STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER:  2007-02

MANUAL:  Alaska Food Stamp Program

DATE:  September 14, 2007

This manual change updates program policy in conjunction with changes to the Adult Public Assistance, Medicaid, and Alaska Temporary Assistance manuals.  It revises several sections in the application process chapter and removes references to outdated Medicaid policy regarding the use of conversion factors when estimating income. Several sections are revised in response to requests for clarification from staff or to make minor corrections to the policy stated in the manual.

This manual change also includes the new gross and net income limits, maximum food stamp benefit amounts, standard deduction for households with six or more members, excess shelter allowance, and heating and non-heating utility standards that are effective October 1, 2007. Minor clarifications and technical changes are also included.  

Highlights of these policy revisions are described below.  

If you have any questions please contact any member of the Policy and Program Development Team at (907) 465-3347 or email dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

MS 600-2  Definitions

• Updates Federal Minimum Wage to $5.85 and adds a website containing information on the current federal minimum wage

• Adds Fee Agent to definition list

• Adds Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations ( FDPIR Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations ) to definition list and on-line manual glossary

MS 601  Application Process

1. • Adds DPA Division of Public Assistance -contracted next to fee agent to clarify that only fee agents who have a contract with DPA Division of Public Assistance can interview the household

MS 601-1  Dual Eligibility Prohibited

1. • Changes subsection titles and adds a new subsection on Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations ( FDPIR Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations ).  Participation in both the Food Stamp Program and the FDPIR Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations is prohibited.

MS 601-2B  When is an Application Required?

1. • Adds Note to clarify that a new application is needed following a case closure due to not providing verification waived under expedited service policy

MS 601-2C  When is an Application Not Required?

1. • Clarifies that a new application is not required when a household contacts the office within 30 days following the end of the certification period to schedule an interview or provide the requested verification

   • Clarifies that a new application is not required when a household is not eligible for the first month but is eligible for the second month

MS 601-3C  Who Can Conduct the Interview?

1. • Adds DPA Division of Public Assistance -contracted next to fee agent to clarify that only fee agents who have a contract with DPA Division of Public Assistance can interview the household

MS 601-3E  Interviews Conducted at the DPA Division of Public Assistance Office

1. • Adds that notice F000 FS Application - Missed Interview must be sent when the household misses the scheduled interview and clarifies that the office must schedule an interview if the household contacts the office within 30 days of the application filing date, even if a previous interview was never scheduled

   • Clarifies the office's responsibilities when the applicant contacts the office after the 30th day but within 60 days of the application

MS 601-3F  Changes Reported at the Interview

1. • Clarifies that all applicant households must report all changes at the interview and clarifies that there are no reporting requirements between the interview and approval

   • Corrects and clarifies policy for applicant households assigned to status reporting.  These households must report changes occurring between the interview and the approval within ten days of the date of the approval notice.

   • Clarifies that new members joining applicant households must be in the home before they are added to the food stamp case

MS 601-4A(3)  Verification Requirements for Initial Applications

1. • Clarifies what is expected of a caseworker when checking information systems and interfaces.  An example is included.  

   • Changes SeniorCare to Senior Benefits Program

MS 601-5B  Benefit Start Date

1. • Adds numbering and an exception for changing the benefit start date when the household delays the application process beyond 30 days by either not attending an interview or not providing requested verification

MS 602-1A  Households

1. • Clarifies policy when one parent and one non-parent claim the same child as a household member; when two non-parents claim the same child as a household member; when the child is a foster care child; and when parental rights are terminated

   • Clarifies policy when visitors are parents, spouse or children under 22 years of age, and for boarders and foster care individuals, live-in attendants, and students

   • Clarifies policy for fleeing felons and drug felons

MS 602-1D  Citizenship and Eligible Alien Status

1. • Adds USCIS United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website listing forms and descriptions

   • Replaces INS with USCIS United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and replaces SAVE Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements with ASVS Automated Status Verification System

MS 602-1D(6)  Documentation of U.S. Citizenship and Eligible Alien Status

1. • Clarifies that information on expired documentation can be used to obtain verification through ASVS Automated Status Verification System

MS 602-1G  Work Requirements/Determining Requirements and Exemptions

1. • Removes previous Federal Minimum Wage amount and adds link to MS 600-2 where current minimum wage information is located

MS 602-1I  Voluntary Job quit and Reduction of Work Hours

1. • Removes previous Federal Minimum Wage amount and adds link to MS 600-2 where current minimum wage information is located

MS 602-2B(4)  Retirement Funds

1. • Revises section to incorporate guidance provided by the Food and Nutrition Service ( FNS Food and Nutrition Service ) in March 2002 and aligns policy, to the extent possible, with policy already included in the Alaska Temporary Assistance and Family Medicaid manuals

MS 602-3B(7)  Other Sources of Countable Unearned Income

1. • Changes SeniorCare to Senior Benefits Program

MS 602-4C(1)  Dependent Care Deduction/Allowable Expenses

1. • Under expenses not allowed, adds costs covered by an excluded reimbursement

MS 602-4E(1)  Shelter Costs Allowed and Shelter Costs Not Allowed

1. • Corrects policy regarding payments on surrounding property subsequently purchased.  These payments are allowed as shelter deductions only when the new property was financed by a second mortgage secured by the home and home lot.

