Interim Assistance Reimbursement (IAR)

The Interim Assistance Reimbursement (IAR) program allows counties to recover General Relief and other types of cash assistance paid out to indigent individuals (including direct cash payments and payments made to vendors providing services to indigent individuals) for the purpose of purchasing essential items while they await decisions on their applications for Supplementary Security Income (SSI) and/or Cash Aid Program for Immigrants (CAPI).

Essential items include food, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene/grooming items, transportation to obtain basic needs and emergency medical needs that are not reimbursable under another federal program.

The county may recover interim cash aid paid to an indigent claimant only when his or her application for SSI or CAPI has been granted.If SSI (and CAPI, if applicable) is denied, the county cannot use the IAR program to recover any cash aid paid to the claimant. Additionally, the county cannot use the IAR program to recover cash aid that included any federal funds.

Counties wishing to use the IAR program to recover cash aid payments to SSI/CAPI applicants must have a valid IAR authorization form (SSP 14) on file.“Manual” counties must mail the completed SSP 14 to their local Social Security Administration (SSA) field office; “electronic” counties must submit the SSP 14 to SSA online through the eIAR system. As the SSP 14 is updated periodically, only the most current version of the form may be used. This form must be signed by both the applicant and the county. The SSP 14 has a life of 12 months, after which it is no longer valid.If 12 months have elapsed and the SSI/CAPI application process is not yet complete, the applicant and the county must sign a new SSP 14 in order for the county to recover cash payments to the applicant through the IAR program. SSA regularly audits county IAR programs to ensure county compliance with authorization, apportionment and other requirements.

SSI applicants: If a valid SSP 14 is on file and SSI is approved, SSA will issue the applicant’s SSI benefits, retroactive to the protected date of application, directly to the county. The county will retain the portion of those benefits equivalent to the amount of cash aid that the county paid out to the applicant while awaiting SSA’s decision. The remainder of those retroactive SSI benefits will be forwarded to the applicant. Within ten days of SSA’s issuance of benefits, the county must complete an apportionment form (SSP 18) and mail it to the applicant along with the applicant’s portion of those benefits. The SSP 18 must list the amount of retroactive SSI benefits paid by SSA, along with a breakdown of the amount retained by the county under the IAR program and the amount forwarded to the applicant.

CAPI applicants: Eligibility for CAPI requires an applicant to first apply for SSI and to be denied by SSA solely based on the applicant’s immigration status. The county may then proceed to evaluate the immigrant’s CAPI application. If approved for CAPI, the applicant will be eligible for benefits retroactive to the protected application date.CAPI benefits are paid from state funds. If the county has a valid SSP 14 on file, the county will be permitted to retain an amount equivalent to cash aid paid to the applicant during the application process, with the remainder of the retroactive benefits paid to the applicant. The county will indicate the apportionment of CAPI benefits by inclusion of appropriate language on the CAPI NOA (Form NA 693), which is mailed to the applicant.

A COUNTY MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO RECOVER CASH AID VIA THE IAR PROGRAM IF:

  • It has a current IAR contract with CDSS;
  • A claimant’s application for SSI or CAPI was approved;
  • Cash aid was provided by the county to the SSI or CAPI applicant (either directly or through a vendor) while awaiting a decision on the application;
  • The cash aid provided did not include any federal funds;
  • A valid SSP 14 is on file;
  • A valid SSP 18 (SSI) or NA 693 (CAPI) is sent to the applicant along with the applicant’s share of retroactive benefits within 10 days of the county’s receipt of those benefits.

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