Section 10.280  Right to Appeal

a)         Any individual who applies for or receives financial or medical assistance, social services or food stamp benefits shall have the right to appeal any of the following:

1)         Refusal to accept an application or reapplication;

2)         Failure to act on an application within the mandated time period;

3)         A decision to deny an application;

4)         A decision to reduce, suspend, terminate or in any way change the amount of assistance/food stamps or manner in which it is provided;

5)         Failure to make a decision or take appropriate action on any request that the client makes;

6)         A decision affecting the basis of issuance of food stamps with which the client disagrees; or

7)         An issue of Department policy, if the client is aggrieved by its application.

b)         The appeal may be filed by the client or the client's authorized representative.  For food stamp clients, the request for a hearing may be made orally or in writing, and the appeal process is initiated effective with the date of the request.