** Archive **
PAMTL 416 (OWF/DA/RRP - July 1, 2000 Changes)
Public Assistance Manual Transmittal Letter No. 416
July 12, 2000
TO: ALL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE MANUAL HOLDERS
FROM: JACQUELINE ROMER-SENSKY, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: OWF/DA/RRP - JULY 1, 2000 CHANGES

CHAPTER 3000

Rule 5101:1-3-09 - OWF and RRP - Enumeration requirement

Paragraph (H) of this rule was obsoleted as it pertains to the Medicaid program and will be added to a rule in Chapter 5101:1-38 of the Administrative Code. (CCN 4583)

Rule 5101:1-3-15 - Ohio Works First (OWF): penalties and three-tier sanctions

As a result of passage of Substitute Senate Bill 245, changes have been made to the sanction rule to include language on the written notice of sanction. These changes are effective July 1, 2000. Section 5107.161 of the Revised Code requires that before a County Department of Job and Family Services sanctions an assistance group, a notice shall be provided by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The notice shall include a provision printed in bold face type that informs the assistance group that, not later than 15 days after the mailing of the notice, the assistance group may request a face-to-face county conference with the county department. The purpose of the county conference is to allow the assistance group to explain why they feel a sanction should not be imposed. The county conference does not negate the request for a state hearing; it precedes the state hearing.

This section of the Revised Code replaces the current language requiring the counties to send a pre-sanction notice prior to the mailing of the prior notice of adverse action that proposes a sanction. Effective July 1, 2000, the 15 days begins from the mailing date of the prior notice of adverse action. A request for a county conference within the 15 days, results in a postponement of the proposed sanction until after the county conference and state hearing decisions are rendered. A state hearing may not be required if the county conference overturns the proposed sanction. The county will no longer be required to send a separate pre-sanction notice; the statutory language will be printed on the prior notice of adverse action proposing the sanction, which is generated by CRIS-E.

Also required on the notice, is the toll-free number of the County Department of Job and Family Services that will provide the participant with the telephone number of the OWF Ombudsperson. A Service Request Form (SRF) has been generated to print the toll-free telephone number of each county that is listed on CRIS-E table TTOC on the prior notice of adverse action. In addition, all references to the County Department of Human Services have been changed to the County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS) in light of the July 1, 2000 merger. (CCN 4589)

CHAPTER 4000

Rule 5101:1-2-40 The Refugee Resettlement Program

Policy language is being amended to include the one hundred eighty-five percent and the one hundred percent need standards used in determining eligibility for the refugee resettlement program-financial assistance (RRP-FA) and refugee resettlement program-medical assistance (RRP-MA). The need standards were previously referred to as set forth in Administrative Code rule 5101:1-40-26 of Medicaid policy. Effective July1, 2000, the one hundred eighty-five percent standard will no longer be used in computing eligibility for covered families and children medicaid. The refugee resettlement program policy has not changed, the one hundred eighty-five percent standard and the one hundred percent standard remain a requirement in determining eligibility. The attached one hundred eighty-five and one hundred percent standard chart is applicable for the RRP program and will be updated annually when the new federal poverty guidelines are provided.

Policy language is being amended to correct references in sections G(2) and BB(3)(e) of this rule. (CCN 4583)

CHAPTER 5000

Rule 5101:1-5-30 - DA: Resources

Language has been added to clarify that the exception to evaluating resources according to equity value is in the determination of the value of motor vehicles, since DA follows the provisions in Chapter 5101:4-4 for the food stamp program. (CCN 4583)