All persons who inquire about poor relief assistance are required to submit a written application at the time of first contact with the
Trustee’s office.  Except under special conditions determined by the Trustee, no poor relief assistance will be granted unless a request
is made in person at the township office.  If an applicant has a need and qualifies for poor relief assistance, the applicant must comply
with the standards and procedures set forth in these guidelines.  At a minimum, the Trustee will advise persons who inquire about
assistance of the following:

A. The right to file a written application before any determination of either eligibility or type(s) and amount(s) of benefits is made.

B.  The right to receive a prompt, written determination on their application within seventy-two (72) hours from the date the written     
application is received by the Trustee (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays listed in I.C. 1-1-9 (I.C. 12-20-6-7).  

C.  The consequences of delaying the submission of a completed written application, such as, a possibly extended time to determine  
eligibility.

D.  All applications for assistance will be processed according to uniform, written standards and without consideration of an applicant’s
age, race, color, sex, religious creed, national origin, political belief or physical or mental handicap.  Discrimination in any aspect
of administration is prohibited by the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (P.L. 94-135), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112), and
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42  U.S.C.1983, 200 d).

All applicant’s 18 years of age or older will be required to complete and sign basic application forms and swear (or affirm) that the
information given is complete and accurate.  The Township Trustee may not extend assistance to an individual or household unless an
application and affidavit setting forth the personal condition of the individual or household has been filed with the Trustee within one
hundred eighty (180) days before the date assistance is extended.



Applicants and adult household members 18 years of age or older must complete and sign a reapplication form and affidavit at any
return visit beyond seventy-two (72) hours from the initial application, affirming how, if at all, the personal condition of the individual or the
household has changed from that set forth in the most recent application (whether the request is for the same or another type of
assistance, I.C. 12-20-6-1d).



THE TRUSTEE MUST RETAIN A COPY OF EACH APPLICATION WHETHER OR NOT RELIEF IS GRANTED (I.C. 12-20-6-8).  The
applicant will be required to cooperate with an investigation of personal finances, family responsibility, and eligibility to receive poor
relief.  This investigation may include a home visit and contact with family or household members in addition to employers, both present
and former.



As applicable, the applicant and adult household members will be required to complete and sign necessary township forms and
waivers including consent to a disclosure and release of information about the applicant and the applicant’s household before poor
relief may be provided by the Township Trustee.

Forms must include the following:

(1) The applicant’s name, case number, and address.

(2) The types of information being solicited include the following:  countable income and assets, use of

resources, relatives capable of providing assistance, past or present employment, pending claims or

cause of action, a medical condition (if relevant to work or workfare requirements) and any other

information required by law.

(3) The names of individuals, agencies, and township trustee offices that will receive the information.

(4) The expiration date of the permission to disclose information.                        





The Township Trustee, as administrator of poor relief, is required to carefully investigate the circumstances of the applicant and each
member of the household to ascertain the following:

(1) Legal residence.

(2) Names and ages (an acceptable means of identification, such as Social Security card, Picture ID, Birth                

Certificate, must be furnished).   

(3) Physical condition relating to sickness or health.

(4) Present and previous occupation.

(5) Ability and capacity to perform labor.

(6) The cause of the applicant’s or household member’s condition, if the applicant or household member

is found to be in need and the cause can be ascertained.

(7) Whether the applicant or a member of the applicant’s household is entitled to income in the

immediate future from any source, including the following:  past or present employment, a pending

claim or cause of action that may result in a monetary award being received by any member of the

applicant’s household claiming to be in need, or a pending determination for assistance from any

other federal or state government entity.

(8) If the applicant or household member is in violation of any Indiana Code’s (i.e. I.C. 35-43-5-7,  I.C. 35-48-4) or has any outstanding
warrant’s issued by the Federal, State or Local Authorities).  

(9) The family relationships of the poor relief applicant.

(10) Whether the poor relief applicant or members of the applicant’s household have relatives

able and willing to assist the household.



Temporary Emergency Aid (I.C. 12-20-17, 12-7-2-76.5):  If the Township Trustee determines by investigation that a poor relief applicant
or household member is in need of emergency assistance, the Township Trustee will furnish the applicant or household member the
temporary aid necessary for the relief of immediate suffering.  



Such an emergency is defined as an unpredictable circumstance which places the applicant or household member in jeopardy of
health or safety.  The circumstances must be documented in the case record to support the amount provided.  Such emergency
assistance may include the following:



(1) Placement in a temporary emergency shelter, even if the applicant is not a township resident.

Placement may be made in the county home or in a private shelter, for which the Trustee has

contracted services, as long as the shelter does not require participation in religious services.

While residing there, the individual, if capable, is to be employed (I.C. 12-20-9-2).

Any individual under the influence of drugs or alcohol, mentally ill, or otherwise incapable of

self-care and who is in need of shelter assistance will be referred to an appropriate agency within the

county or an adjoining county at no cost to the township.

(2) The Trustee receives a report that an individual or household member is sick, in need, and

without necessary financial resources.  The Trustee will investigate and provide the temporary relief

required.



Before any further or permanent relief is given, the Township Trustee will consider whether the    

applicants or household’s need can be relieved by means other than an expenditure of township

money.  If the Trustee does provide temporary emergency assistance, he may direct such an

individual to complete application to other governmental programs within fifteen (15) days.  Failure

to complete such applications within fifteen (15) days will bar the individual from seeking further

non-emergency assistance from the trustee for sixty (60) days from the date the original emergency

assistance was granted (I.C. 12-20-6-5).
The Application Process