very clearly blacked out and the words "CHANGE TO" printed below, followed by the new bank code number.

(B) A new identification card will be required due to the change in the bank number. This must be issued to the client before he can collect a check at the new bank.

(C) When only the original and buff copies of the Form PA 122 remain in the active assistance file due to action in subsection (k)(3)(i), a complete Form PA 122 will be prepared in accordance with subsection (k)(3)(i), and the original and buff copies will be destroyed. However, the bank information must be entered on those original and buff copies remaining in the active assistance file.

(iii) Adding new clients to Direct Delivery. Adding of new clients to Direct Delivery will be done in accordance with the following:

(A) The Form PA 122 prepared for the central disbursement file will be submitted in time to be received in the Bureau of Data Processing by the deadline date. The Form PA 122, carbon copy, for the direct delivery file will be submitted to the Bureau of Data Processing immediately after the first payment date of the client.

(B) The client will be advised that he will receive his first regular semimonthly check at his home address but that he must go to this assigned bank on the appropriate payment dates for his second and succeeding checks. The check register for the second payment date may be used to verify whether or not the check of the client was sent to the bank.

(iv) Removing a client from Direct Delivery. The bank code number will be blacked out on the turnaround Form PA 122 in the active assistance file and the words "REMOVE FROM DDS" will be printed. Only the carbon copy will be sent to central office. The same notation will also be made on the remaining copies in the active assistance file.

(v) Mailing address for Form PA 122's used in direct delivery. In order to authorize a change in the direct delivery system, one Form PA 122 carbon copy must be sent, in a brown manila envelope, to the following address:

Department of Human Services

Bureau of Data Processing

Attn: Direct Delivery

Post Office Box 2675

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

(vi) Special identification requirement. Red ink or a red pencil will be used to write the Bank Numbers and the words "ADD," "CHANGE TO," and "REMOVE FROM DDS" on the Form PA 122's sent to the Central Office for Direct Delivery.

(4) Direct delivery county (district) procedures. Procedures for direct delivery for county or district will be as follows:

(i) Check registers. The Bureau of Data Processing will provide a check register or list, by bank and by category, of direct delivery clients in the county or district. One complete check register will be mailed to county or district offices in time to be received the day prior to the applicable payday. The check register will be used to determine the public assistance checks actually sent to the bank. It should be retained in the county or district office for at least one complete payment cycle.

(ii) Unsigned receipt vouchers. When the banks return undeliverable checks to the State Treasurer, the unsigned receipt voucher will be promptly sent to the county or district office. Upon receipt of these vouchers, the county or district office will record, on the applicable check register, those clients who were not paid.

(iii) Failure of clients to collect checks at banks. When checks are not collected by clients on their scheduled bank payment days, the checks will be held by the banks for four business days. On the fifth business day following payment day, these uncollected checks will be returned to the Treasury Department. Clients who fail to collect their checks at the bank within the specified time limit must go to their county or district office for a replacement check if a need for continued assistance still exists. In order to avoid abuse of the specified system, the following procedures will be applied when the following two situations develop:

(A) A thorough redetermination of need for assistance will be immediately instituted for any client who delays collecting his assistance check beyond the bank delivery holding period without adequate cause.

(B) If a client misses two consecutive direct deliveries without good cause, such as ill health, and remains eligible for assistance, the client will be informed that no further check replacements will be made by the County Assistance Office for uncollected bank delivered checks.

(iv) Telephone holds. To suspend assistance or stop a check after the scheduled deadline date, a telephone hold will be placed on the check. Telephone holds on direct delivery cases will be made by county or district offices on mailing day directly to the banks handling the cases. These calls will be made during the afternoon, as close to the end of the bank working day as possible, by a designated county or district employe or alternate. When direct delivery checks are mailed directly to the home of the client rather than to the bank, regular telephone hold procedures in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(iii) will apply.

(v) Reporting. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the direct delivery system, the county or district office will take the following action:

(A) Maintain a record of requests for Identification Card, I.D., replacements, excluding the initial issue of I.D. cards to new cases. The following information will be included in the record:

(I) Date of request.

(II) Name of client.

(III) Case number.

(IV) Reason for issuing new I.D.s, such as card lost, stolen, mutilated and the like.

