Source: http://openjurist.org/163/f3d/1129
Timestamp: 2015-08-03 04:43:19
Document Index: 436075844

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 1382']

163 F3d 1129 Department of Health & Human Services, State of Washington | OpenJurist
163 F. 3d 1129 - Department of Health & Human Services, State of Washington Home
163 F3d 1129 Department of Health & Human Services, State of Washington 163 F.3d 1129
59 Soc.Sec.Rep.Ser. 638, 98 Cal. Daily Op.Serv. 9258,98 Daily Journal D.A.R. 12,934DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, State of Washington,individually and as real party in interest and custodian,and on behalf of; Daniel Belknap; Mark Blanton; KatrinaCrawford; Dwight Hammond; Stephen Lopez; Adam Mcgrew;Brian Reece; Derrick Simpson, and other similarly-situatedjuvenile offenders denied SSI because they reside in grouphomes; Shawn M. Hankins; Roger A. Lemieux, Plaintiffs-Appellants,v.Shirley S. CHATER, Commissioner, Social SecurityAdministration, Defendant-Appellee.
No. 96-36259.
Argued and Submitted May 7, 1998.Decided Dec. 22, 1998.
Michele Besso, Assistant Attorney General, Olympia, Washington, for the plaintiffs-appellants.
Matthew Collette, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for the defendant-appellee.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington; Robert J. Bryan, District Judge, Presiding. D.C. No. CV-96-05021-RJB.
Before: DAVID R. THOMPSON, A. WALLACE TASHIMA, Circuit Judges, and TOM STAGG, District Judge*
The Commissioner of Social Security Administration denied applications for disability benefits submitted by children residing in group homes for juvenile rehabilitation. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services appealed denials on behalf of disabled children who reside in: (1) privately owned and operated group homes and (2) publicly operated group homes serving sixteen or fewer residents. A Social Security Administrative Law Judge upheld the denial of benefits. The Department of Social and Health Services filed suit in district court, and cross motions for summary judgment were filed by the parties. The district court granted the Commissioner of Social Security Administration's motion for summary judgment and dismissed the case, upholding the Administrative Law Judge's determination. We affirm.
Juvenile offenders are children under the age of 18 who have been found by a juvenile court to have committed acts which would be violations or crimes if committed by an adult. See Wash. Rev.Code § 13.40.020(14), (15), & (20). When a term of confinement of more than 30 days is imposed upon the juvenile as a result of his offense, the juvenile is placed under the supervision of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services ("DSHS"). See Wash. Rev.Code § 13.40.185. Once referred to DSHS, juvenile offenders are committed to one of five state-operated institutions, three of which are maximum security and two of which are medium security. After this initial confinement, DSHS may choose to move juvenile offenders to other facilities, including group homes. The group homes may be owned and operated by DSHS or may be privately owned and operated group homes with which DSHS contracts. See Wash. Rev.Code § 13.40.020(9). Juveniles residing in group homes may participate in "work, educational, community service, or treatment programs in the community up to twelve hours a day." Wash. Rev.Code § 13.40.205(10).
Privately owned group homes manage their own operation and budget, hire and manage their own staff, and determine their own curriculum, programs and activities to be offered to the juveniles. However, the contract between DSHS and each private facility incorporates a "Statement of Work," in which DSHS imposes numerous requirements. The facility must operate in accordance with DSHS policies and may not release a juvenile without state approval. The contract requires the facility to "[p]rovide a culturally relevant program that adheres to all applicable DJR [Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation] bulletins, DSHS policies including compliance with policies governing employee conduct, Community Residential Placement Standards, and the DJR Case Reporting System." Excerpts of Record 100. Additionally, the contract imposes specific requirements on the operation of the contracting facility, including minimum standards for personnel, staff scheduling, escape procedures, incidents which require immediate reporting to DSHS. The contract also mandates maintenance of a permanent log detailing individual and group behavior, program activities and security checks, incidents which require parental notification, requirements for health care services, and creation of a written policy to maintain adequate custody of the offenders. Finally, the contract dictates that the Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation shall provide to the facilities "training in DJR policies, procedures and case reporting requirements" and "current applicable DJR bulletins, Case Reporting System Manual, CRP [Community Residential Placement] Standards, and DSHS policies." Excerpts of Record 104. DSHS also imposes numerous requirements upon the private facilities "[t]o ensure public safety" and "[t]o maintain a system that monitors residents' whereabouts." Excerpts of Record 100. Each facility must monitor alcohol and drug abuse, take steps to prevent escapes, and notify DSHS immediately of group escapes or escapes of certain types of residents.
When juvenile offenders are placed by DSHS in privately owned group homes, the offenders remain under the custody and control of the State and may be relocated only by order of DSHS. A juvenile who has been sentenced to a term of confinement under the supervision of DSHS may "not be released from physical custody of the department" prior to his or her release date, except under limited circumstances. Wash. Rev.Code § 13.40.205(1).
Fifty-five residents of juvenile group homes in Washington applied for and were denied supplemental security income ("SSI") benefits by the Social Security Administration. DSHS requested a consolidated hearing on behalf of those fifty-five residents, seeking a ruling that juvenile offenders under its custody and care are entitled to receive SSI benefits.1 During the time periods for which they sought benefits, each of the juvenile claimants was incarcerated either in (1) a privately owned and operated group home that incarcerates juvenile offenders under contract with the State of Washington or (2) a publicly operated group home of sixteen or fewer residents. The Social Security Administration's Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") consolidated the cases and certified a class of similarly situated juvenile offenders. On March 4, 1995, the ALJ upheld the Social Security Administration Commissioner's denial of benefits. The ALJ found that the claimants are "inmates of a public institution" and therefore, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1382(e)(1)(A),2 ineligible to receive SSI benefits. In reaching this conclusion, the ALJ noted that juvenile offenders remain under the custody and control of DSHS at all times and that DSHS