Interim Assistance Overview

IA means any payment received by individuals to meet their basic needs while their benefits for SSI/SSP or CAPI are pending.

IA includes

• General Assistance (GA)
• Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).

Interim Assistance period begins on the day of the month that the approval of the clients' SSI/SSP or CAPI application becomes effective; and ends on the month that the SSI/SSP or CAPI regular payment begin; or

The IA period begins on the day of the month that the clients' SSI/SSP or CAPI benefit is reinstated after a period of suspension or termination; and ends on the month that the SSI/SSP or CAPI regular payment begin following the suspension or termination.

IAR is the amount of IA recovered by Santa Clara County from the clients' retroactive SSI/SSP or CAPI payments once approved or reinstated.

History

The IAR provisions of the Social Security Act permit Interim Assistance Counties to recover from an individual’s initial retroactive SSI payment. Interim Assistance is the amount the county gives the individual for meeting basic needs while the individual’s SSI application is pending or SSI benefits are suspended or terminated and subsequently reinstated.

Public Law 93-368 provides for reimbursement for Interim Assistance payments made to SSI/SSP applicants whose applications are subsequently approved for SSI benefits. Individual authorizations must be signed by the applicants or their representatives and forwarded either manually or electronically to SSA.

Santa Clara County elected to participate in the program to receive reimbursement for Interim Assistance as described in Public Law 93-368. Participation in the Interim Assistance Program allows the county to collect the GA paid to (or on behalf of) a client who is found eligible for SSI/SSP benefits.

 

Note: IAR is also known or referred to as IAP or IA.

Participation

Participation in the IA program allows the county to recoup the amount of:

• CAPI payments received during the IA period, once SSI/SSP is approved or reinstated, and/or
• GA benefits received during the IA period, once CAPI is approved or reinstated.

IAR Process

EWs must ensure that the following IAR process is completed during application or RRR:

• The “Authorization for Reimbursement of Interim Assistance Initial Payment or Initial Post eligibility Payment” (SSP 14) must be properly completed.
• Social Security Administration must be informed about the IA by submitting the “Referral To/ From Social Security” (SCD 169) and ensures the signed SSP 14 is scanned to Imaging.

Note: In addition to these two forms, the “Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants State Interim Assistance Reimbursement Authorization” (SOC 455) must also be completed if a client is receiving GA benefits while his or her CAPI application is pending.

Important: CAPI benefits must not be delayed if the only form/verification missing from the client's application or redetermination is the SSP 14 and/or the SOC 455. Eligibility Workers may continue to request the form allowing the client at least 30 days to comply as with all other missing verification, and must leave a CalSAWS journal entry detailing attempts. [Refer to General Information for guidance on providing reasonable accommodation, and Suspension, Reinstatement, Termination and Reapplication of CAPI Benefits after all attempts and accommodations have been exhausted].