WAC 388-432-0005 Can I get help from DSHS for a family emergency without receiving monthly cash assistance?

DSHS has a program called diversion cash assistance (DCA). If your family needs an emergency cash payment but does not need ongoing monthly cash assistance, you may be eligible for this program.  

1. To get DCA, you must:

   1. Meet all the eligibility rules for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF)/state family assistance (SFA) except:

      1. You do not have to participate in WorkFirst requirements as defined in chapter 388-310 WAC; and

      2. You do not have to assign child support rights or cooperate with division of child support as defined in WAC 388-422-0005.

   2. Have a current bona fide or approved need for living expenses;

   3. Provide proof that your need exists; and

   4. Have or expect to get enough income or resources to support yourselves for at least twelve months.

2. You may get DCA to help pay for one or more of the following needs:

   1. Child care;

   2. Housing;

   3. Transportation;

   4. Expenses to get or keep a job;

   5. Food costs, but not if an adult member of your family has been disqualified for food stamps; or

   6. Medical costs, except when an adult member of your family is not eligible because of failure to provide third party liability (TPL) information as defined in WAC 182-503-0540.

3. DCA payments are limited to:

   1. One thousand two hundred fifty dollars once in a twelve-month period which starts with the month the DCA benefits begin; and

   2. The cost of your need.

4. We do not budget your income or make you use your resources to lower the amount of DCA payments you can receive.

5. DCA payments can be paid:

   1. All at once; or

   2. As separate payments over a thirty-day period. The thirty-day period starts with the date of your first DCA payment.

6. When it is possible, we pay your DCA benefit directly to the service provider.

7. You are not eligible for DCA if:

   1. Any adult member of your assistance unit got DCA within the last twelve months;

   2. Any adult member of your assistance unit gets TANF/SFA;

   3. Any adult member of your assistance unit is not eligible for cash assistance for any reason unless one parent in a two-parent-assistance unit is receiving SSI; or

   4. Your assistance unit does not have a needy adult (such as when you do not receive TANF/SFA payment for yourself but receive it for the children only).

8. If you apply for DCA after your TANF/SFA grant has been terminated, we consider you an applicant for DCA.

9. If you apply for TANF/SFA and you received DCA less than twelve months ago:

   1. We set up a DCA loan.

      1. The amount of the loan is one-twelfth of the total DCA benefit times the number of months that are left in the twelve-month period.

      2. The first month begins with the month DCA benefits began.

   2. We collect the loan only by reducing your grant. We take five percent of your TANF/SFA grant each month.

10. If you stop getting TANF/SFA before you have repaid the loan, we stop collecting the loan unless you get back on TANF/SFA.