Section 1240-08-10-.05 - APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION(1) Applications for PCA services may be filed at any DRS field office.(2) A DRS staff member will meet with the applicant, and complete the application for PCA services (Form PCA-1) and the financial needs test (Form PCA-2). Verification of income is required (i.e., income tax records, paycheck stubs, Clearing House, etc.).(3) If the applicant meets the financial needs test described in Rule 1240-08-10-.07, the DRS staff member will arrange for a PCA evaluation by the eligibility evaluation team, to determine if a need for the PCA service exists and, if so, the approximate number of hours per week. Based on the evaluation, the eligibility evaluation team establishes the number of hours of subsidy per week the individual is to receive, and a PCA Service Plan (Form PCA-3) is developed. The non-financial eligibility determination and the determination of the hours of subsidy per week are based upon the best professional judgment of the team members. Factors that will be considered include the individual's ability or inability to perform normal daily tasks (as enumerated in Form PCA-4) and the time required to perform each.(4) The individual is notified in writing of his/her eligibility for a subsidy. The individual and the DRS staff member sign the service plan, and, to the extent that funds are available, subsidy authorizations are issued by the DRS staff member.(5) If funds are not available, the individual is notified of same in writing by the DRS staff member and given a priority standing on the waiting list based upon the application date. If a subsequent contact discloses that the individual no longer meets program eligibility requirements, that individual's name must be removed from the waiting list. He/she would then be assigned a new priority standing based on date of application if he/she later meets eligibility requirements again.(6) If the individual is determined ineligible to receive a PCA subsidy, he/she is notified in writing. The notice will specify the reason for ineligibility and the right to appeal, as provided in Rule 1240-08-10-.14.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-08-10-.05
Original rule filed December 9, 1986; effective March 31, 1987. Amendment filed April 22, 1997; effective July 6, 1997. Amendment filed December 5, 2003; effective April 29, 2004. Repeal and new rule filed June 30, 2009; effective September 13, 2009.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202;71-1-105(12); 71-4-1201 et seq.