WAC 388-448-0001 What are the incapacity requirements for general assistance?

For the purposes of this chapter, "we" and "us" refer to the department of social and health services. "You" means the applicant or recipient. "GA" means the general assistance program. For you to receive general assistance (GA) program benefits, we must determine you are incapacitated.

"Incapacitated" means that you cannot be gainfully employed as a result of a physical or mental impairment that is expected to continue for at least ninety days from the date you apply.

"Physical impairment" means a diagnosable physical illness. "Mental impairment" means a diagnosable mental disorder. We exclude any diagnosis of or related to alcohol or drug abuse or addiction.

1. We determine you are incapacitated if you are: 

   1. Eligible for payments based on Social Security Administration (SSA) disability criteria;

   2. Eligible for services from the division of developmental disabilities (DDD);

   3. Diagnosed as having mental retardation based on a full scale score of seventy or lower on the Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS);

   4. At least sixty-four years old and seven months;

   5. Eligible for long-term care services from aging and disability services administration; or

   6. Approved through the progressive evaluation process (PEP).

2. We consider you to be incapacitated for ninety days after:

   1. You are released from inpatient treatment for a mental impairment if:

      1. The release from inpatient treatment was not against medical advice; and

      2. There is no break in your participation between inpatient and outpatient treatment of your mental impairment.

   2. You are released from a medical institution where you received long-term care services from the aging and disability services administration.

   3. The Social Security Administration stops your Supplemental Security Income payments because you are not a citizen.