The Program Eligibility feature simplifies the referral process by allowing users to set up eligibility requirements for a program. These requirements dictate which programs a client displays as eligible for when a user completes an assessment with Eligibility Engine enabled.
| Note: the Eligibility field must be included in the Program Setup Screen selected for the program’s assigned Program Template and toggled on from the Modify Program page for this functionality to work. |
To manage a program's eligibility requirements, ensure you are switched into the correct agency and navigate to the Modify Program page for the applicable program. Toggle the switch next to Eligibility and click Save Changes. The Program Eligibility section displays. Click Add Requirement.
The Add a New Requirement popup appears. There are four Program Eligibility Types: "Assessment Score," "Area Median Incomes," "Demographic Based," and "Poverty Guidelines."
Assessment Score
The "Assessment Score" Type allows eligibility criteria to be created based on an assessment score, such as a VI-SPDAT score.
To use "Assessment Score" as eligibility criteria, select "Assessment Score" as the Type and then select the appropriate assessment from the Score Type dropdown menu. Click Add.
Next, designate the required score and the relationship to the score.
Area Median Incomes
The "Area Median Incomes" criteria can be used to establish eligibility criteria based on Annual Median Income. There are three options:
- 30% of Median - the client’s income is less than 30% of the AMI
- Very Low Income -the client’s income is less than 50% but greater than 30% of the AMI
- Low Income- the client’s income is less than 80% but greater than 50% of the AMI
Select a field, such as Gross Annual Household Income, to measure a client's eligibility criteria against the AMI threshold.
Demographic Based
The "Demographic Based" eligibility requirement uses demographic criteria. Demographic criteria can include gender, age, veteran status, etc. The criterion needs to be a field that is collected in the assessment for which the Eligibility Engine is turned on.
Poverty Guidelines
This requirement is income-based related to Poverty Guidelines (established in System Variables).
Like Area Median Income, the system compares the field selected against the Poverty Guidelines to determine whether the client is eligible for the program.
Requirement Relationships
When multiple requirements are selected, they must have a relation to each other.
- And makes both requirements required
- Or makes part of the requirement required
Funding Source Eligibility
Eligibility criteria can be associated with a funding source. When applied to a program, the system uses these requirements, along with any program-level criteria, to determine if a program displays as an option for referrals made through assessments with Eligibility Engine enabled.
When a user adds a funding source to a program, and Eligibility is toggled on for the program, the program inherits any eligibility criteria associated with the funding source. To add eligibility criteria to a funding source, click Eligibility in the Funded Resources section and click Add Requirement.
After clicking Add Requirement, the steps for adding eligibility criteria are the same as those for adding eligibility criteria directly to a program.
Sub-Granted Eligibility
Sub-grants inherit the eligibility criteria of the primary funding source they are sub-granted from. Inherited eligibility criteria can't be edited or deleted. However, users can add additional eligibility criteria to sub-granted funds. If a sub-granted agency then sub-grants funds with additional eligibility criteria, that sub-granted agency inherits both the original eligibility criteria and the additional criteria added by the first sub-grantee.
| Note: if eligibility criteria are associated with the primary funding source, the system toggles on the sub-grant Eligibility toggle by default, and it cannot be disabled since the sub-grant has inherited eligibility. Conversely, if a funding source has eligibility disabled and a user creates a sub-grant, that sub-grant Eligibility toggle is toggled off by default. This can be enabled for the sub-grant, however, if applicable. |
Adding New Funding Source Eligibility Criteria
To add eligibility criteria to a program through a funding source, first modify the funding source in the agency’s Funding Source Eligibility section in the Funding tab. Users can only modify funding source eligibility from the Funding tab.
Next, ensure the funding source is added to the program in the Funding Sources section of the Modify Program page.
To see the funding source’s eligibility, click the Eligibility section under Program Resources.
The criteria displays under Inherited Funding Eligibility.
If there are multiple funding sources, the criteria are separated by funding source.
Inherited Funding Eligibility Criteria Rules
- Inherited funding source eligibility criteria do not replace but, instead, add to program-level eligibility criteria. If a program has program-level eligibility criteria and a user adds a funding source, the system applies 'AND' between the program and inherited funding source eligibility criteria.
- If the funding source has been sub-granted from a primary funding source, the program inherits any eligibility criteria assigned to the primary funding source and any eligibility criteria assigned to the sub-grant.
- A program only inherits eligibility criteria if the funding source is marked active and not expired.
| Note: the system does not prevent users from setting up contradictory eligibility criteria. For example, a program may have a program-level eligibility criterion that clients must be veterans and a funding source-level criterion that clients must not be veterans. Since a client will never be both, clients will never be determined eligible for the program. Consequently, it is crucial not only to ensure that eligibility criteria are accurate but also not contradictory. |