Eligibility Determinations

The following is allowed when making eligibility determinations:

Collateral Contacts

Individual consent forms, signed by the applicant or recipient are required for each contact made during the evidence gathering process. An exception to this rule is found in MPP Section 20-007.36 which exempts Special Investigative Units (SIUs) from the requirement of permission to contact collateral sources.

Permission

If the client does not wish the county to contact a private or public source in order to determine eligibility, the client shall have the opportunity to obtain the desired information or verification for him/herself.

Acceptability and Discontinuances

If the information or verification is unacceptable to the county and the applicant refuses to grant the county permission to collect the information, the applicant will be given the opportunity to withdraw his/her application or the application shall be denied for noncooperation.
Recipients who refuse to give consent for a collateral contact for which no acceptable evidence or verification has been obtained by the recipient, shall be given the opportunity to withdraw from the program or shall be terminated.

Outside Contacts

When the assigned Eligibility Worker determines eligibility, he/she shall inform the client that, if it is necessary to contact outside sources (including employers) and the client wishes to keep the service confidential, he/she is entitled to request that such contacts be made by our Agency.

The Social Services Agency, upon notification of the individual’s request, shall make the outside contacts for the client. While the client may not object to such contacts, he/she may object to a contact’s learning of the particular kind of service sought. To the maximum extent possible, such inquiries should not reveal the specific nature of the service sought by the client.

Documentation in Case Record