Title 74, Title 74 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
41 chapters · 934 sections in this title.
RCW 74.04.004 Definitions—Fraud and abuse.
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The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Abuse" means any intentional use of public assistance benefits that constitutes a violation of any state statute or regulation relating to the use of public assistance…
RCW 74.04.005 Definitions—Eligibility.
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For the purposes of this title, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following definitions shall apply:(1) "Aged, blind, or disabled assistance program" means the program established under RCW 74.62.030.(2) "Applicant" means any person who has made a request, or on behalf …
RCW 74.04.00511 Limitations on "income" and "resource."
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For purposes of RCW 74.04.005 (9) and (13), "income" and "resource" do not include educational assistance awarded under *the gaining independence for students with dependents program as defined in chapter 19, Laws of 2003 for recipients of temporary assistance for needy families.…
RCW 74.04.0052 Teen applicants' living situation—Criteria—Presumption—Protective payee—Adoption referral.
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(1) The department shall determine, after consideration of all relevant factors and in consultation with the applicant, the most appropriate living situation for applicants under eighteen years of age, unmarried, and pregnant who are eligible for benefits under RCW 74.62.030 and …
RCW 74.04.006 Contract of sale of property—Availability as a resource or income—Establishment.
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The department may establish, by rule and regulation, the availability of a contract of sale of real or personal property as a resource or income as defined in RCW 74.04.005.[ 1973 1st ex.s. c 49 s 2.]
RCW 74.04.011 Secretary's authority—Personnel.
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The secretary of social and health services shall be the administrative head and appointing authority of the department of social and health services and he or she shall have the power to and shall employ such assistants and personnel as may be necessary for the general administr…
RCW 74.04.012 Office of fraud and accountability.
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(1) There is established an office of fraud and accountability within the department for the purpose of detection, investigation, and prosecution of any act prohibited or declared to be unlawful in the public assistance programs administered by the department. The secretary will …
RCW 74.04.014 Office of fraud and accountability—Authority—Confidentiality.
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(1) In carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the office of fraud and accountability shall have prompt access to all individuals, records, electronic data, reports, audits, reviews, documents, and other materials available to the department of revenue, department of labor a…
RCW 74.04.015 Administration and disbursement of federal funds—Public assistance—Medical services programs.
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(1) The secretary of social and health services shall be the responsible state officer for the administration and disbursement of all funds, goods, commodities, and services, which may be received by the state in connection with programs of public assistance or services related d…
RCW 74.04.025 Bilingual services for non-English-speaking applicants and recipients—Bilingual personnel, when—Primary language pamphlets and written materials.
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(1) The department, the authority, and the office of administrative hearings shall ensure that bilingual services are provided to non-English-speaking applicants and recipients. The services shall be provided to the extent necessary to assure that non-English-speaking persons are…
RCW 74.04.033 Notification of availability of basic health plan.
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The department shall notify any applicant for public assistance who resides in a local area served by the Washington basic health plan and is under sixty-five years of age of the availability of basic health care coverage to qualified enrollees in the Washington basic health plan…
RCW 74.04.040 Public assistance a joint federal, state, and county function—Notice required.
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The care, support, and relief of needy persons is hereby declared to be a joint federal, state, and county function. County offices are charged with the responsibility for the administration of public assistance within the respective county or counties or parts thereof as local o…
RCW 74.04.050 Department to administer certain public assistance programs—Authority to administer medical services programs.
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(1) The department is designated as the single state agency to administer the following public assistance programs:(a) Temporary assistance for needy families;(b) Child welfare services; and(c) Any other programs of public assistance for which provision for federal grants or fund…
RCW 74.04.055 Cooperation with federal government—Construction—Conflict with federal requirements.
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In furtherance of the policy of this state to cooperate with the federal government in the programs included in this title the secretary or director, as appropriate, shall issue such rules and regulations as may become necessary to entitle this state to participate in federal gra…
RCW 74.04.057 Promulgation of rules and regulations to qualify for federal funds.
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The department is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to qualify for any federal funds available under Title XVI of the federal social security act, and any other combination of existing programs of assistance consistent with federal law and regul…
RCW 74.04.060 Records, confidential—Exceptions—Penalty.
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(1)(a) For the protection of applicants and recipients, the department, the authority, and the county offices and their respective officers and employees are prohibited, except as hereinafter provided, from disclosing the contents of any records, files, papers and communications,…
RCW 74.04.062 Disclosure of recipient location to police officer or immigration official.
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(1)(a) Upon written request of a person who has been properly identified as an officer of the law or a properly identified United States immigration official the department or authority shall disclose to such officer the current address and location of a recipient of public welfa…
RCW 74.04.070 County office—Administrator.
