2013 Ohio Revised Code
Title [51] LI PUBLIC WELFARE
Chapter 5111 - MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
Section 5111.013 - Healthy start program.

(A) The provision of medical assistance to pregnant women and young children who are eligible for medical assistance under division (C)(3) of section 5111.01 of the Revised Code, but who are not otherwise eligible for medical assistance under that section, shall be known as the healthy start program.

(B) The department of job and family services shall do all of the following with regard to the application procedures for the healthy start program:

(1) Establish a short application form for the program that requires the applicant to provide no more information than is necessary for making determinations of eligibility for the healthy start program, except that the form may require applicants to provide their social security numbers. The form shall include a statement, which must be signed by the applicant, indicating that she does not choose at the time of making application for the program to apply for assistance provided under any other program administered by the department and that she understands that she is permitted at any other time to apply at the county department of job and family services of the county in which she resides for any other assistance administered by the department.

(2) To the extent permitted by federal law, do one or both of the following:

(a) Distribute the application form for the program to each public or private entity that serves as a women, infants, and children clinic or as a child and family health clinic and to each administrative body for such clinics and train employees of each such agency or entity to provide applicants assistance in completing the form;

(b) In cooperation with the department of health, develop arrangements under which employees of county departments of job and family services are stationed at public or private agencies or entities selected by the department of job and family services that serve as women, infants, and children clinics; child and family health clinics; or administrative bodies for such clinics for the purpose both of assisting applicants for the program in completing the application form and of making determinations at that location of eligibility for the program.

(3) Establish performance standards by which a county department of job and family services' level of enrollment of persons potentially eligible for the program can be measured, and establish acceptable levels of enrollment for each county department.

(4) Direct any county department of job and family services whose rate of enrollment of potentially eligible enrollees in the program is below acceptable levels established under division (B)(3) of this section to implement corrective action. Corrective action may include but is not limited to any one or more of the following to the extent permitted by federal law:

(a) Establishing formal referral and outreach methods with local health departments and local entities receiving funding through the bureau of maternal and child health;

(b) Designating a specialized intake unit within the county department for healthy start applicants;

(c) Establishing abbreviated timeliness requirements to shorten the time between receipt of an application and the scheduling of an initial application interview;

(d) Establishing a system for telephone scheduling of intake interviews for applicants;

(e) Establishing procedures to minimize the time an applicant must spend in completing the application and eligibility determination process, including permitting applicants to complete the process at times other than the regular business hours of the county department and at locations other than the offices of the county department.

(C) To the extent permitted by federal law, local funds, whether from public or private sources, expended by a county department for administration of the healthy start program shall be considered to have been expended by the state for the purpose of determining the extent to which the state has complied with any federal requirement that the state provide funds to match federal funds for medical assistance, except that this division shall not affect the amount of funds the county is entitled to receive under section 5101.16, 5101.161, or 5111.012 of the Revised Code.

(D) A county department of job and family services that maintains offices at more than one location shall accept applications for the healthy start program at all of those locations.

(E) The director of job and family services shall adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code as necessary to implement this section.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127,HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28,HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 07-01-2000; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007