Residents of group homes may be certified for food benefits through the use of an authorized representative who is designated by and is an employee of the group home.  The group home may either receive and spend the food benefits for food prepared by or served to the eligible resident or allow the eligible resident to use all or any portion of the food benefit allotment on his or her own behalf.   • 1

• (1) Residents in group homes.
  • (A) Residents of group homes who are disabled or blind as defined in OAC 340:50-5-4 may voluntarily apply for food benefits.  The resident may apply and be certified:
    • (i) through an authorized representative employed and designated by the group home;
    • (ii) on his or her own behalf; or
    • (iii) through an authorized representative of his or her own choice.
  • (B) The group home determines what method the resident uses to make application based on the resident's mental and physical ability to handle his or her own affairs.  The group home consults with other agencies providing services to the resident in making this determination.
  • (C) If the resident applies through the use of the group home's authorized representative, eligibility is determined for a single person household.  The household must meet all conditions of eligibility.
  • (D) If the resident applies on his or her own behalf or through an authorized representative of his or her own choice, household size is determined in accordance with the definition in OAC 340:50-5-1.  • 2
    • (i) The food benefits may either be turned over to the facility to be used to purchase food for meals served communally or individually to eligible residents, used by the eligible resident to purchase and prepare his or her own food, or to purchase meals prepared and served by the group.
    • (ii) The resident is responsible for reporting changes in circumstances.
• (2) Approved group homes.  The group home must be approved by the Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) or by Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) as a retailer.  • 3
• (3) Group home's responsibility.  Each group home must provide the local human services center (HSC) with a list of currently participating residents on a monthly basis.  Included on this list is a statement signed by a responsible official of the group home attesting to the validity of the list.  • 4
  • (A) When the group home is acting in the capacity of authorized representative, it is responsible for notifying the HSC of changes in income or other household circumstances required to be reported.  [OAC 340:50-9-5]
  • (B) The group home has no responsibility to report changes for residents certified on their own behalf or through an authorized representative of their own choice.
• (4) When participant leaves the group home.
  • (A) When a participant leaves the group home, the group home acting as an authorized representative or retaining use of the resident's food benefits must:
    • (i) notify the departing resident there may be benefits remaining in his or her Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) account.
      • (I) The departing household receives its full food benefit if no food benefits have been spent on behalf of that individual household.  These procedures are applicable any time during the month.
      • (II) The group home accesses only half of the food benefits in the resident's EBT account prior to the 15th of the month.
      • (III) If the resident remains in the facility after the 15th day of the month, the remaining food benefits may be accessed on behalf of the resident.
      • (IV) When the household leaves after the 16th of the month and the food benefits have already been issued and used, the household does not receive any further food benefits for that month;
    • (ii) no longer act as authorized representative for that person;
    • (iii) inform the departing household they must go to the local Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) HSC office to secure their own Access Oklahoma card;
    • (iv) deactivate immediately the Access Oklahoma card by calling the phone number shown on the back of the card when the resident leaves the group home; and
    • (v) notify the HSC office the person left the group home.
  • (B) Residents who applied on their own behalf and retained use of their own food benefits are entitled to keep the food benefits when they leave.
  • (C) The group home, if possible, provides the household leaving the facility with a Form 08FB038E, Changes in Household Circumstances, and advises the person to complete the form showing his or her new circumstances and to return the form to the local OKDHS HSC within ten calendar days.
• (5) Group home liability.  When the group home is acting as an authorized representative, the organization is responsible for any misrepresentation or fraud it knowingly commits in the certification of residents.
  • (A) As an authorized representative, the organization must be knowledgeable about the household's circumstances and carefully review these circumstances with residents prior to applying on their behalf.
  • (B) The organization is strictly liable for all losses or misuse of food benefits held on behalf of resident households and for all over issuances which occur while the households are residents of the group home.
  • (C) The group home is not liable for over issuances for residents certified on their own behalf or through an authorized representative of their own choice.