Client Trust Fund
Organizational Payee Program
What is a payee?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) defines a representative payee as an individual or organization appointed by the SSA that receives Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for someone who cannot manage or direct someone else to manage his or her money. A payee's responsibilities include using funds to pay for the current and foreseeable needs of the beneficiary, properly saving any funds not needed to meet current needs, and keeping accurate records of funds usage. The MHCD Client Trust Fund (CTF) acts as an organizational payee—a social service agency, institution, an official of a state or local government agency, or a financial organization—which provides payeeship services for not only SSA benefits but VA and Railroad benefits as well.
How does the CTF support and promote consumer recovery?
MHCD believes the CTF is an essential service for consumers with serious mental illness who have difficulty independently managing their finances in the early stages of their recovery. Few organizations take on payeeship duties; however, MHCD accepts the responsibility and strives move consumers toward financial and personal independence while managing consumer funds in a way that best meets their needs. The program supports consumers in achieving their recovery-oriented goals through a comprehensive strengths-based approach promoting consumer independence. The CTF encourages consumers to be involved in their finances, act independently, and advocate for their own needs.
What does the CTF do?
The Client Trust Fund is a non-clinical team which provides payeeship services to 550+ consumers. Food and shelter are considered basic necessities by SSA and therefore are met first. Clothing, healthcare, education, recreation, entertainment, and saving funds for future needs are considered secondary necessities. Each MHCD payeeship consumer is assigned a CTF Advisor who assists him or her with their account. Advisors meet with consumers to create a budget, discuss account issues and questions, and assist consumers in regaining their own payeeships.Advisors also have a variety of accounting and paperwork duties including completing payeeship applications; reporting financial & housing information to SSA; paying consumers' rent and bills; processing weekly, bi-monthly or monthly consumer personal needs checks; compiling financial reports for the bank; depositing funds; producing consumers' special needs checks; and managing consumers' SSA paperwork.
While the CTF does not provide direct clinical services, the CTF advisors have significant expertise working with consumers, advocating for consumers, and addressing challenging behaviors. These skills as well as advisor knowledge of consumers' needs, community resources, SSA guidelines, and mental health and substance abuse treatment allows them to better serve consumers. Advisors also work directly with consumers to avoid miscommunication and promote consumer independence. The team collaborates with case managers when safety or clinical issues arise to ensure continuity of care.
How does the CTF empower consumers?
Most payee consumers visit the CTF independently to handle financial matters. Advisors explain program rules and guidelines directly to consumers directly and foster as positive relationships with them. Many MHCD payeeship consumers report feeling empowered knowing their funds exist outside the clinical team and providing input in to their accounts.
What conveniences does the CTF offer consumers?
As a part of MHCD, the CTF program provides consumers convenience by offering a multitude of services at one location. The CTF is located at the Resource Center site which offers a food bank, clothing bank, recreation activities, and benefits acquisition/ management services. The Resource Center is conveniently situated near many bus routes, a grocery store, banks, and several MHCD clinics making the location easily accessible to consumers. Additionally, since consumers' mental health and financial services are handled by the same company, when issues arise consumers know the clinical treatment team and CTF will partner to meet their needs.
What history lies behind the CTF?
In February 2005, MHCD implemented the current CTF payeeship program per the recommendations of a diverse task force convened to promote consumer recovery, separate clinical and financial services, and ultimately better consumer payeeship services. Historically, clinical staff found performing financial services a barrier to their relationships with consumers. The current CTF program removes clinical staff from this conflicted position, allowing them to focus on clinical services. The CTF also eliminates stress in consumers' family and friend relationships in taking on payeeship responsibilities. Not only can consumers' family and friends feel secure that their loved-ones finances are in order, but they also avoid the personal complications in performing payeeship duties themselves.
The CTF program is not self-sustaining, but MHCD recognizes the great need for payeeship services among our consumers. Many consumers in the early stages of their recovery find it difficult to utilize funds to meet their basic needs and complete the paperwork necessary to maintain their benefits. A link between basic needs and recovery is evident; without shelter, food, and clothing, the path to consumers' recovery is often clouded.