   • Adds policy on when household lives in a vehicle.  The car payment and insurance covering the car are allowed; insurance for liability and medical are not allowed; gasoline costs are not allowed if the vehicle used for transportation.

MS 602-4E(2)  Calculating Utility Costs

1. • Clarifies policy on giving the heating utility standard to heating assistance recipients

MS 602-4E(5)  Shelter Costs Allowed for an Unoccupied Home

1. • Clarifies that the household is allowed costs for both the unoccupied home and the home in which they are currently living

   • Reformats section to clarify that there are two different situations addressed

MS 602-4E(7)  Verification of Shelter Costs

1. • Clarifies that the caseworker can verify responsibility for utility costs through a contact with the landlord

   • Adds information to verification table regarding receipt of heating assistance

MS 603-1  Determining the Household’s Monthly Income

1. • Removes references to outdated Family Medicaid policy that prohibited the use of conversion factors when converted income caused Medicaid ineligibility

MS 604-1A  Length of Certification Period

1. • Adds an example illustrating how to determine the length of the certification period when Permanent Fund Dividend Hold Harmless benefits are issued for the application month

   • Clarifies that a one or two-month certification period is not given when the household is only temporarily ineligible for the second or third month but expected to be eligible the third or fourth month.  Adds an example to illustrate this policy.

   • Clarifies policy by adding countable before earnings.  Households with exempt earnings, like Title V, can be certified for up to 24 months.

MS 604-2D  Recertification: Household Fails to Act

1. • Clarifies that the benefit is prorated as of date the household contacted the office for an interview or the date the requested verification is received in the DPA Division of Public Assistance office

MS 604-2E  Verification Requirements: Recertification

1. • Adds requirement to verify previously unreported and/or unverified expenses  

   • Clarifies that caseworkers are expected to follow-up on the information found when checking data systems and EIS Eligibility Information System interfaces and adds an example to clarify these expectations.

   • Changes SeniorCare to Senior Benefits Program.

MS 604-3A(3)  Semi-Annual Reporting

1. • Changes SeniorCare to Senior Benefits Program

MS 604-3B  Status Reporting

1. • Adds policy for households assigned to status reporting.  These households must report changes occurring between the interview and the approval within ten days of the date of the approval notice.

MS 604-3C  Acting on Reported Changes

1. • Clarifies that if the change needs to be processed, the caseworker must determine how the change affects the next month’s eligibility and/or benefit amount

   • Adds note to clarify timely notice of adverse action is not always required

MS 604-3D  Effective Date of Change

1. • Clarifies in the example that the change is effective either month

MS 604-3G  Adding a Member to the Household

1. • Reformats section and clarifies that new household member must be in the home before we add him/her to the case

MS 604-3H  Removing a Member from the Household

1. • Clarifies policy when PI leaves the household

MS 605-1B(2)  Students/Eligibility

1. • Revises and corrects list of exemptions based on current regulations

   • Clarifies policy by separating the employment section into two sections… one for employment and one for self-employment

   • Clarifies policy when there are two parents and one or both are students

MS 605-1D(1)  Institutions/Definition and Eligibility

1. • Clarifies that facilities which are FNS Food and Nutrition Service -authorized retailers are eligible institutions

   • Clarifies that if the rehabilitation program is not listed in Addendum 9 the caseworker should contact the Division of Behavior Health to determine if the program is certified

   • Clarifies that the caseworker should contact the director of the facility to determine if the home meets the requirements of a group home

MS 605-3B  Expedited Service

1. • Corrects policy by removing working in the statement ... the first working day of the following month.  Households must receive food stamps by the first of the following month, not first working day of the following month

MS 605-7   PFD Permanent Fund Dividend Special Processing

1. • Updates and clarifies policy related to the two-month PFD Permanent Fund Dividend distribution.  This revised chapter was shared with staff via a broadcast sent on August 6, 2007.

MS 607-3D  Overpayments that do not Require a Claim

1. • Corrects policy.  All claims $125 or less are not established unless the household is currently receiving benefits -OR- the overpayment is discovered through a Quality Assessment review.  This policy applies to all claim types and is no longer limited to agency-caused errors.  In addition, the threshold is increased from less than $100 to $125 or less.

Addendum 4  FSP Standards and Maximum Allotments

1. • Updates the gross and net income limits, standard deduction for households with six or more member, excess shelter deduction, and maximum allotment amounts that become effective October 1, 2007.  These figures are updated in EIS Eligibility Information System .

Addendum 6  Documentation of Eligible Alien Status

1. • Clarifies that information on expired documents can be used to obtain verification through ASVS Automated Status Verification System

   • Removes from the section on members of the Hmong or Highland Laotian Tribe the reference to the Technical Assistance Guide that is no longer current and is not attached to the Addendum

Addendum 7  Food Stamp Budget Work Sheets

1. • Updates the gross and net income limits, standard deduction for households with six or more members, excess shelter deduction, and maximum allotment amounts that become effective October 1, 2007.  The FSP-74 and FSP-75 forms are updated on eForms on the DPAweb.