County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA General Relief Program Guide GRPG SSI Advocacy Services Number Page 908003 1 of 3 Revision Date May 1 2018 A Background The San Diego County HHSA contracts for SSI Advocacy Services Legal Aid Society of San Diego Inc is the contracted provider of these services As part of the contract Legal Aid will provide SSI Advocacy Services to all GR FRCs in the County and will schedule time in the FRCs as appropriate to the number of referrals received The advocates job is to assist GR applicantsrecipients in the SSISSP application and appeal process Most applicantsrecipients under IAP are mandatory referrals The worker and supervisor will have discretion in referring nonmandatory applicantsrecipients when it appears the situation or circumstances demonstrate a potential need for SSI Advocacy Services or an evaluation of potential SSI eligibility based on disability or blindness is needed This section is updated to add the offer of a bus pass to individuals referred to SSI Advocacy Offer a 30day Metropolitan Transit System MTS Bus Pass to individuals referred to the SSI Advocate who do not have access to a working vehicle Purpose To provide the policies for SSI Advocacy Services Policy B Form 131 HHSA The major communication document between the worker and the SSI Advocate is the 131 HHSA It may be used by either party and is considered a twoway communication document Ensure that the applicantrecipient signs the form as required in the middle of the page and image it in the case file to document SSI Advocacy Services referral and activities C Mandatory Referrals to SSI Advocacy Services There is an emphasis on assisting those with psychiatric disabilities but referrals are not limited to this group Explain to customers that the County contracted services are provided free of charge Individuals meeting the following criteria are mandatory referrals to SSI Advocacy Services All applicantsrecipients who have filed for SSI but have not been approved or denied at the point of referral which can be anytime the worker has contact with the customer or the case for example redetermination receipt of CW 7 phone contact etc All applicantsrecipients who are potentially eligible to SSI based on 908001G criteria All applicantsrecipients receiving SSI prior to incarceration and whose SSI was terminated while incarcerated All applicantsrecipients with a prior medical evaluation indicating inability to work for six months or longer and a new medical evaluation extending the period of inability to work due to same medical condition Note For purposes of determining the period of six months or longer multiple medical evaluations for the same medical condition will be considered County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA General Relief Program Guide GRPG SSI Advocacy Services Number Page 908003 2 of 3 If an individual has a preexisting contract with a private attorney for SSI Advocacy Services does not wish to change to the County contracted services and provides verification of that contract or authorization the individual may be exempted from a mandatory referral D Voluntary Referral to Advocate The worker or supervisor may do a voluntary referral to SSI Advocacy Services when The applicantrecipient appears to have a psychiatric or physical disability for which the medical information to indicate potential SSI eligibility is inconclusive or missing and an evaluation for potential SSI is needed The applicantrecipient has a documented psychiatric or physical disability but it is unclear if the criteria in 908001G are met and the criteria in 908001L are not met E PreApplication There are no major differences in the preapplication process Form 1165 HHSA Applicants Statement of Employability can be used by the preapplication worker to identify disabilities for an aged individual being referred to CAPI to assist in determining potential SSI eligibility F Applicant Meets Referral Criteria If the applicantrecipient is otherwise GR eligible take the actions in Processing Guide 908003A G IAP StatusAction Take the actions in Processing Guide 908003A for SSI Advocacy Services in relation to IAP H Confirmation of Program Eligibility to SSI Advocate The SSI Advocate may receive referrals for SSI Advocacy Services from other agencies such as St Vincent de Paul Neil Goode etc When this outside referral occurs the SSI Advocate must document linkage to GR or CAPI to serve the applicantrecipient under the County contract A NOA or other correspondence from the County may be available to confirm linkage If these forms are not available it has been agreed that the SSI Advocate can obtain a clearance through the FRC to confirm program linkage FRC Managers can decide where to have the clearance completed Names of the SSI Advocates will be provided to each FRC If the Then individual is not known is not active or pending to GR or CAPI that is the extent of information provided to the SSI Advocate unless a release has been received individual is active to or pending to GR or CAPI this can be confirmed for the SSI Advocate and the workers number name and the case number can be released to the SSI Advocate for documenting linkage in their case record worker did not initiate the referral for SSI Advocacy Services the SSI Advocate will send a Form 131 HHSA to the worker County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA General Relief Program Guide GRPG SSI Advocacy Services Number Page 908003 3 of 3 I ApplicantRecipient Not Assisted by SSI Advocate Monitor the SSI application process of applicantsrecipients not assisted by the SSI Advocate due to the exemption in C above as shown in Processing Guide 903003A Procedures Follow the policies above and Processing Guide 908003A for the SSI Advocacy requirements for IAP Program Impacts None References Program Guide Letter 63 Sunset Date This policy will be reviewed for continuance by May 31 2021 Authorization for Release Rick Wanne Director Eligibility Operations