107-2          ACCEPTING CHANGE REPORTS

Clients may report changes in person, in writing, by email, or by phone. When clients report a change, staff must accept and document each report of change and examine the nature of the change to determine if action is required.

If action is required, it must be taken within the timeframe allowed by the specific program. Staff must also examine the reported change to determine if it affects any other public assistance case. The caseworker is responsible for seeing that changes are made on all related cases.

107-2 A.      INFORMATION TO DOCUMENT WHEN ACCEPTING A REPORT OF CHANGE

It is important that the person who receives the change report documents the following information:

• Who reported the change
• Who received the report
• The date the report was received
• The date the change took place
• The method used to report the change
• Verification received or requested
• Action taken

Staff responsible for accepting reports of change will be trained in basic program requirements and interviewing techniques. It is essential for staff to obtain all the necessary and available information when accepting reports of change.

When someone other than the client reports a change, staff should attempt to gather as much information as they can, always taking care to avoid violating the client's right to confidentiality.

Reports from representatives of other agencies, public or private, may also involve protecting client confidentiality. In taking these reports, use every opportunity to instruct the reporter in what type and extent of change information is necessary, so that he or she can better serve the client in the future by giving the agency the best and most complete information.

107-2 B.      PROCEDURE FOR PROCESSING REPORTS OF CHANGE

Reports of change received in the office are date stamped, registered, entered into current™, scanned and saved into ILINX for statewide process. When a report of change is received, the caseworker will review the change and determine if more information or verification is needed to determine eligibility. The caseworker must do a CANOCase Notes entry of the action taken. The caseworker is also responsible to check if there are other related DPADivision of Public Assistance cases, Native TANFTemporary Assistance for Needy Families cases in EISEligibility Information System, and case managers who need to know about the reported change. Refer to MS 104-1I for additional information about processing a report of change. Also refer to the program manuals for specific program instructions.

1. CHANGE IS REPORTED IN-PERSON

If a client comes into a DPADivision of Public Assistance office to report a change, the client will be given a GEN 55Report of Change form to complete for processing. It is expected that the receiving office will work the case to the fullest extent possible (authorize/pend/deny).

2. CHANGE IS REPORTED BY PHONE

Changes reported by phone must be documented on CANOCase Notes. Staff accepting the report must ask pertinent questions while the reporter is on the phone. This alleviates the need for making a second phone call and ensures the change is processed timely and accurately.

3. CHANGE IS REPORTED IN WRITING

Date stamp written reports of change the same day they are received in a DPADivision of Public Assistance office. If the clerical unit receives the report of change, it is entered into current™ and saved in ILINX for processing. The change must be worked to the fullest extent possible.

4. CHANGE IS REPORTED BY EMAIL

If a change reported by email is received by an office or caseworker in the unit email box, the email is copied and saved in ILINX and entered in current™ for statewide processing.

5. ADDRESS CHANGE REPORTS

Staff may act on a report of mailing and/or residence address changes by updating the ADDRAddress Screen screen, setting an alert on ETALET Alerts or tasks, documenting the action on CANOCase Notes, saving the report in ILINX and entering in current™ for appropriate processing.

Exception:

This procedure does not apply to cases assigned to OCSOffice of Children's Services (060). Reports of address change received for cases assigned to OCSOffice of Children's Services must be forwarded to the OCSOffice of Children's Services eligibility staff to be processed.

Important note for SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cases: The SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit amount is based on the household's residence address. Caseworkers must go through the FSADFood Stamps Allotment Determination screen to update the change on EISEligibility Information System whenever a residence address is made on the ADDRAddress Screen.

107-2 C.      STANDARD ALERTS AND TASKS USED IN EISEligibility Information System AND ARIESAlaska's Resource for Integrated Eligibility Services

Staff must use the standard format for alerts and tasks in EISEligibility Information System and ARIESAlaska's Resource for Integrated Eligibility Services as outlined in the ETADs Job Aid, Creating a current™ Task job aid for alerts/tasks set, and current™ User Guide on SharePoint.