In the fine Grinch tradition, CDSS sends out this ACIN reminding counties to reduce CAPI (Cash Assistance Progrm for Immigrants) payments to account for the federal SSI COLA. As background, the State SSP Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) was suspended for all of 2006, and the pass-through of the federal SSI COLA delayed from January 1, 2006, until April 1, 2006. (The only increase in the SSI/SSP or CAPI payment standards is for the Non-Medical Out-of-Home Care (NMOHC) rate, which will increase by the amount of the SSI COLA.) The ACIN includes a chart of CAPI Payment Standards that will become effective on January 1, 2006, and April 1, 2006.
The joyful tidings (NOT) is that the separate federal SSI COLA affects the valuation of In-Kind Support, allowances for ineligible children sponsor deeming situations, and “COLA Coordination When One Spouse Receives SSI/SSP.” The “intended result” is that a CAPI family get $10.00 less than the SSI/SSP benefit rate for a couple. Since that wouldn’t happen under the normal retrospective budgeting, this ACIN requires counties to do prospective budgeting for the January and February payments. [Download]