42-2-106. Approval or disapproval of application; notification of applicant; amount and form of assistance and services.

(a) Based upon the eligibility of an applicant, the department shall approve or disapprove each application for public assistance or social services filed with its field offices pursuant to W.S. 42-2-105 and shall notify the applicant of its decision. Eligibility determinations for public assistance under this chapter shall be made separately from eligibility determinations for medical assistance under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act.

(b) Upon approval and in accordance with this article and its rules and regulations, the department shall determine the form, amount and commencement date of public assistance and social services for each approved application. In determining the amount of public assistance and social services for applicants who receive a housing subsidy, for households with a supplemental security income recipient or for unmarried minor parent applicants, the department shall take into consideration the supplied shelter tables as established in its rules and regulations.

(c) In any assistance program under this chapter for which income is the criterion or one (1) of the criteria for assistance payments, compensation received for a veteran's service connected disability shall not be counted in determining income if that compensation on an annual basis is not more than the poverty level for the applicant as determined by the federal office of management and budget.

(d) When the department approves an application for public assistance under the personal opportunities with employment responsibilities (POWER) program, it shall inform the approved applicant of the opportunity to continue to receive benefits under the program while participating in an approved educational program, provided the person is accepted into the approved educational program and otherwise continues to meet eligibility requirements of both programs.