SECTIONS 12550-12554 - California Statutes

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE

SECTION 12550-12554

12550. (a) For the purposes of this article, "special circumstances"
means those which are not common to all recipients and which arise
out of need for certain goods or services, and physical infirmities
or other conditions peculiar, on a nonrecurring basis, to the
individual's situation. Special circumstances shall include purchase,
repair, and replacement of essential household furniture, equipment,
or clothing, necessary moving expenses, required housing repairs,
and unmet shelter needs, subject to limits set by the department.
(b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 1998.

12550.1. (a) Effective July 1, 2001, and notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the following benefits shall be provided under this
article:
(1) The maximum amount for purchase, repair, or modification of
housing or to prevent foreclosures or for relocation expenses shall
be one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).
(2) The maximum amount of payment for the purchase, repair or
replacement of equipment, including appliances, shall be six hundred
dollars ($600).
(3) The maximum amount of payment for the purchase, repair, or
replacement of bedding and mattresses shall be three hundred dollars
($300).
(4) The maximum amount of payment for the purchase, repair, or
replacement of clothing shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
(b) The department may adopt emergency regulations to implement
this section.

12551. Special circumstances shall also include special needs as
provided in Sections 11023 and 11023.1.
This section shall become operative on July 1, 1998.

12552. The county shall verify that a special circumstance does
exist and shall issue a warrant for payment within the guidelines
provided by the department. The county shall then send a claim to the
state for payment.
This section shall become operative on July 1, 1998.

12552.1. (a) A county may transfer funds received for the
implementation of this chapter from its administrative allocation to
its benefit allocation for the purposes of providing additional
benefits to clients to the extent that administrative savings are
achieved.
(b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2001.

12553. (a) Notwithstanding Section 12552, special circumstances
shall also include the administration and payment by the department
pursuant to this section of a recurring special need allowance to
every eligible recipient who has a guide dog, signal dog, or other
service dog, to pay for dog food and other costs associated with the
dog's care and maintenance.
(b) Beginning January 1, 1991, the special need allowance shall be
forty dollars ($40) per month. Beginning July 1, 1991, this amount
shall be increased to fifty dollars ($50) per month.
(c) The department shall mail an application for the allowance to
each eligible recipient. The application shall be upon a standard
form prescribed by regulations of the department and containing a
written declaration that the affirmation is made under penalty of
perjury subject to prosecution as the crime of perjury under the
Penal Code. The recipient or, if the recipient is incapable, another
person as described in Section 11054 may make the affirmation. The
department shall grant the special need allowance upon the basis of
the affirmation by mailing a monthly warrant in the amount indicated
in subdivision (b) to the recipient.
(d) The county welfare department shall cooperate in assisting the
recipient in completing his or her application for the special need
allowance authorized by this section.
(e) For purposes of this section, "eligible recipient" means any
blind or disabled recipient of either or both of the following
benefits:
(1) Federal supplemental security income benefits provided
pursuant to Subchapter 16 (commencing with Section 1381) of Chapter 7
of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(2) Benefits provided under the State Supplementary Program
pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000).

12554. (a) Notwithstanding Section 12552, special circumstances
shall also include the administration and payment by the department
pursuant to this section of a recurring special need allowance to
every eligible recipient who has a guide dog, signal dog, or other
service dog, to pay for dog food and other costs associated with the
dog's care and maintenance.
(b) For purposes of this section, the special need allowance shall
be fifty dollars ($50) per month.
(c) The department shall mail an application for the allowance to
each recipient of benefits under the federal Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) program who is known to the department to
have a guide dog, signal dog, or other service dog, or who has
requested an application from the department, and who is a legal
resident of this state. The application shall include a disclosure of
the applicant's resources and all sources and amounts of the
applicant's income. The application shall be upon a standard form
prescribed by regulations of the department and containing a written
declaration that the affirmation is made under penalty of perjury
subject to prosecution as the crime of perjury under the Penal Code.
The recipient or, if the recipient is incapable, another person as
described in Section 11054 may make the affirmation. In order to
establish eligibility pursuant to subdivision (e), the applicant
shall also be required to present a proof of income statement from
the federal Social Security Administration. The department shall
grant the special need allowance upon the basis of the affirmation by
mailing a monthly warrant in the amount indicated in subdivision (b)
to the recipient.
(d) The county welfare department shall cooperate in assisting the
recipient in completing his or her application for the special need
allowance authorized by this section.
(e) For purposes of this section, "eligible recipient" means any
person legally residing in this state who is a recipient of benefits
under the federal Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
program, provided for pursuant to Title II of the federal Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 401, et seq.) and whose income and
resources are not in excess of the federal poverty level. For
purposes of determining eligibility under this section, income and
resources shall be defined in the same manner as those terms are used
in determining eligibility for aid under Chapter 3 (commencing with
Section 12000).