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

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 CANO Case Notes entry of the action taken. The caseworker is also responsible to check if there are other related DPA Division of Public Assistance cases, Native TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cases, and case managers who need to know about the reported change.

1. CHANGE IS REPORTED IN-PERSON

If a client comes into a DPA Division of Public Assistance office to report a change, the client will be given a GEN 55 Report of Change form. Date stamp the completed GEN 55 Report of Change and route it to the caseworker assigned to the case.

2. CHANGE IS REPORTED BY PHONE:

Changes reported by phone must be documented on CANO Case Notes. If a worker not assigned to the case receives the change report, this person must document the change report on CANO Case Notes and notify the assigned worker either by email or by setting an alert on the ETAL ET Alerts. 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 DPA Division of Public Assistance office.  Immediately forward reports of change to the appropriate caseworker for processing.

4. CHANGE IS REPORTED BY EMAIL

If a change is reported by email, forward the email immediately to the appropriate caseworker.

5. ADDRESS CHANGE REPORTS

Staff may act on reports of mailing and residence address changes by updating the ADDR Address Screen screen and documenting the action on CANO Case Notes. If a clerical staff receives the report, in addition to updating the ADDR Address Screen screen and CANO Case Notes, he or she must also notify the caseworker of the change through either email or setting an alert on ETAL ET Alerts .

Exception:

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

Important note for Food Stamp cases: The food stamp benefit amount is based on the household’s residence address. Caseworkers must go through the FSAD Food Stamps Allotment Determination screen to update the change on EIS Eligibility Information System whenever a residence address is made on the ADDR Address Screen.

107-2 C.      FLOWCHART FOR PROCESSING REPORTS OF CHANGE

Addendum A outlines the workflow process on how changes are handled as they are received.

107-2 D.      STANDARD ALERT ON THE ETAL ET Alerts SCREEN FOR REPORTS OF CHANGE

Staff may use the following format in setting alerts on ETAL ET Alerts to notify caseworkers of reports of changes received from clients:

Note:  

The ”Due Date” must be the date the worker set the alert.