US Social Welfare Programs

Federal Programs

• SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is 100% federally funded.
• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) provides cash assistance and supportive services to help families achieve self-sufficiency.
• RCA (Refugee Cash Assistance) provides financial assistance to refugee adults to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency.
• MED 1 categories include aged, blind, and disabled individuals.
• MED 3 categories include HIP (Hoosier HealthWise) and other programs.

Authorized Representatives

• An Authorized Representative (AR) is an individual selected to act on behalf of another person.
• AR responsibilities include submitting the application, interviewing on behalf of the applicant, receiving notices on behalf of the applicant, and receiving the card.
• There is no limit to the number of AR forms available, but only three can be in the system at a time.
• A Power of Attorney (POA) allows a person to sign for another person.
• A Legal Guardian (LG) is appointed by the courts to be responsible for another person.

Resources and Eligibility

• Resources are defined as real or personal property that an individual owns solely or jointly.
• Real property is defined as land, buildings, or immovable objects attached permanently to the land.
• Liquid assets are resources that can be readily converted to cash.
• Joint ownership occurs when multiple people own a resource together.
• The financial value equation is FMV (Fair Market Value) minus total liens plus equity value.
• The ABCs of basic etiquette are ASK (assess the situation), BEHAVIOR (be respectful), and COMMUNICATION (clear communication).

Health Coverage

• PHI (Protected Health Information) is private and should be protected.
• Common PHI includes driver's license number, name, addresses, SSN, DOB, and phone numbers.

Non-Financial Information

• Non-financial information is not collected in certain special circumstances, such as death, no absent parent (artificial insemination), parental rights terminated, and single parent adoption.
• Paternity established means the courts have confirmed paternity.
• Cooperation status is selected as cooperating unless reported otherwise by the Child Support Bureau.

Other Programs

• ABAWD (Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents) is a program for individuals between 18 and 50 who do not have dependents.
• Impact is the State's employment and training program.
• TANF Student Exemption is a safety net for working students receiving TANF.
• Third-Party Liability is health insurance other than Health Coverage provided by the state of Indiana.

Asset Verification System (AVS)

• AVS is a system that verifies resources, including real property, accounts, and vehicles.
• AVS returns resource verification from Experian, the BMV, and real property searches.
• AVS look-back periods are 30 days for new applications and 4 months for re-applications.

Rebuttals and Verifications

• A successful rebuttal means providing verification that a resource is jointly owned, reducing the countable value, or proof that a resource is no longer in the applicant's name.
• Verifications must come from the source, such as bank statements, vehicle titles, and life insurance policies.

Resource Eligibility

• Resources must be available and countable to be considered in eligibility determinations.
• The financial value equation is used to determine the value of resources.
• Exemptions, such as the home and certain vehicles, are not counted in resource eligibility determinations.### Authorized Representative
• An Authorized Representative is a listing of authorized representatives and contact information.
• Ensure all contact information and program permissions match previously known information when adding an Authorized Representative to an Application Case.
• Update the Authorized Representative on the Authorized Representative Summary page.

Resources

• Real property is land, buildings, or immovable objects attached permanently to the land.
• All property that is not real property is called personal property.
• Joint ownership is when resources are owed by multiple people.
• Liquid assets are resources that can be liquidated or disposed of.
• Resources must be available to count in IEDSS, meaning the owner has the unrestricted right, authority, or legal ability to liquidate or dispose of the resources or their share of the resource.
• The financial value equation is FMV - total liens = equity value.
• Resources LUWs (Lines of Work) include liquid assets, life insurance, trust, real property, prepaid funeral arrangements, and other resources.

AVS (Asset Verification System)

• The AVS acronym stands for Asset Verification System.
• AVS returns resource verification from Experian, the BMV, and real property searches.
• IEDSS pings the AVS system for most larger banks.
• AVS look back periods for new applications and re-applications are 30 days for FSUD.
• AVS verifies real property, accounts, vehicles, and other resources.
• Kelly Blue Book is used to determine the value of vehicles.
• A successful rebuttal is bank statements that show amounts that should be deducted from the first of the month balance, verification that the resource is jointly owned with another person, proof of the amount still owed on the resource, verification that the resource is no longer in the applicant's name.

