Advocacy/ Support

Staff are available to problem solve, provide resources, referral, and support to enable people in the program to become better advocates and to access and influence community resources and services. 

Financial Assistance/Representative Payeeships

This service includes:

• Coordination of benefits with Social Security

• Planning and implementing monthly budgets

• Writing and issuing spending checks

• Paying bills

• Reporting changes of income

• Responding to financial crisis as needed

Includes acting as a legal representative payee for program participants

 Survival Services and Advocacy Intake Process & Eligibility Requirements

Overview:

            The program intake process is designed to explore the needs of an individual and compare those to the components of the program. The purpose of this is to ensure that the services the program provides will meet the needs of the individual participants. In cases where it is possible, individuals that would benefit more from another program will be referred to other services to ensure that their needs are met.

Referrals:

            The program intake is based highly upon referrals from outside sources throughout the King County area. These referrals may come from the following sources:

• DDD case managers

• Homeless shelters

• Arc – King County – Advocacy and Referral Department

• Other social services agencies

• Community or family members

Process:

·         Step 1

Initial referral is made to Survival Services Coordinators through one of the sources listed above.

·         Step 2

Contact is made with the individual either directly or through the referral source and, if it’s decided they are a good fit for the program, a meeting is scheduled.  The meeting can be held at the Arc or elsewhere if it is more convenient for the individual.

·         Step 3

The meeting takes place to gain information about the individual being referred and to give the individual information about the services provided by the Survival Services program.

The individual will be provided with a written program description as well as a discussion about the program and answers to any questions about the services that the program provides.  The individual completes necessary paperwork at this meeting.

·         Step 4

Upon acceptance to the program, a file is created for the individual, an application for payeeship is submitted to Social Security and an account is established through the Payee Accounts office.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the program a person must be an adult with a developmental disability who meets all of the following criteria:

§         Homeless within the last six months (King County) OR at substantial risk of homelessness

                              Substantial risk means:

• Unable to pay rent and related expenses

•  Or pending eviction or loss of home

•  Must have case management services from DDD

OR, if not a DDD client, must be willing to go through intake process

• Able to live independently with little support

•  Need financial management assistance

• Willing to have the Arc become representative payee for Social Security benefits or willing to Cooperate with The Arc in managing other income, such as wages

• Applicants must be able to come in to Arc office to pick up checks or have a mailing address

• Must have a current ID

For more information or to make a referral, please contact Jen Garrett at (206) 829-7045 or jgarrett@arcofkingcounty.org.