121-14        STOP PAYMENT AND FORGERY PROCEDURES

DPADivision of Public Assistance will stop payment on warrants that were issued less than six months ago but were:

• not received by the recipient
• stolen from the recipient
• lost by the recipient
• destroyed after receipt by the recipient.

The agency policy is to replace a warrant after ten calendar days from date issued to ensure the warrant has cleared the postal channels and to allow time for it to clear the Department of Administration to determine if the warrant has been cashed.

Reissuance may be done before the ten calendar days have elapsed if the agency receives information from the recipient that the warrant is destroyed (e.g., washed with the laundry) or lost (e.g., thrown out with garbage). The caseworker will use prudent judgement in these situations.

After the ten calendar days have elapsed (or the caseworker determines the warrant lost or destroyed), and prior to initiating stop payment procedures, the caseworker will check the warrant status in EISEligibility Information System by reviewing the issuance history screen. If the warrant status is outstanding (OS), the caseworker will follow the Stop Payment Procedures in section 121-14 A. If the warrant status is redeemed, the caseworker will follow the Forgery Procedures in section 121-14 B.

If the warrant was issued by HAPHeating Assistance Program, the caseworker will contact Benefit Issuance & Recovery at hss.dpa.jnu.claims@alaska.gov to verify the warrant status as this information is verified in IRIS.

121-14 A.      STOP PAY PROCEDURES

1. If the caseworker receives a returned warrant from the recipient, the warrant should be stamped "Void" or "Cancel" across the face of the warrant and routed to Benefit Issuance & Recovery Unit (BIRU).

Note:

Do not mark "Void" or "Cancel" on returned warrants to pay an APAAdult Public Assistance overpayment, warrants issued by the Office of Public of Advocacy or any other warrants not issued by Division of Public Assistance. These warrants or repayments are sent to BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit.

Staff should review the warrants before voiding or canceling to ensure they were not issued by DPADivision of Public Assistance or they are for repayment. Repayment warrants are routed to BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit.

2. The caseworker will have the recipient complete and sign a Stop Payment Affidavit Form (GEN 21Stop Payment Affidavit Form). The caseworker will inform the recipient that once a Stop Payment Affidavit has been signed and sent for processing, it cannot be retracted. The original affidavit will be retained in the case file and a copy will be given to the recipient. The recipient will be instructed to notify the Division immediately if he or she receives the warrant on which a Stop Payment order has been placed and to return the warrant to the agency.

3. If the non-receipt of warrant is due to an incorrect address, the caseworker must make sure the address screen in EISEligibility Information System or ECOSEnergy Community Online System is updated before the warrant is reissued by BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit.

4. The caseworker submits a Stop Pay Request by accessing the Stop Payment Request form on DPAweb at http://dpaweb.hss.state.ak.us/e-forms/pdf/GEN-21.pdf, completing the form, and emailing it to the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit at hss.dpa.jnu.claims@alaska.gov.

The completed Stop Payment Request form must include:

• DPA Office completing the request

• Warrant Number

• Date Issued

• Amount

• Case Number

• Payee Name

• Mailing Address

• Reason for the stop pay request

• The payee section must be completed to include a Payee Signature

5. If the caseworker has been notified by the recipient that he or she has received the warrant after the Stop Payment has been sent to BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit, the caseworker will request the warrant be brought to the district office and also notify BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit immediately via an email message addressed to hss.dpa.jnu.claims@alaska.gov. The district office must stamp "VOID" across the face of any returned warrant and forward the warrant to BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit  immediately.

6. If the warrant has already been returned to BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit and has been canceled in EISEligibility Information System, the caseworker can reissue the warrant without going through the Stop Payment process.

7. If the warrant status is outstanding, the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit will initiate the stop pay process. The caseworker will be notified when the process is complete and the date the warrant will be reissued.

8. If the warrant status is redeemed, the caseworker will proceed with the Forgery Procedures in section 121-14 B below.

9. When a warrant is received in the office, the caseworker creates a case note that explains why the warrant was returned.

