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Expenses incurred for maintaining or repairing an auxiliary apparatus are eligible. In the case of <br />an apparatus that is specially adapted to accommodate a person with disabilities (e.g., a vehicle <br />or computer), the cost to maintain the special adaptations (but not maintenance of the apparatus <br />itself is an eligible expense. The cost of service animals trained to give assistance to persons <br />with disabilities, including the cost of acquiring the animal, veterinary care, food, grooming, and <br />other continuing costs of care, will be included. <br />Eligible Attendant Care <br />The family determines the type of attendant care that is appropriate for the person with <br />disabilities. <br />Attendant care includes, but is not limited to, reasonable costs for home medical care, nursing <br />services, in-home or center-based care services, interpreters for persons with hearing <br />impairments, and readers for persons with visual disabilities. <br />Attendant care expenses will be included for the period that the person enabled to work is <br />employed plus reasonable transportation time. The cost of general housekeeping and personal <br />services is not an eligible attendant care expense. However, if the person enabled to work is the <br />person with disabilities, personal services necessary to enable the person with disabilities to work <br />are eligible. <br />If the care attendant also provides other services to the family, SARA will prorate the cost and <br />allow only that portion of the expenses attributable to attendant care that enables a family <br />member to work. For example, if the care provider also cares for a child who is not the person <br />with disabilities, the cost of care must be prorated. Unless otherwise specified by the care <br />provider, the calculation will be based upon the number of hours spent in each activity and/or the <br />number of persons under care. <br />Payments to Family Members <br />No disability assistance expenses maybe deducted for payments to a member of an assisted <br />family [24 CFR 5.603(b)]. However, expenses paid to a relative who is not a member of the <br />assisted family maybe deducted if they are not reimbursed by an outside source. <br />Necessary and Reasonable Expenses <br />The family determines the type of care or auxiliary apparatus to be provided and must describe <br />how the expenses enable a family member to work. The family must certify that the disability <br />assistance expenses are necessary and are not paid or reimbursed by any other source. <br />SARA determines the reasonableness of the expenses based on typical costs of care or apparatus <br />in the locality. To establish typical costs, SARA will collect information from organizations that <br />provide services and support to persons with disabilities. A family may present, and SARA will <br />consider, the family's justification for costs that exceed typical costs in the area. <br />Families That Qualify for Both Medical and Disability Assistance Expenses <br />This policy applies only to families in which the head or spouse is 62 or older or is a person with <br />disabilities. <br />When expenses anticipated by a family could be defined as either medical or disability assistance <br />expenses, SARA will consider them medical expenses unless it is clear that the expenses are <br />incurred exclusively to enable a person with disabilities to work. <br />2/25/13 Page 6-26 <br />