55 Pa. Code § 225.24 - Procedures

(a) Basic authorization-disbursement methods. Basic authorization-disbursement methods will be as follows:

(1) Assistance will be authorized by the county office. Regularly recurring grants will be disbursed by the central office, Health and Welfare Building, Harrisburg, as follows:

(i) AFDC and GA, semimonthly, on a prepayment basis.

(ii) SBP, monthly, on a prepayment basis.

(iii) NHC (SBP only), monthly, on a postpayment basis.

(iv) Philadelphia Housing Authority, monthly on a postpayment basis.

(2) The central disbursing office will also disburse one-time grants properly authorized by the county office.

(3) The county office will disburse assistance grants from the emergency fund, county disbursement, only in situations where there is a demonstrated immediate need for cash. Reference should be made to Chapter 229 (relating to county disbursement) for criteria used in determining emergency need.

(b) Minimum grants and changes. Minimum grants and changes will be as follows:

(1) Minimum grants. Minimum grants will be as follows:

(i) Regular grants. The minimum regular AFDC or GA grant will be $5.00 semimonthly except where the reason for such grant amount is due solely to the recoupment of an overpayment. The minimum regular SBP grant will be $2.00 monthly. Assistance is authorized only if the grant group is eligible for these amounts or more.

(ii) Prorated grants and one-time grants. No assistance check will be written for less than $1.00. Prorated grants or one-time grants will not be issued if the amount is less than $1.00.

(2) Changes. The minimum change in a semimonthly or monthly grant will be 50¢.

(c) Initial grants. Initial grants will be as follows:

(1) AFDC and GA. AFDC and GA grants will be as follows:

(i) Assistance will begin on or after the date decision is made that the applicant is or will be eligible. At the earliest, this will be the date the authorization, Form PA 122 or Form PA 122-E, is certified. At the latest, it will be the second regular payment day after the applicant is determined to be eligible. In cases involving eligibility of a newborn child added to an active case, the effective date is determined under § 133.23(b)(4) (relating to requirements). For exceptions to this policy in cases of agency error, reference should be made to § 227.24 (relating to procedures).

(ii) Central office disbursement will be the method of payment for initial grants. County disbursement will be used for initial grants only when there is a demonstrated immediate need for cash, as set forth in Chapter 229. A grant from Central Office will be mailed on the later of the following 2 days:

(A) The fifth workday after the Form PA 122 is received.

(B) The workday before the effective payment date.

(iii) The amount of the initial check from central office will be the regular semimonthly grant if the effective date is a regular payment day. If the effective date is other than a regular payment day, the first check will be the prorated amount for the period beginning with the effective date and ending the day before the first regular payment date. If it is processed after the regular deadline, the regular semimonthly amount will be added.

(2) SBP. An initial SBP grant will always be effective on a regular payment day.

(d) Authorization process. The basic authorization process will be as follows:

(1) The following authorization forms will be used for the programs indicated:

Program	Form
AFDC and GA	Authorization Sheet PA 21-P
SBP	PA 21-B
Nursing home care	PA 21-N
CAO authorization for Central Office disbursement	PA 122, or 122-N
County disbursement	PA 122-E

(2) A Form PA 743/743RE Document, blue ink copy of page 1, must be attached to each authorizing Form PA 122, PA-122N and PA-122E with the exception of those authorizations for total closings, check replacements and changes in grant amount only, such as grant decrease due to increased earnings.

(3) The method for computation of a grant on the Form PA-21P is outlined in § 175.24 (relating to procedures). The instructions contained in this subsection describe the use of this form in authorizing a grant after it is computed. The computation of SBP is given in Chapter 451 (relating to State Blind Pension), Foster Care for Children in Chapter 287 (relating to payment for child care).

(4) The Form PA 740, Face Sheet, will be used as a supplementary form in authorization, since it supplies all of the identifying information needed for Forms PA 122, 122E or 122N.

(5) After the amount of the cash grant has been computed on the forms, the grant will be authorized by filling in the columns opposite the spaces below "CASH GRANT" in ink or indelible pencil as follows:

(i) Effective Date. The effective date as defined in § 225.22 (relating to definitions) will be entered.

(ii) Column No. for Financial Codes. These column numbers will be used in the financial codes and explanations section to identify the authorizations to which the comments apply.

(iii) Action Code and Reason Code. The appropriate action code and reason code will be entered.

(iv) Section No. from Form PA 740. The number of the section on the Form PA 740 in which a change is being authorized will be entered. The following examples illustrate:

(A) Change in Case Number of Payment Name, enter "3."

(B) Change of Address, enter "4."

(v) Authorized By. Person authorizing grant will enter his initials here. After the form has been completed up to this point, it will be checked and the Form PA 122 will be typed.

(vi) Checked. Person checking column for accuracy and completeness will enter initials and date checked.

(vii) Typed. Authorization typist will enter initials and the date the Form PA 122 is typed. The initials of the typist will indicate that the items referred to in the section no. block have been taken care of on the Form PA 122.

Notes

55 Pa. Code § 225.24

The provisions of this §225.24 amended through June 11, 1982, effective 6/12/1982, 12 Pa.B. 1822; amended February 7, 1992, effective upon publication and apply retroactively to February 1, 1990, 22 Pa.B. 590.

The provisions of this §225.24 issued under sections 201(2) and 403(b) of the Public Welfare Code (62 P. S. §§ 201(2) and 403(b)).

This section cited in 55 Pa. Code § 142.23 (relating to requirements); 55 Pa. Code § 167.43 (relating to requirements); 55 Pa. Code § 175.24 (relating to procedures); 55 Pa. Code § 225.22 (relating to definitions); 55 Pa. Code § 227.24 (relating to procedures); 55 Pa. Code § 255.4 (relating to procedures); and 55 Pa. Code § 275.4 (relating to procedures).