Section 121.140  Small Group Living Arrangement Facilities and Drug/Alcoholic Treatment Centers

a)         Small Group Living Arrangement Facilities

1)         Blind or disabled recipients of benefits under Title II (42 U.S.C. 402 et seq.) or Title XVI (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.) of the Social Security Act residing in a public or private non-profit group living arrangement facility which services no more than sixteen (16) residents may voluntarily apply for food stamps.  Residents of a group living arrangement facility shall either apply for food stamp benefits and be certified through the use of an authorized representative designated by the facility or apply for such benefits on their own behalf.  If the resident applies for food stamps through an authorized representative designated by the facility (see Section 121.1), and if determined eligible for such benefits, the resident will be certified as a one-person household. If the resident applies for food stamps on his/her own behalf, the household size is determined in accordance with Section 121.70.

2)         Disabled or blind residents of a public or private non-profit group living arrangement facility must meet all other eligibility requirements of this Part and 7 CFR 273 (1987, with no later editions or amendments).

b)         Drug/Alcoholic Treatment Centers

1)         Residents of publicly operated or private non-profit drug/alcoholic treatments centers authorized by USDA pursuant to 7 CFR 278.1 and 278.2(g) (1987, with no later editions or amendments) to accept food coupons may voluntarily apply for food stamps.  Residents of a drug/alcoholic treatment center shall apply for food stamps and, if determined eligible for such benefits, be certified as a one-person household through the use of an authorized representative designated by the facility (see Section 121.1). The treatment center shall receive and spend the coupon allotment for food prepared by and/or served to the addict or alcoholic.

2)         Residents of publicly operated or private non-profit drug/alcoholic treatment centers must meet all other eligibility requirements of this Part and 7 CFR 273 (1987, with no later editions or amendments).

c)         Small Group Living Arrangement Facilities and Drug/Alcoholic Treatment Centers have the following responsibilities:

1)         Provide the Department with a list of currently participating residents signed by the facility director attesting to the validity of the list.

2)         The facility/treatment center is responsible for any misrepresentation or fraud which the facility/treatment center knowingly commits (see Section 121.150) in the certification of facility/treatment center residents.  The facility/treatment center must be knowledgeable about a household's circumstances (e.g., income and assets) and should carefully review those circumstances with the resident prior to applying for food stamps on behalf of a particular resident.  The facility/treatment center is strictly liable for all losses or misuse of food stamps held on behalf of resident households and for all overissuances which occur while households are residents of the facility/treatment center.

3)         The facility/treatment center must immediately (when the change occurs) notify the local public aid office of changes in the resident's circumstances which may affect the resident's eligibility for food stamps, including but not limited to changes in residence, income, and assets.

4)         When the resident leaves the facility/treatment center, he/she must receive his/her full food stamp allotment if already issued and if no coupons have been spent on behalf of that individual.  These procedures apply at any time during the month.  However, if any portion of the food stamps have been spent on behalf of the resident and he/she leaves the facility/treatment center prior to the 16th day of the month, the facility/treatment center must provide the individual with one half of his/her food stamp allotment.  In either case, the facility shall retain a receipt as proof of issuance.  If the resident leaves on or after the 16th day of the month and the coupons have already been issued and used, he/she will not receive any coupons.

5)         The facility/treatment center must return any unused food stamps not provided to departing residents at the end of each month to the local public aid office.  Any food stamps received for a resident subsequent to his/her departure from the facility must be returned to the local public aid office.

(Source:  Added at 12 Ill. Reg. 11463, effective June 30, 1988)