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There may be established in each county of the state a county office which shall be administered by an executive officer designated as the county administrator. The county administrator shall be appointed by the secretary in accordance with the rules and regulations of the state …
RCW 74.04.080 County administrator—Personnel—Bond.
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The county administrator shall have the power to, and shall, employ such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title, which employment shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations of the state merit system, and in accordance with personnel and…
RCW 74.04.180 Joint county administration.
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Public assistance may be administered through a single administrator and a single administrative office for one or more counties. There may be a local office for the transaction of official business maintained in each county.[ 1959 c 26 s 74.04.180. Prior: 1953 c 174 s 15; 1939 c…
RCW 74.04.200 Standards—Established, enforced.
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It shall be the duty of the department of social and health services to establish statewide standards which may vary by geographical areas to govern the granting of assistance in the several categories of this title and it shall have power to compel compliance with such standards…
RCW 74.04.205 Simplified reporting for the food stamp program.
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(1) To the maximum extent allowable by federal law, the department shall implement simplified reporting for the food stamp program by October 31, 2004.(2) For the purposes of this section, "simplified reporting" means the only change in circumstance that a recipient of a benefit …
RCW 74.04.210 Basis of allocation of moneys to counties.
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The moneys appropriated for public assistance purposes and subject to allocation as in this title provided shall be allocated to counties on the basis of past experience and established case load history.[ 1959 c 26 s 74.04.210. Prior: 1939 c 216 s 15; RRS s 10007-115a.]
RCW 74.04.225 Opportunity portal—Access to available services facilitated—Report to legislature and governor.
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(1) An online opportunity portal shall be established to provide the public with more effective access to available state, federal, and local services. The secretary of the department of social and health services shall act as the executive branch sponsor of the portal planning p…
RCW 74.04.230 Medical care services benefits—Mental health services.
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Persons eligible for medical care services benefits are eligible for mental health services to the extent that they meet the client definitions and priorities established by chapter 71.24 RCW.[ 2011 1st sp.s. c 36 s 20; 2010 1st sp.s. c 8 s 20; 1982 c 204 s 16.]Notes:Findings—Int…
RCW 74.04.265 Earnings—Deductions from grants.
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The secretary may issue rules consistent with federal laws and with memorials of the legislature, as will recognize the income of any persons without the deduction in full thereof from the amount of their grants.[ 1979 c 141 s 303; 1965 ex.s. c 35 s 1; 1959 c 26 s 74.04.265. Prio…
RCW 74.04.266 Aged, blind, or disabled assistance—Medical care services—Earned income exemption.
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In determining need for aged, blind, or disabled assistance, and medical care services, the department may by rule and regulation establish a monthly earned income exemption as provided for in RCW 74.08A.230.[ 2023 c 418 s 8; 2011 1st sp.s. c 36 s 21; 2010 1st sp.s. c 8 s 21; 197…
RCW 74.04.280 Assistance nontransferable and exempt from process.
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Assistance given under this title shall not be transferable or assignable at law or in equity and none of the moneys received by recipients under this title shall be subject to execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process, or to the operation of any bankruptcy…
RCW 74.04.290 Subpoena of witnesses, books, records, etc.
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In carrying out any of the provisions of this title, the secretary, the director, county administrators, hearing examiners, or other duly authorized officers of the department or authority shall have power to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony and compel the pro…
RCW 74.04.300 Recovery of payments improperly received—Lien—Recipient reporting requirements.
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If a recipient receives public assistance and/or food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically for which the recipient is not eligible, or receives public assistance and/or food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically in an amount greater than tha…
RCW 74.04.310 Authority to accept contributions.
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In furthering the purposes of this title, the secretary or any county administrator may accept contributions or gifts in cash or otherwise from persons, associations or corporations, such contributions to be disbursed in the same manner as moneys appropriated for the purposes of …
RCW 74.04.330 Annual reports by assistance organizations—Penalty.
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Every person, firm, corporation, association or organization receiving twenty-five percent or more of its income from contributions, gifts, dues, or other payments from persons receiving assistance, community work and training, federal-aid assistance, or any other form of public …
RCW 74.04.340 Federal surplus commodities—Certification of persons eligible to receive commodities.
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The state department of social and health services is authorized to assist needy families and individuals to obtain federal surplus commodities for their use, by certifying, when such is the case, that they are eligible to receive such commodities. However, only those who are rec…
RCW 74.04.350 Federal surplus commodities—Not to be construed as public assistance, eligibility not affected.
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Federal surplus commodities shall not be deemed or construed to be public assistance and care or a substitute, in whole or in part, therefor; and the receipt of such commodities by eligible families and individuals shall not subject them, their legally responsible relatives, thei…
RCW 74.04.360 Federal surplus commodities—Certification deemed administrative expense of department.
