Overview
The Office of Legal Counsel, Regulations and Administrative Hearings (OLCRAH) performs two primary functions for the Department of Social Services (DSS):
- The Hearings Unit schedules and holds administrative hearings and issues written decisions concerning applicants for, and recipients of, benefits who wish to contest actions DSS has taken concerning their application for, or receipt of, benefits and, for residents of nursing facilities, appeals of involuntary transfers or discharges from facilities; and
- The Legal Unit serves as the agency’s in-house counsel and provides legal advice to all programmatic areas of DSS; drafts and promulgates agency regulations; and acts as the Hearing Officer for statutorily-required hearings for providers of agency-funded services.
The Department’s Ethics Liaison Officer is also part of OLCRAH.