Central Point of Coordination -
Who is Eligible?
Those persons who are eligible for services and supports are:
- Persons with mental illness
- Chronic mental illness
- Mental retardation
- Developmental disabilities
The County uses 200 percent of the Federal income poverty guidelines as the
income guidelines to qualify for funding from the County. Any consumer
with gross income over 200 percent guidelines, will be ineligible.
(See
Income Guidelines) The exception will be the individual who is
over the 200 percent poverty level who is seeking mental health services.
This individual will have the opportunity to pay for these mental
health services on a sliding fee schedule according to their income.
This assistance is available to mental health providers. The annual
Social Security adjustment received in January will be exempt until
the federal income poverty guidelines are officially released for
that year.
To be eligible for funding all consumers must meet the following resource guidelines:
Definition of resources: cash or other liquid assets or any real or personal property that a person owns which is not legally restricted from using for support and maintenance and could convert to cash to be used for the person's support and maintenance. To be considered a resource, real or personal property or an interest in property must have a cash value that is available to the owner upon disposition. If property cannot be liquidated, it is not a countable resource.
Resource limit: The limit is $5,000 for an individual and $7,000 for a family and the countable value of the resources are determined as of the first moment of the first day of the month. The consumer may elect, with CPC approval, to all that part of the resource,which exceed the allowable amount to the consumer's annual income. The annual income must continue to meet income eligibility standards for the consumer to remain eligible.
Countable value of a resource: the equity the consumer has in the resource. Jointly owned resources such as checking/savings accounts are considered totally available to each owner, with the exception of real property which will be considered as the title specifies.
Equity: the current market value of the resources less any legal debt on that resource. The current market value of a resource is the amount that the resource can be expected to sell for on the open market.
Resources used in employment: tools of the trade, equipment and uniforms required by an employer in the performance of the job are exempt from resource consideration.
Cash and checking accounts: cash on hand, funds in a checking
or savings account are liquid resources and shall be counted toward
the resource limit, unless these funds were counted as income for
the month. If the funds were deposited in the prior month due to early
mailing but are intended for the following month, the funds shall
not be considered a resource in the month the income is expected to
cover. These funds are income. IRA's are countable as a resource in
the amount available to the consumer.
Time certificates: the resource value of a time certificate is the net amount the owner would receive after penalties are imposed for early withdrawal.
Trusts: If the beneficiary's access to the trust principal
is restricted (e.g. if only the trustee or the court can invade the
principal), the principal shall not count as a resource to the beneficiary
unless the trust states the money is to be used for maintenance or
support of the consumer. The County will then expect that the trust
be used for that purpose and the trust will be considered a resource
available to the consumer. Changing an existing trust in order to
become eligible for County funding is prohibited. The County will,
in such cases, still use the original trust to determine eligibility
for funding. If the beneficiary has unrestricted access to the principal
of the trust, it is counted as a resource.
Stocks and bonds: The countable resource value of stock is the closing price of the stock as of the first moment of the first day of the month. The countable resource value of a bond is its redemptive value as of the first moment of the first day of the month. However, U.S. Savings Bonds are not considered as a resource until six months after the issue date.
Vehicles: One vehicle is totally excluded from resources. If another vehicle is needed for employment of the consumer or consumer family member, or necessary for medical treatment for the consumer or a consumer family member, it is also excluded.
Life insurance: Life insurance with a face value totaling $5,000 or less per owner is exempt from consideration as a resource. Life insurance which has no cash surrender value is not considered in determining the total face value of life insurance. If the total face value of life insurance owned by a consumer exceeds $5,000, the cash surrender value of the life insurance will be counted toward the resource limit.
Burial contracts: a prepaid burial contract is not a countable
resource if it meets one of the following conditions: 1) the contract
is validly irrevocable and cannot be liquidated. 2) The mutual consent
of the person and the contract seller is required to revoke or liquidate
the prepaid burial contract, and the consent of the seller cannot
be obtained. Also included in this exclusion is one burial space for
the consumer and each member of the consumer's immediate family.
The following are exclusions from the resource limits:
- A homestead is excluded from being counted as a resource regardless of value. This is defined as any shelter, which is used by the consumer, spouse, or dependent children as the principal place of residence. It includes all the land, which is contiguous to the home and the buildings located on the land. The home may be fixed or mobile if the homestead is sold, any proceeds not used to purchase a new home are considered resources.
- Payments which are counted as income for that month.
- Disaster assistance from a state, federal or local program.
- Funds received to enable a person to pay for a medical or social service, in the month of receipt and one calendar month after receipt unless the funds are repayment for a medical bill or social service already paid. Repayment funds are a countable resource the month after receipt.
- Cash received for replacement or repair of an excluded resource and interest earned on the cash. The exclusion from resources consideration begins the date that the cash is received and lasts nine months.
The consumer must agree to use their own resources and spend the resources of those persons charged by law to provide for their needs. They must also apply any private health insurance benefits toward the cost of their services and supports. The consumer must apply for all other public assistance programs and cooperate with all program requirements to provide information to determine eligibility and to remain eligible. Failure to do so will result in a denial of funding for services and supports. If the consumer is eligible for a regular monthly disability payment and resides in an RCF for which the County is paying the RCF service rate, the consumer is required to pay the maintenance rate from their disability income to remain eligible for county funding.
If legal settlement can not immediately be determined, the County
shall ensure services and supports for consumers who are eligible
in all other aspects.
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