Section 14.5  Definitions

"Administrative Disqualification Hearing" means a hearing conducted pursuant to 7 CFR 273.16 regarding alleged intentional program violations of the Food Stamp Program.

"Appeal" or "Fair Hearing" means the contesting of an action taken by the Department by an applicant or recipient of Public Assistance services.  Such action may include but is not limited to the following: refusal to accept an individual's application; failure to act on the application; denial of an application; a decision to reduce, suspend or terminate, or change the amount of assistance; failure of the Department to take appropriate action on the individual's request; a decision affecting the basis for issuances of food stamps; and any issues of Department policy that, when applied, aggrieve the individual.

"Appellant" means the individual or his/her authorized representative who has applied for, received, or been denied financial assistance, medical assistance or food stamps and is appealing an action or inaction of the Department. All references to appellant include any authorized representative.

"Business Day" means any day that the offices of the State of Illinois are open for business.  This would exclude Saturdays, Sundays and State holidays.

"Day" means a calendar day unless otherwise specified.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Human Services.

"Filed" – a document shall be considered filed on the date it is postmarked, if mailed, or on the business day the action is received by the Department if it is delivered by hand, phone or fax. Contact in person or by phone or fax shall be considered filed on a business day, if it is received prior to the close of business, 5:00 pm, on that date. If receipt is after 5:00 pm, the action shall be deemed filed on the next business day.

            "Hearing Officer" means the individual authorized by the Secretary to preside at the hearing.

            "Notice" means written correspondence sent by the Department to an individual to inform the individual of actions taken by the Department. (See 89 Ill. Adm. Code 102.70.)

            "Party" means the Department or person or agency named or admitted as a party or properly seeking and entitled as of right to be admitted as a party [5 ILCS 100/1-55] or the appellant.

            "Public Aid Committee" means the committee of local government that consists of the membership as spelled out in Section 11-8 of the Public Aid Code [305 ILCS 5/11-8] to hear appeals of applicants or recipients of General Assistance as governed by Article VI of the Public Aid Code [305 ILCS 5/Art. VI].

            "Public Assistance" means the provision of various programs of financial and medical assistance, including the following:

            "AABD" – Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled financial assistance and medical assistance available to individuals who have been determined to be aged, blind or disabled as defined by the Social Security Administration. (See 89 Ill. Adm. Code 113.)

            "Child Care" – Public Assistance to pay for the child care of eligible families under qualified circumstances.

            "Financial Assistance" – Public Assistance paid in the form of a cash benefit to a recipient for income maintenance needs.

            "Food Stamps" – Increased food purchasing benefits assistance to eligible recipients. (See 89 Ill. Adm. Code 121.)

            "General Assistance" – Financial and medical assistance available to eligible needy families or individuals who are ineligible to receive assistance through a categorical assistance program. (See 89 Ill. Adm. Code 114.)

            "KidCare" – Assistance in providing health insurance coverage to eligible children, under age 19, and pregnant women.

            "Refugee Resettlement Program" – Assistance for refugees from any country.

            "Repatriate Program" – Assistance for United States citizens and their dependents returned from a foreign country by the U.S. State Department.

            "Medical Assistance Grant" (MAG) – Medical assistance paid on behalf of a recipient of financial assistance.

            "Medical Assistance No Grant-cases" (MANG) – Medical assistance paid on behalf of a recipient of categorical assistance who is not receiving financial assistance. This assistance includes:

            MANG(AABD) – Medical assistance available to individuals who have sufficient income and assets to meet all maintenance needs other than medical care and who are receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits or who are determined to be aged, blind or disabled by the Department of Human Service; and

            MANG(C) – Medical assistance to needy families with children is available to families with one or more children who would qualify for TANF on the basis of non-financial eligibility factors but have sufficient income and assets to meet all maintenance needs other than medical care.

            "Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)" – Financial and medical assistance available to eligible families with one or more dependent children. (See 89 Ill. Adm. Code 112.)

            "Representative" means an attorney or other individual authorized by the appellant to act on the appellant's behalf in the proceedings contained in this Part. The authorization shall be in writing and specify the scope of the representative's authority.

            "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services.