State Assistance Programs for SSI Recipients, January 2007

Colorado

State Supplementation

Mandatory Minimum Supplementation

Administration: State Department of Human Services.

Optional State Supplementation

Administration: State Department of Human Services.

Effective date: January 1, 1974.

Statutory basis for payment: Colorado Revised Statutes 26-2, section 202-209, 1973, as amended.

Funding

Administration: 80 percent state funds, 20 percent local funds.

Assistance: 100 percent state funds for the aged; 80 percent state funds, 20 percent local funds for the blind and disabled.

Passalong method: Maintaining total expenditures.

Place of application: County offices of the state Department of Human Services.

Scope of coverage: Optional state supplement provided to all SSI recipients, including children, residing in the specified living arrangements. Persons living in the household of another are included under the living independently standard; state supplement is increased to offset the reduced federal payment. At age 65, a disabled recipient may elect to transfer to the aged category or remain in the disabled category.

Resource limitations: Federal SSI regulations apply.

Income exclusions: Federal SSI regulations apply.

Recoveries, liens, and assignments: None.

Financial responsibility of relatives: Spouse for spouse.

Interim assistance: State participates.

Payment calculation method: A standard applies that is established by the state for the total SSI payment. The federal SSI payment and any countable income are deducted from the state standard. The remainder is the state supplementation.

Payment levels: See Table 1.

Table 1. Optional state supplementation payment levels, January 2007 (in dollars)
Living arrangement Combined federal and state State supplementation
Individual Couple Individual Couple
Living independently or in the household of another a 648.00 1,296.00 25.00 362.00
Adult foster care 918.00 1,836.00 b 295.00 902.00 b
Receiving home care c 1,087.15 . . . 464.15 . . .
SOURCES: Social Security Administration, Office of Income Security Programs; state information.
NOTE: . . . = not applicable.
a. State supplement is increased to offset the reduced federal payment for persons living in the home of another.
b. Couples are treated as two individuals starting with the month after leaving an independent living arrangement.
c. Represents maximum allowance. Lesser amounts may be paid according to the amount of home care needed.
DEFINITIONS:
Living independently or in the household of another
Includes recipients who reside in a federal Code A or B living arrangement, meet the state eligibility requirements, and do not qualify for other state arrangements.
Adult foster care
Includes recipients who reside in a federal Code A living arrangement and are residing in an approved supervised living facility known as an adult foster home.
Receiving home care
Includes recipients who receive care in their own home from qualified personnel and who would otherwise be in a nursing home if this care were unavailable.

Number of recipients: See Table 2.

Table 2. Number of persons receiving optional state supplementation, January 2007
Living arrangement Total Aged Blind Disabled
Adults Children
All recipients 15,495 12,980 0 2,515 0
Living independently or in the household of another 12,746 11,722 0 1,024 0
Adult foster care 8 3 0 5 0
Receiving home care 2,741 1,255 0 1,486 0
SOURCE: State information.

State Assistance for Special Needs

Administration

Colorado Department of Social Services.

Special Needs Circumstances

Funeral expenses: If cost of funeral home or cemetery does not exceed $2,500, the benefit maximum is $1,500. If cost exceeds $2,500, no assistance is provided.

Other: County social services boards may choose to provide optional supplementation for other special needs circumstances.

Medicaid

Eligibility

Criteria: SSI program guidelines (Title XVI).

Determined by: Social Security Administration.

Medically Needy Program

State does not provide a program for the medically needy.

Unpaid Medical Expenses

The Social Security Administration obtains this information.