Must WF parents have Social Security Numbers (SSN) to receive WF educational services? Get Financial Aid?

Upon review of the current WAC, copied in full below, the necessity of the SSN for service eligibility and financial aid eligibility was clear.

We will continue to ask questions of DSHS, but it would appear that the requirement of a SSN is more than an administrative function to process financial aid.

It would seem parents without an SSN would not be required to fulfill a work component, and therefore are also not eligible for tuition assistance as a TANF recipient.

We have continued to follow up with DSHS and have posed an inquiry regarding the ability to serve parents who have not yet been provided a social security number.

Previously, we had been advised there would be either a new SSN number provided (as in the case of relocated domestic violence victims) or one issued at the time services are rendered(in the case of human trafficking victims).


Here is what WAC 388-476-0005, which governs SSN requirements, says:

WAC 388-476-0005 Social Security number requirements.

(1) With certain exceptions, each person who applies for or receives cash, medical or food assistance benefits must provide to the department a Social Security number (SSN), or numbers if more than one has been issued.

(2) If the person is unable to provide the SSN, either because it is not known or has not been issued, the person must:

(a) Apply for the SSN;

(b) Provide proof that the SSN has been applied for; and

(c) Provide the SSN when it is received.

(3) Assistance will not be delayed, denied or terminated pending the issuance of an SSN by the Social Security Administration. However, a person who does not comply with these requirements is not eligible for assistance.

(4) For cash, medical, and food assistance benefits, a person cannot be disqualified from receiving benefits for refusing to apply for or supply an SSN based on religious grounds.

(5) For food assistance programs:

(a) A person can receive benefits for the month of application and the following month if the person attempted to apply for the SSN and made every effort to provide the needed information to the Social Security Administration.

(b) A newborn may receive benefits for up to six months from the date of birth if the household is unable to provide proof of application for an SSN at the time of birth.

(6) For medical programs, a newborn as described in WAC 388-505-0210(1) is eligible for categorically needy (CN) medical without meeting the SSN requirement until the baby's first birthday.

(7) There is no SSN requirement for the following programs:

(a) The consolidated emergency assistance program;

(b) The refugee cash and medical assistance program;

(c) The alien emergency medical program;

(d) The state-funded pregnant woman program; and

(e) Detoxification services.