121-14 B.      FORGERY PROCEDURES

If the warrant status is redeemed as indicated on the system's issuance history screen or as reported by the Benefit Issuance & Recovery Unit (BIRU), the caseworker will inform the recipient.

If the recipient remembers that he or she cashed the warrant, no further action is required.

If the recipient claims he or she did not cash the warrant and requests that forgery procedures be pursued, the caseworker will request a copy of the redeemed warrant from the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit by emailing hss.dpa.jnu.claims@alaska.gov.

The request must include:

• Case Name
• Case Number
• Warrant Number
• Benefit Month
• Caseworker Fax Number

2. The BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit will obtain a copy of the redeemed warrant and forward it to the caseworker.

3. Upon receipt of the redeemed warrant copy, the caseworker will contact the recipient to have them come to the office to examine the signature on the warrant copy. If the client cannot come into the DPADivision of Public Assistance office, the warrant copy can be sent to them so the signature can be examined.

4. If, after examination of the warrant copy, the recipient changes positions and states that he or she did redeem the warrant, no further action will be taken.

5. If the recipient, after examination of the warrant copy, states that the signature is not theirs, and claims it to be a forgery, the recipient will be given a copy of the warrant copy and instructed to file a report at the local police department. The recipient must provide a copy of the police report to the district office prior to any action to reissue the warrant. This requirement may be waived at the Public Assistance Field Services Manager's (who oversees Field Eligibility Managers) discretion in two situations:

• The recipient lives in an area where a police department is not accessible
• The recipient refuses to provide a police report

6. For cases where fraud is suspected, the caseworker should make a fraud referral.

7. The caseworker has the recipient complete an Affidavit of Forgery (GEN 86Affidavit of Forgery) and sign it in the presence of a Notary Public. The caseworker must make sure the affidavit is complete and accurate (name spelled correctly, dates correct, etc.). The caseworker is not responsible for comparing the signatures or making a determination of whether the signature has been forged. All responsibility for the forgery claim is on the payee who signs the affidavit.

8. The caseworker will mail the original signed, notarized Affidavit of Forgery to the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit. In addition, an email message titled "Affidavit of Forgery" must be sent to the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit at hss.dpa.jnu.claims@alaska.gov stating that the original affidavit has been mailed. The caseworker will retain a copy of the affidavit in the recipient's case file.

9. The BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit will examine the Affidavit of Forgery to verify the affidavit is complete and accurate (name spelled correctly, dates correct, etc.).

• The BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit assembles a packet containing the following:

• Original Affidavit of Forgery
• Copy of forged warrant—front and back
• Copy of Police Report
• Warrant Status Change Request form (signed by certifying officer)
• The packet is then mailed to:

Dept. of Administration

Division of Finance

ATTN: Accounting Technician

PO Box 110204

Juneau, AK 99811-0204

• The BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit keeps a copy of all documents included in the packet.

• Division of Finance receives packet.
• Division of Finance requests a bank credit for the forged warrant and forwards the documentation to Treasury.
• Division of Finance receives the bank credit.

• Division of Finance reissues the warrant and contacts the certifying officer at the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit.

• The BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit notifies the caseworker that a replacement warrant has been issued to the client.

• Caseworker notifies the client.

10. If the case file indicates more than three replacements within a six month period, the caseworker should investigate the possibility that the problem is related to an EISEligibility Information System entry error on the address (ADDRAddress Screen) screen or an ECOSEnergy Community Online System entry error on the Household Summary screen. Once this possibility is ruled out, the caseworker may consider requesting that the recipient provide the agency with a protective payee mailing address where the warrant will be mailed, and the recipient can pick it up or the payee can deliver it to the recipient. The caseworker must obtain a written statement for the case file from the person or agency willing to do this. The recipient also may wish to receive their benefits via direct deposit into their bank account.

11. Clients receiving warrants issued through ECOSEnergy Community Online System do not have the option to select a protective payee or have the option to receive their benefit via direct deposit. If the client is unable to receive a warrant directly, they will need to have the warrant sent to an approved vendor.