DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM TO ASSIST HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.

SEC. 9117. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM TO ASSIST HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS. (a) In General.— The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) is authorized to make grants to States for projects designed to demonstrate and test the feasibility of special procedures and services to ensure that homeless individuals are provided SSI and other benefits under the Social Security Act to which they are entitled and receive assistance in using such benefits to obtain permanent housing, food, and health care. Each project approved under this section shall meet such conditions and requirements, consistent with this section, as the Secretary shall prescribe. (b) Scope of Projects.— Projects for which grants are made under this section shall include, more specifically, procedures and services to overcome barriers which prevent homeless individuals (particu-101 STAT. 1330–307larly the chronically mentally ill) from receiving and appropriately using benefits, including— (1) the creation of cooperative approaches between the Social Security Administration, State and local governments, shelters for the homeless, and other providers of services to the homeless; (2) the establishment, where appropriate, of multi-agency SSI Outreach Teams (as described in subsection (c)), to facilitate communication between the agencies and staff involved in taking and processing claims for SSI and other benefits by the homeless who use shelters; (3) special efforts to identify homeless individuals who are potentially eligible for SSI or other benefits under the Social Security Act; (4) the provision of special assistance to the homeless in applying for benefits, including assistance in obtaining and developing evidence of disability and supporting documentation for nondisability-related eligibility requirements; (5) the provision of special training and assistance to public and private agency staff, including shelter employees, on disability eligibility procedures and evidentiary requirements; (6) the provision of ongoing assistance to formerly homeless individuals to ensure their responding to information requests related to periodic redeterminations of eligibility for SSI and other benefits; (7) the provision of assistance in ensuring appropriate use of benefit funds for the purpose of enabling homeless individuals to obtain permanent housing, nutrition, and physical and mental health care, including the use, where appropriate, of the disabled individual’s representative payee for case management services; and (8) such other procedures and services as the Secretary may approve. (c) SSI Outreach Team Projects.— (1) If a State applies for funds under this section for the purpose of establishing a multi-agency SSI Outreach Team, the membership and functions of such Team9191Copy read “team”. shall be as follows (except as provided in paragraph (2)): (A) The membership of the Team shall include a social services case worker (or case workers, if necessary); a consultative medical examiner who is qualified to provide consultative examinations for the Disability Determination Service of the State; a disability examiner, from the State Disability Determination Service; and a claims representative from an office of the Social Security Administration. (B) The Team shall have designated members responsible for— (i) identification of homeless individuals who are potentially eligible for SSI or other benefits under the Social Security Act; (ii) ensuring that such individuals understand their rights under the programs; (iii) assisting such individuals in applying for benefits, including assistance in obtaining and developing evidence101 STAT. 1330–308 and supporting documentation relating to disability- and nondisability-related eligibility requirements; (iv) arranging transportation and accompanying applicants to necessary examinations, if needed; and (v) providing for the tracking and monitoring of all claims for benefits by individuals under the project. (2) If the Secretary determines that an application by a State for an SSI Outreach Team Project under this section which proposes a membership and functions for such Team different from those prescribed in paragraph (1) but which is expected to be as effective, the Secretary may waive the requirements of such paragraph. (d) Information and Reports; Evaluation.— (1) Each State having an approved SSI Outreach Team Project shall periodically submit to the Secretary such information (with respect to the project) as may be necessary to enable the Secretary to evaluate such project in particular and the demonstration program under this section in general. (2) (A) The Secretary shall from time to time (but not less often than annually) submit to the Congress a full and complete report on the program under this section, together with a detailed evaluation of such program and of the projects thereunder along with such recommendations as may be deemed appropriate. Such evaluation and such recommendations shall be designed to serve as a basis for determining whether (and to what extent) the activities and procedures included in the demonstration program under this section should be continued, expanded, or modified, or converted (with or without changes) into a regular feature of permanent law. (B) The criteria used by the Secretary in evaluating the program and the projects thereunder shall not be limited to those which would normally be used in evaluating programs and activities of the kind involved, but shall fully take into account the special circumstances of the homeless and their need for personalized attention and follow-through assistance, and shall emphasize the extent to which the procedures and assistance made available to applicants under such projects are recognizing those circumstances and meeting that need. (e) Authorization of Appropriations.— To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary— (A) the sum of $1,250,000 for the fiscal year 1988; (B) the sum of $2,500,000 for the fiscal year 1989; and (C) such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.