(B) Maintain, on a monthly basis and by district, if applicable, a record of the information requested on the monthly reporting form. At the end of each month, the county monitor will send this information for each district to the following address:

Manager, Direct Delivery System

Department of Human Services

Health & Welfare Building-Room 432

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

(C) This report must arrive in the above office by the 10th of the month following the month for which the report is submitted.

(vi) Replacement of checks. If a client reports that he could not collect his check at the bank on a regular scheduled payment day the following action will be taken:

(A) The direct delivery check register will be reviewed to determine if a check for the client was actually sent to the bank. If a check was not sent to the bank, the monitor will refer the matter to the worker handling the case. The monitor will investigate the records of the county to determine disposition of the case and will take the appropriate action. If the check was sent to the bank, clauses (B)-(G) will apply.

(B) The direct delivery monitor will contact the bank of the client to determine if a receipt voucher was signed with the name of the payee. The appropriate bank teller will be consulted on the receipt voucher and asked to provide whatever information the bank may have concerning the matter.

(C) The direct delivery monitor will request the bank to make available a copy of the signed receipt voucher and the signature will be compared with the signature of the client. If the signatures do not match, the bank will be consulted.

(D) If, after consultation with the bank, the monitor concludes that the evidence indicates the signature was forged, the case will be forwarded to the Executive Director or his delegate for review.

(E) If the Executive Director or his delegate agrees with the conclusion stated in clause (D), a replacement check will be approved and issued immediately as follows:

(I) A Form PA 207 shall be signed by the client.

(II) In the comment section of the Form PA 207, the insertion, "Bank #______gave check to a person other than payee," will be made.

(III) The replacement check will be coded 115. DD1.

(IV) A copy of the Form PA 207 and signed voucher will be retained by the monitor, and the information will be included on the direct delivery system monthly reporting form.

(F) If, in the judgment of the monitor, the signature on the receipt voucher matches the signature of the client, it will be considered evidence that the client received the check, and no replacement check will be authorized. If the client disagrees with this decision, he will be advised of the right to appeal and the appropriate action will be taken in accordance with § 275.4 (relating to procedures).

(G) If the decision is appealed, a copy of the signed receipt voucher will be submitted to the following address:

Manager, Direct Delivery System

Department of Human Services

Health and Welfare Building-Room 432

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

This is for the purpose of obtaining a professional handwriting opinion from the State Police. The results will be, in turn, made available for the fair hearing.

(5) Emergency procedures when banks do not receive checks from Treasury. The following emergency procedures will be employed when banks do not receive checks from Treasury:

(i) Banks. Banks will notify the county monitor when checks are not received before 3 p.m. on the business day prior to a payment day.

(ii) County monitor. The County monitor will immediately notify the Bureau of Systems Development of the circumstances.

(iii) Department. The Bureau of Systems Development will take the following action:

(A) Contact Treasury and the Postal Service to determine the probable delivery time of the checks.

(B) Advise the applicable county direct delivery monitor to prepare county disbursement replacement checks if it appears that the banks will not receive the regular checks in time for the payment day.

(iv) County (District). The county or district office will take the following action:

(A) Obtain the applicable check register from the county or district office and note telephone holds, if any.

(B) Prepare county disbursement replacement checks from the check register and enter replacement check numbers on the register.

(C) Prepare one Form PA 207 and one Form PA 122-E for each check replaced and mail the entire batch of both forms in one brown manila envelope to:

Central Disbursing Office

Direct Delivery Emergency Payments

Department of Human Services

Room 103, Health & Welfare Building

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

(v) Checks returned to bank. If the banks receive the lost checks after procedures set forth in subsection (k)(5) have been implemented, they will immediately return the checks by special delivery registered mail to:

Treasury Department

Bureau of Public Assistance Disbursements

Room 113, Finance Building

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

Pennsylvania CodeTitle 55 - HUMAN SERVICESPart II - Public Assistance ManualSubpart F - DisbursementsChapter 227 - CENTRAL OFFICE DISBURSEMENTCENTRAL OFFICE DISBURSEMENT PROVISIONS FOR AFDC/GASection 227.24 - Procedures

Pennsylvania Code
Title 55 - HUMAN SERVICES
Part II - Public Assistance Manual
Subpart F - Disbursements
Chapter 227 - CENTRAL OFFICE DISBURSEMENT
CENTRAL OFFICE DISBURSEMENT PROVISIONS FOR AFDC/GA
Section 227.24 - Procedures