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Department
of Human Services Families
First Online Policy Manual Appeals and Fair Hearings |
Revised: |
40.1 |
POLICY STATEMENT |
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Any applicant for, or recipient of,
Families First may file an appeal through the county office, district office,
State Office or the Family Assistance Service Center when dissatisfied with
an action on his/her case. Complaints
must be given prompt and careful attention and corrective action, when
indicated, must be taken immediately.
The county office or the If an individual files an appeal because he/she is dissatisfied with
an action or lack of action by the county office, the county office will
offer the complainant the opportunity to have a conference with either the
caseworker or the supervisor to discuss the issue. The caseworker will inform the appellant
that the conference is optional and will not delay or replace the fair
hearing. The individual may also
question the Department’s interpretations of the law and the validity and
applicability of the policies to his/her situation. Group hearings may be conducted where the
sole issue is one of state or federal law, regulation or policy. If the individual is not willing to discuss his/her grievance with
local staff, he/she may request an appeal without a conference with the
caseworker or supervisor. However,
he/she should be encouraged to resolve the issue through the informal
conference. If the individual files an
appeal, it cannot be delayed or canceled without his/her consent
because of the outcome of any subsequent informal conference. |
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