GuardiaCare Services | Guiding Hand, Caring Heart

In operation since the 1970’s, GuardiaCare’s Representative Payee Program currently serves more than 160 individuals living throughout the community. The Representative Payee Program offers financial management for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, Veterans Administration benefits, Black Lung benefits and Railroad Retirement benefits. Many clients are homeless or on the verge of homelessness when they enter the payee program, often due to exploitation or misuse of their funds. Although the structured program may require an initial adjustment period, most clients thrive and their lives stabilize over time.

FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q. How does GuardiaCare get appointed as Representative Payee and how long does the process take?

A. After an intake interview, GuardiaCare will file an application with the Social Security Administration. It usually takes 6-8 weeks to be appointed once the application has been submitted. No services can be provided until the representative payee appointment has been made by Social Security and the agency receives the client’s first check.

Q. What can I expect once GuardiaCare is appointed as Representative Payee?

A. Once GuardiaCare is appointed as payee for an individual, the case manager meets with the client to develop a budget. At this initial meeting clients are asked to bring in all bills and lists of expenses. Once the case manager reviews all expenses, a budget is developed to ensure monthly bills/expenses are paid. The priority for payment of bills is as follows: rent, food, utilities (gas/electric and water), health insurance, client fee (if applicable), life insurance, telephone services, other miscellaneous categories (e.g. cable and transportation) and finally old debt. A maximum for each category is decided to ensure expenditures do not exceed client income. Clients must then contact service providers (landlords, LG&E, BellSouth, etc.) and ask that they send all bills to GuardiaCare to ensure the bills are paid in a timely manner. GuardiaCare will only use client income to pay for previously agreed upon services/expenses. Therefore, clients must obtain approval from their case manager before entering into any financial contracts or making changes to an already budgeted amount (e.g. upgrading cable or adding more features to their telephone service).

Q. What fees are charged for service?

A. For Representative Payee clients, Social Security allows the agency to charge the client up to 10% of the monthly income with an upper limit that is generally increased each January. For 2008, the maximum fee allowed for payee services is $35. The Veteran’s Administration allows a fee of 4% of monthly V.A. derived income for representative payee clients.

Q. What happens if the client’s expenses exceed the client’s income?

A. GuardiaCare budget priorities start with food and shelter. Additional bills are paid based on the level of priority until the funds are exhausted. GuardiaCare has no reserved funds to assist clients with bills once client funds are depleted.

Q. Does GuardiaCare assist in finding housing, arrange transportation, or apply for services on behalf of the client?

A. Because clients are encouraged to be self sufficient, GuardiaCare will make appropriate referrals and then encourage clients to apply for needed services themselves. Case managers arrange for services on behalf of those payee clients who are absolutely unable to do these tasks due to cognitive or physical disabilities.

Q. What happens to client funds when they get a new payee?

A. Social Security requires that all conserved funds be returned to the Social Security Administration. A receipt is issued to GuardiaCare for funds received and then the funds are forwarded to the new representative payee.



	Representative Payee Program In operation since the 1970’s, GuardiaCare’s Representative Payee Program currently serves more than 160 individuals living throughout the community. The Representative Payee Program offers financial management for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, Veterans Administration benefits, Black Lung benefits and Railroad Retirement benefits. Many clients are homeless or on the verge of homelessness when they enter the payee program, often due to exploitation or misuse of their funds. Although the structured program may require an initial adjustment period, most clients thrive and their lives stabilize over time. FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) Q. How does GuardiaCare get appointed as Representative Payee and how long does the process take? A. After an intake interview, GuardiaCare will file an application with the Social Security Administration. It usually takes 6-8 weeks to be appointed once the application has been submitted. No services can be provided until the representative payee appointment has been made by Social Security and the agency receives the client’s first check. Q. What can I expect once GuardiaCare is appointed as Representative Payee? A. Once GuardiaCare is appointed as payee for an individual, the case manager meets with the client to develop a budget. At this initial meeting clients are asked to bring in all bills and lists of expenses. Once the case manager reviews all expenses, a budget is developed to ensure monthly bills/expenses are paid. The priority for payment of bills is as follows: rent, food, utilities (gas/electric and water), health insurance, client fee (if applicable), life insurance, telephone services, other miscellaneous categories (e.g. cable and transportation) and finally old debt. A maximum for each category is decided to ensure expenditures do not exceed client income. Clients must then contact service providers (landlords, LG&E, BellSouth, etc.) and ask that they send all bills to GuardiaCare to ensure the bills are paid in a timely manner. GuardiaCare will only use client income to pay for previously agreed upon services/expenses. Therefore, clients must obtain approval from their case manager before entering into any financial contracts or making changes to an already budgeted amount (e.g. upgrading cable or adding more features to their telephone service). Q. What fees are charged for service? A. For Representative Payee clients, Social Security allows the agency to charge the client up to 10% of the monthly income with an upper limit that is generally increased each January. For 2008, the maximum fee allowed for payee services is $35. The Veteran’s Administration allows a fee of 4% of monthly V.A. derived income for representative payee clients. Q. What happens if the client’s expenses exceed the client’s income? A. GuardiaCare budget priorities start with food and shelter. Additional bills are paid based on the level of priority until the funds are exhausted. GuardiaCare has no reserved funds to assist clients with bills once client funds are depleted. Q. Does GuardiaCare assist in finding housing, arrange transportation, or apply for services on behalf of the client? A. Because clients are encouraged to be self sufficient, GuardiaCare will make appropriate referrals and then encourage clients to apply for needed services themselves. Case managers arrange for services on behalf of those payee clients who are absolutely unable to do these tasks due to cognitive or physical disabilities. Q. What happens to client funds when they get a new payee? A. Social Security requires that all conserved funds be returned to the Social Security Administration. A receipt is issued to GuardiaCare for funds received and then the funds are forwarded to the new representative payee. GuardiaCare Services, Inc. is a 501(c )(3) non-profit social service agency. Copyright, 2007. All rights reserved.