Introduction to Issuing Assistance in CAS 2.0
Relevant To: Caseworker, Caseworker Health, Caseworker
Supervisor, Systems Management
Core Concepts
Why do I need to issue assistance in CAS 2.0?
When the American Red Cross helps clients who have been affected by a disaster, we often
need to provide them the means for meeting essential needs, such as food, clothing, or shelter.
Among the ways we provide help to our clients is to issue them either financial assistance or a
referral to another agency that can provide them critical services. We issue such assistance
through CAS 2.0 in order ensure quality and consistency in our methods, and tracking of all the
assistance that we provide.
What methods do we use for issuing assistance in CAS 2.0?
We typically issue assistance in CAS 2.0 in one of three ways:
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A client assistance card, or CAC, which is a stored value, or “prepaid,” debit card that
clients can use at nearly any retail location that accepts MasterCard; they can also use
the cards to obtain cash at an ATM
A disbursing order, or DO, which is a means of assistance where we direct a client to a
designated merchant to obtain specific items or services at no cost to the client
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A referral, which is a means of assistance where we direct a client to a designated
agency to obtain specific items or services at no cost to the client; unlike assistance that
we issue through a client assistance card or a disbursing order, items and services that
clients receive through referrals do not have a dollar value associated with them in CAS
2.0, and we do not consider a referral to be direct client assistance
When we provide direct client assistance, we generally prefer issuing a client assistance card to
issuing a DO. CACs allow clients to select where they purchase needed items, provide
standard and easy purchasing transactions, and allow clients to obtain cash, as needed.
Exceptions, however, do exist. For example, if a hotel or motel would withhold a security
deposit if a client used a CAC, we should instead issue a disbursing order for the stay. Note
that your chapter may have a confirmed agreement with some hotels or motels to waive the
security deposit for Red Cross clients. When such an agreement exists, issuing a CAC is
preferable to using a DO.
Occasions may arise where we issue a different type of assistance, such as a Red Cross check,
a gift card, or a voucher. We use the DO tab in the system, the same one we use to issue
Disbursing Orders, to track those types of assistance (for details, see the Issuing Other
Assistance quick reference guide).
How do I know how much assistance to issue?
We issue assistance based on how a client was affected by a disaster. For guidance on how to
determine the amount of assistance to provide to a client, complete the relevant Recovery
Services training.
Are there subsequent transactions I can perform in the system after issuing
assistance to a client?
It depends on which type of assistance you have issued. After you have issued a referral, you
cannot take further steps for it. However, you can take further steps for an issued CAC or DO.
After you have issued a CAC, you can:
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Add value to it
Deduct value from it
Temporarily suspend its use
Unsuspend it, so the client can again use it
Deactivate it
After you have issued a DO, you can:
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Void it, if you have not yet provided the client with a DO form
Cancel it, if you have already provided the client with a DO Form
Does the system restrict the merchants I can enter when issuing a disbursing
order?
No. The process of issuing a DO is easier and faster when you have entered the relevant
merchant into the system’s Resource Directory; after you have done so, you can simply search
for and select the relevant merchant. However, you can manually enter any merchant’s
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information when issuing a DO. Note that doing so does not add that merchant to the Resource
Directory.
Does the system restrict the agencies I can enter when issuing a referral?
No. Referrals allow for manual entry, much like DOs do. Creating a referral is easier and faster
if you have entered an agency, its program(s), and its service(s) into the Resource Directory
(both services, such as counseling, and items, such as clothing, are listed as services in the
Resource Directory). Then you can issue the referral through a referral search or, if your
chapter has listed the needed service at the FastTrack Referrals tool, through a FastTrack
referral. But you can manually enter any agency’s information when issuing a referral and
capture details regarding the relevant service(s) at the case’s narrative. Manually entering an
agency’s information when issuing a referral does not add that agency to the Resource
Directory.
Which user role do I need to issue assistance?
Users with any of these three user roles can issue all available types of assistance in CAS 2.0:
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Caseworker
Caseworker Health
Caseworker Supervisor
Those with the Systems Management user role can issue all available types of assistance
except for client assistance cards.
Are assistance transactions subject to review?
Yes. Casework Supervisors review all assistance as part of their casework review processes.
And Regional Disaster and Program Managers (RDPOs), Disaster Program Managers (DPMs),
or their delegates perform a fiscal review of all direct client assistance.
How do we track the assistance we have provided our clients?
We can view the assistance we have provided our clients both within a case record and through
reporting. Each of the case tabs where we issue assistance—Client Assistance Card (CAC),
Disbursing Order (DO), and Referrals—provides information regarding assistance we have
issued to the case’s household (for details, see these quick reference guides: Viewing a
Case’s Client Assistance Card Transaction History, Viewing a Case’s Disbursing Order
Transaction History, and Viewing a Case’s Referral Transaction History).
And those with the Caseworker Supervisor, Systems Management, or Monitor user role can
track assistance through reporting. Both tabs of the CAS 2.0 5266 Report provide information
related to issuing assistance. The Case Activity Overview tab provides summary information
regarding cases with financial assistance, and the Financial Overview tab provides a
breakdown of financial assistance by class and by disbursement method (CAC or DO). They
can also do ad hoc reporting on financial assistance through the system’s Client Export
Wizard, including through the use of export templates provided by Disaster Finance.
Related Training Materials
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Issuing a Client Assistance Card
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Issuing a Client Assistance Card for an Existing Case Using the “Lite” Version of CAS
2.0
Adding Value to an Issued Client Assistance Card
Deducting Value from an Issued Client Assistance Card
Deactivating a Client Assistance Card
Suspending or Unsuspending a Client Assistance Card
Viewing a Case’s Client Assistance Card Transaction History
Issuing a Disbursing Order
Voiding a Disbursing Order
Canceling a Disbursing Order
Viewing a Case’s Disbursing Order Transaction History
Issuing a Referral through a Referral Search
Issuing a FastTrack Referral
Issuing an Ad Hoc Referral
Viewing a Case’s Referral Transaction History
Issuing Other Assistance
CAS 2.0 was made possible through the generous support of the Eli Lilly and Company
Foundation.
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Updated April 1, 2015
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