STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health and Social Services
Division of Public Assistance
TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: 2016-04
MANUAL: Alaska Food Stamp Program
DATE: October 3, 2016
This update includes yearly changes to the income and utility standards that take effect October 1, 2016.
Other changes are either technical in nature or clarifications that are the results of policy questions or suggestions from the field.
Highlights of these and other policy revisions are described below. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy & Program Development Team via email at: dpapolicy@alaska.gov.
OVERVIEW OF CHANGES
MS 602-3(B) Unearned Income
Added clarification of income budgeting for recoupments and mandatory payees from SSI/SSA/VA income.
MS 602-3(D) Exempt Income
Updated Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA).
MS 604-3(G) Adding a member to the household
Clarified section regarding adding a new household member or child when reported the month before they join the household.
Removed an example that included information about reporting a new household member two months prior to their birth.
MS 605-1(B) Students
Updated WIA Workforce Investment Act to WIOA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.
Added mandatory training and on the job (OTJ) training as an exclusion to student status.
MS 605-2(E) Military Pay
Clarified and reorganized the countable military earned income section. Distinguished between countable earned income paid to families living off base and exempt meals provided on base to military personnel.
MS 605-3(B) Expedited Services
Added language to clarify that the waiver should not be applied if we’re out of time frames due to the 20% limitation established by FNS.
Clarified that SNAP benefits are issued on the fourth day in the example to ensure the field understands we use the waiver to stay within time frames.
Addendum 2 ABAWD work Requirement exempt and Non-Exempt Areas
Updated the “WADE HAMPTON CENSUS AREA” to “KUSILVAK CENSUS AREA”.
Addendum 4 Program Standards and Maximum Allotments
Updated the “WADE HAMPTON CENSUS AREA” to “KUSILVAK CENSUS AREA” in the Southwestern Utility Region.
Updated the FFY 17 maximum allotments and utility standards released by FNS.
Addendum 7 Budget Work Sheets
Updated the links to the FSP74 and FSP75 with updated standards information based on Addendum 4.
Addendum 8 Communities by Census Area
Updated the “WADE HAMPTON CENSUS AREA” to “KUSILVAK CENSUS AREA”.
Addendum 9 Approved Substance Abuse Programs
Updated the list of approved substance abuse treatment centers with Teen Challenge Pacific NW Adult and Teen Alaska CA due to their recent FNS approval.
Renamed Addendum 9 "Approved Substance Abuse Programs" and removed the word "State" from the title.