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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
HOUSE BILL 2717 By: Hefner
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to poor persons; amending 56 O.S.
2021, Sections 604 and 606, which relate to the
Family Support Program ; modifying eligibility
requirements; modifying maximum payment amount;
providing payment amount for first eligible child;
and providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 56 O.S. 2021, Section 604, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 604. The Director of the Department of Human Services
shall, within the constraints of funding appropriated to the
Department, maintain a Family Support Program for children with
severe developmental disabilities who reside in their family homes
in accordance with the following criteria:
1. The family member resides with the family;
2. The family resides in the State of Oklahoma;
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3. The gross adjusted income of the family for the year
immediately preceding the date of application for the assistance did
not exceed Forty-five Thousand Dollars ($45,000.00) Sixty-five
Thousand Dollars ($6 5,000.00);
4. The family is headed by a biological parent, adoptive
parent, or legal guardian of the eligi ble family member; provided,
however, that if the eligi ble family member lives with an adoptive
parent or parents who already receive adoption subsidy from any
source on behalf of the applicant, the family cannot receive family
support assistance authorize d by this section; and
5. The family or family member does not receive Medicaid Home
and Community-based Waiver Services.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 56 O.S. 2021, Section 606, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 606. If an application for family support assistance
pursuant to the Oklahoma Family Suppor t Act is approved by the
Department of Human Services and Developmental Disabilities Services
Division:
1. A family support assistance pa yment shall be paid to the
parent or legal guardian on behalf of a family member and shall be
considered a benefit to the family member;
2. The family support assistance payment shall be used to meet
the special needs of the family associated with the fam ily member.
Except as otherwise provided in the Oklahoma Family Support Act,
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this assistance payment is intended to c omplement, not to supplant,
public assistance or other social service benefits based on economic
need, available through governmental prog rams;
3. The amount of the family support assistance payment shall be
a maximum of Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) Eight Hundred Forty-nine
Dollars and Sixty-Four Cents ($849.64) per month. Increases to this
amount shall be determined annually by legislative appropriation.
In addition, the paren t or legal guardian of a family member who is
in an out-of-home placement at the time of application may receive a
one-time, lump-sum advance payment of twice the monthly family
support assistance amount for the purpose of meeting the special
needs of the family to prepare for the placement or return of the
family member to in-home care.
The amount of the family support assistanc e payment for the
first eligible child shall be Five Hundred Twenty -seven Dollars and
Seventy-Five Cents ($527.75).
4. The parent or legal guardian who receives a family support
assistance payment shall re port, in writing, at least the following
information to the Department:
a. not less than annually, a sta tement and any supporting
documentation requested by the Department that the
family support assistance payment was used to meet the
special needs of the family,
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b. immediately, if the parent or legal guardian requests
termination of the family support assi stance,
c. immediately, upon the occurrence of any event listed
in Section 7 607 of this act title.
SECTION 3. This act shall become ef fective November 1, 2023.
59-1-6761 CMA 01/16/23