Public benefits delivery model - state departments responsibilities

(1) Beginning July 1, 2028, the state departments shall oversee a streamlined public benefits delivery model made up of no more than twelve cohorts. Each cohort shall coordinate and distribute public assistance program eligibility and case processing work according to a shared workflow, as determined by the transition plan. (2) The state departments shall ensure that the public benefits delivery model is implemented with consistency across the state departments and cohorts, taking into account the differences and requirements of each state department in administering the state department's public assistance programs. (3) The department of human services shall employ up to twelve human services and medical assistance program regional managers who are geographically dispersed throughout the state to support the cohorts and provide guidance, direction, and technical assistance to the cohorts to ensure consistent, effective, compliant, and accountable delivery of public assistance programs. (4) The state departments, through regular monitoring and supervision, shall ensure cohorts comply with the requirements of this part 8 and with rules adopted by the state departments. (5) The state departments retain supervisory authority over the cohorts and counties within the cohorts under the public benefits delivery model. The state departments shall monitor public assistance program compliance and institute corrective action protocols, which must be aligned across the state departments and included in all performance-based contracts required by section 26-1-804. The state departments shall communicate with cohorts as needed regarding compliance, corrective action protocols, and program-specific performance issues. (6) Full implementation of the public benefits delivery model is contingent on available and operational readiness of system enhancements necessary to support cross-county work sharing. The state departments must ensure that cohorts and counties are provided adequate time, training, and support to implement the public benefits delivery model, including new workforce processes, updated technology, and operational models necessary to support cross-county work sharing. (7) A county department in a cohort is not financially or legally responsible for the performance of another county department in the cohort, subject to the terms of a performance-based contract with the state departments or intergovernmental agreements between counties, to the extent allowable under federal law.