STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance

 

 

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER:   2009-01

 

MANUAL:   Alaska Food Stamp Program

 

DATE:   February 20, 2009

 

 

Self-Employment Annualization income standards are based upon the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) for Alaska as set each year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  We have updated the Self-Employment Annualization Standards chart to reflect these changes which take effect March 1, 2009.

 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (also referred to as the Economic Stimulus bill) signed into law on February 17, 2009, increases Food Stamp benefits by 13.6% effective April 1, 2009.  Addendum 4 is updated with the new maximum and minimum benefit amounts.

 

Verification sections were also updated to add information about the SOLQ interface and remove obsolete information about the Senior Benefits interface.

 

In response to questions from field staff this manual change includes information on how Refugee Cash Assistance and one-time Refugee Resettlement payments are treated for the Food Stamp Program.

 

Three policy corrections are also included:

 

1. Adverse Actions Requiring Only Adequate Notice

 

We corrected the policy by replacing first of the following month with next scheduled issuance date.  This means that if the benefit is already issued (i.e., listed on the Food Stamp Issuance History – FSIH screen), the benefit cannot be retracted and closed the end of the month.  Instead, the benefit is issued and the case is closed the end of the following month.

 

2. Definition of Institutions

 

We removed Certified Retailer or Wholesaler as a separate eligible institution category.  The certified retailer or wholesaler status applies only to drug and alcohol treatment centers.

 

3. Overpayments that Do Not Require a Claim

 

We corrected the policy to reflect that client-caused overpayment claims, regardless of the amount, are established.  The $125 threshold applies only to agency-caused overpayments on closed cases.

 

Highlights of these policy revisions are described below.  If you have any questions please contact the Policy and Program Development Team at 465-3382 or e-mail dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

 

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

 

MS 601-4A(3)  Information from Data Systems and EIS Interfaces

 

MS 602-2A(4)  Commingled Resources

 

MS 602-2B(1)  Home

 

MS 602-2B(13)  Real Property up for Sale

 

MS 602-2D(2)  Non-recurring Lump Sum Payments

 

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

 

MS 602-3D(4)  Loans

 

MS 602-3D(13)  Non-recurring Lump Sum Payments

 

MS 604-2E  Verification Requirements: Recertification

 

MS 604-3A(3)  Changes That Must be Acted on for Semi-Annual Reporting

 

MS 604-3F  Temporary Ineligibility/Case Suspension

 

MS 604-4C  Adverse Actions Requiring Only Adequate Notice

 

MS 605-1B(3)  Budgeting Countable Educational Income

 

MS 605-1D  Institutions

 

MS 605-2D(7)  Self-employment Annualization Standards

 

MS 607-3D  Overpayment that do not Require Claims

 

Addendum 4  Standards and Maximum Allotments