LUWs (Lines of Work)

• LUWs include:
  • Real property: mortgage statement, contract for deed
  • Liquid assets: checking/saving bank statement
  • Vehicle: vehicle title and registration
  • Life insurance: life insurance statement
  • Cash: cash on hand
  • Prepaid funeral arrangements: sales agreements or contracts, list of goods and services, burial plot documentation
  • Other resources: etc.

Expenses

• There are 7 expense questions.
• Expenses include:
  • Medical expenses: payments made to cover out of pocket medical costs
  • Dependent care costs: expenses for a child or other dependent necessary for the member to seek/accept/continue work or training/education
  • Shelter costs: condo maintenance fees
  • Utilities: utility bill
  • Alimony: court-ordered alimony
  • Child support: payments made for the care and maintenance of the child
  • Other expenses: etc.

MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income)

• MAGI uses the same rules used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to calculate the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI).
• For income to be included in the MAGI budget, it must be entered on the MAGI Income - Details page.
• MAGI expenses are allowable expenses set by the SSA.
• MAGI expenses are entered on the MAGI - Expenses Details page.

Income Deductions

• Income deductions lower the countable income amount, helping some individuals to be eligible for benefits.
• Income deductions are entered on the Income Deduction - Details page.
• Payments for income deductions are entered on the Income Deduction Payments page.

ED/BC (Eligibility Determination Benefit Calculation)

• ED/BC is the IEDSS process of determining benefit eligibility based on the non-financial and financial data in the case.
• Clicking next on the Wrap Up sub-module will trigger IEDSS to run ED/BC.
• The Wrap Up Eligibility Summary page displays the category of assistance and the status of benefits.### Child Support Bureau
• Administers the Title IV-D Child Support Program by:
  • Locating non-custodial parents
  • Establishing paternity
  • Establishing child support and medical support orders
  • Enforcing payment of child support

Contribution and Arrears

• Contribution: all direct payments from any source that represents a gain or benefit to the individual with no obligation to repay
• Arrears: amount of money that is owed and should have been paid earlier

Child Support Enforcement Program

• Established by: IV-D part of Title IV of the Social Security Act
• Computer system: ISETS (communicates all child support information from one office to another)

Real Property and Assets

• Real property: property attached to the land
• Liquid assets: cash, savings, or checking accounts
• Vehicle: includes cars, trucks, and motorcycles
• Life insurance: policies that provide a cash value
• Cash on hand: includes coins, currency, and other forms of cash

Income Verification

• Income verification methods: pay stubs, interviews, telephone calls with employers
• Interface used to verify earned income: Work Number
• PPM section for verifications of earned income: 2890.05.00
• S Corp income: can be either earned or unearned

Exemptions and Vehicles

• Home exemption: having the legal right, authority, or power to liquidate resources
• Vehicle exemption: most vehicles are considered exempt if used for or intended to be used for household transportation
• Vehicle coding: household transportation unless client states its used for another purpose

Medical Expenses and Alimony

• Medical expenses: payments made to cover out-of-pocket medical costs
• Alimony: an amount of money allocated from one spouse to another by a court in a divorce or separation agreement
• Voluntary child support: non-court-ordered child support
• Court-ordered child support: payments made for the care and maintenance of the child by the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent

Expenses and Utility Allowances

• Dependent care costs: expenses for a child or other dependent necessary for the member to seek/accept/continue work or training/education
• Health insurance premiums and medical costs: considered for long-term care and waiver recipients
• Medical expenses over $35: used in the eligibility for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
• Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs): 4 types (SUA 1, SUA 2, SUA 3, SUA 4)
• SUA 1: requires the AG to pay at least 2 non-heating/cooling utilities
• SUA 2: requires the AG to pay for one utility other than a telephone expense
• SUA 4: given to AGs that only incur a telephone expense

Explore the different US social welfare programs, including SNAP, TANF, and RCA, and learn about their eligibility requirements, benefits, and goals.