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Expenditures made by the state department of social and health services for the purpose of certifying eligibility of needy families and individuals for federal surplus commodities shall be deemed to be expenditures for the administration of public assistance and care.[ 1979 c 141…
RCW 74.04.370 Federal surplus commodities—County program, expenses, handling of commodities.
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See RCW 36.39.040.
RCW 74.04.380 Federal and other surplus food commodities—Agreements—Personnel—Facilities—Cooperation with other agencies—Discontinuance of program.
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The secretary of social and health services, from funds appropriated to the department for such purpose, shall, upon receipt of authorization from the governor, provide for the receiving, warehousing and distributing of federal and other surplus food commodities for the use and a…
RCW 74.04.385 Unlawful practices relating to surplus commodities—Penalty.
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It shall be unlawful for any recipient of federal or other surplus commodities received under RCW 74.04.380 to sell, transfer, barter, or otherwise dispose of such commodities to any other person. It shall be unlawful for any person to receive, possess, or use any surplus commodi…
RCW 74.04.480 Educational leaves of absence for personnel.
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The state department of social and health services is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations governing the granting to any employee of the department, other than a provisional employee, a leave of absence for educational purposes to attend an institution of learnin…
RCW 74.04.500 Food stamp program—Authorized.
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The department is authorized to establish a food stamp or benefit program under the federal food stamp act of 1977, as amended.[ 1998 c 79 s 9; 1991 c 126 s 3; 1979 c 141 s 322; 1969 ex.s. c 172 s 4.]Notes:Overpayment, recovery: RCW 74.04.300.Unlawful use of food stamps: RCW 9.91…
RCW 74.04.510 Food stamp program—Rules.
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The department shall adopt rules conforming to federal laws, rules, and regulations required to be observed in maintaining the eligibility of the state to receive from the federal government and to issue or distribute to recipients, food stamps, coupons, or food stamp or coupon b…
RCW 74.04.515 Food stamp program—Discrimination prohibited.
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In administering the food stamp or benefits program, there shall be no discrimination against any applicant or recipient by reason of age, sex, disability, religious creed, political beliefs, race, color, or national origin.[ 2020 c 274 s 59; 1998 c 79 s 11; 1991 c 126 s 4; 1969 …
RCW 74.04.520 Food stamp program—Confidentiality.
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The provisions of RCW 74.04.060 relating to disclosure of information regarding public assistance recipients shall apply to recipients of food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically.[ 1998 c 79 s 12; 1969 ex.s. c 172 s 8.]
RCW 74.04.535 Food stamp employment and training program.
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(1) The department, the employment security department, and the state board for community and technical colleges shall work in partnership to expand the food stamp employment and training program. Subject to federal approval, the program shall be expanded to three additional comm…
RCW 74.04.541 Supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits—Distribution dates.
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Beginning February 1, 2017, the department must expand the dates it distributes supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits from the first through the tenth of every month, to the first through the twentieth of every month.[ 2016 c 54 s 1.]
RCW 74.04.600 Supplemental security income program—Purpose.
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The purpose of RCW 74.04.600 through 74.04.650 is to recognize and accept that certain act of congress known as Public Law 92-603 and Public Law 93-66, and to enable the department of social and health services to take advantage of and implement the provisions of that act. The st…
RCW 74.04.610 Supplemental security income program—Termination of federal financial assistance payments—Supersession by supplemental security income program.
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Effective January 1, 1974, the financial assistance payments under the federal aid categories of old age assistance, disability assistance, and blind assistance provided in chapters 74.08, *74.10, and 74.16 RCW, respectively, and the corresponding provisions of RCW 74.04.005, sha…
RCW 74.04.620 State supplement to national program of supplemental security income—Authorized—Reimbursement of interim assistance, attorneys' fees.
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(1) The department is authorized to establish a program of state supplementation to the national program of supplemental security income consistent with Public Law 92-603 and Public Law 93-66 to those persons who are in need thereof in accordance with eligibility requirements est…
RCW 74.04.630 State supplementation to national program of supplemental security income—Contractual agreements with federal government.
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The department may enter into contractual agreements with the United States department of health, education and welfare, consistent with the provisions of Public Laws 92-603 and 93-66, and to be effective January 1, 1974, for the purpose of enabling the secretary of the departmen…
RCW 74.04.635 State supplement to national program of supplemental security income—World War II Philippine veterans.
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(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person receiving benefits under RCW 74.04.620 on December 14, 1999, and who meets the requirements of subsection (2) of this section is eligible to receive benefits under this section although he or she does not retain a residen…