Section 470IAC10.3-5-1. Payment of assistance

   (a) TANF assistance shall only be awarded to an eligible dependent child less than eighteen (18) years of age and to the following eligible person with whom the child resides:

(1) The parent.

(2) The spouse of the child's physically or mentally incapacitated parent.

(3) Other caretaker relative who requests assistance.

  (b) Refugee assistance shall only be awarded to a refugee, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(42), who is eligible for monetary payments under the applicable provisions of 45 CFR 400, Subpart E.

  (c) As provided in either of the following, a benefit shall be issued by the auditor of state's office to the recipient as follows:

(1) TANF assistance or refugee assistance shall be issued to eligible recipients in that county through an EBT system as described in IC 12-13-14. The county office or EBT contractor will issue to or on behalf of the recipient an EBT card that will enable the recipient to receive any available assistance for which the recipient is eligible.

(2) If the division determines that the:

(A) EBT system is or has been inoperative in all or a substantial part of a county; and

(B) unavailability of the system is causing or may cause a significant hardship to eligible recipients in that county who are unable to access their cash assistance;

the division may authorize the auditor of state or other entity designated by the division to issue warrants to eligible recipients. Warrants will be issued under this subdivision not later than ten (10) calendar days after receipt of notice of the authorization. A single warrant will be issued to the recipient under any authorization under this subdivision, in an amount not exceeding the remaining undistributed cash assistance, if any, as determined by the division, for the recipient's current benefit period.

  (d) If the recipient has a legal guardian, the warrant or EBT card may be issued in the name of the recipient and mailed or provided to the guardian. If the recipient has a protective payee, the warrant or EBT card shall be issued in the name of the protective payee and mailed or provided to the payee.

  (e) TANF assistance or refugee assistance shall be issued to an eligible recipient monthly, according to an availability date schedule determined by the division, beginning with the first calendar month after the application for assistance is filed. If the application is filed on the first day of a thirty-one (31) day month, a prorated assistance amount shall be issued for one (1) day of that month.

  (f) Issuance of the warrant or EBT card may be made to an individual other than the eligible recipient when the recipient payee:

(1) exhibits a clear inability to manage money; or

(2) makes a written request for protective payment.

  (g) If the recipient is eligible to receive food stamp assistance under 7 CFR 274.12 and 470 IAC 6-6, the county office or EBT contractor may, if authorized by the division, issue a single EBT card to be used for both food stamp and cash assistance.

  (h) The county office or EBT contractor will notify the recipient of the availability date for cash assistance.

  (i) In lieu of issuance of cash assistance through the EBT program, the division may elect to issue the assistance by direct deposit to a checking or savings account that a recipient maintains in a financial institution if the recipient requests this method of payment by application to the county office. (Division of Family Resources; 470 IAC 10.3-5-1; filed Oct 31, 2007, 9:57 a.m.: 20071128-IR-470070087FRA; readopted filed Aug 23, 2013, 3:36 p.m.: 20130918-IR-470130306RFA)