SECTIONS 18490-18496 - California Statutes

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE

SECTION 18490-18496

18490. Application for relief may be made to the county of which
the applicant is a resident, or, in the case of an applicant who is a
resident of the state but who is not a resident of any county, to
the county in which the applicant is present.

18491. The board of supervisors of every county as a board, or by
committee or by such person as it may authorize, shall investigate
every application for relief under this chapter, shall supervise by
periodic visitation every person receiving such relief, shall devise
ways and means for bringing persons unable to maintain themselves to
self-support, and shall keep full and complete records of such
investigation, supervision, relief, and rehabilitation as shall be
prescribed by the department.
Such records shall be confidential and shall not be open to
examination or inspection, except by the grand jury of the county or
by a board or an officer of the state or the county charged with the
supervision or direction of such relief or with the control of the
expenditure of funds applicable to such relief.
Any citizen shall be entitled to demand and receive from the
board, officer, committee, or person having custody of such records a
statement of the amount, character, and value of the relief received
by any person.

18492. Persons eligible for relief, who are residents of the state
and residents of the county in which they apply for relief, shall be
granted relief by the county of their residence, and the state shall
pay to the county the state's share of the cost of the relief.
Persons eligible for relief, who are residents of the state but
who are not residents of any county, shall be granted relief by the
county in which they apply for relief, and the state shall pay to the
county providing the relief the full cost of the relief provided,
until such persons have remained in a county for the period necessary
to acquire residence in that county.

18493. In case of dispute between two or more counties as to the
responsibility for any person, or in case of dispute between a county
and the department, either may appeal to the department for a
hearing. The decision of the department is final.

18494. If any applicant or recipient is dissatisfied with the
action of the board of supervisors, he shall, upon filing a petition
with the department, have the right of appeal and shall be accorded
an opportunity for a fair hearing. The department shall set such
appeal for hearing 30 working days from the filing of the request and
shall give all parties concerned written notice of the time and
place at least 10 days prior to the hearing. At the hearing, the
applicant or recipient may appear in person with counsel of his own
choosing or in person and without such counsel.
The department shall consider the appeal and shall dismiss the
appeal or award relief as prescribed in this chapter. The board of
supervisors shall then pay to such person the sum awarded, if any, by
the department.

18496. Whenever an applicant or recipient loses an appeal made
pursuant to Section 18494, the applicant or recipient shall be liable
for any amount paid pending the hearing which was at issue in the
hearing, to the extent permitted by federal law.