STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health and Social Services
Division of Public Assistance
TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: 2018-01
MANUAL: Alaska Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
DATE: April 2, 2018
This update revised the self-employment annualization table based on changes in the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG ) for Alaska and removed references to status reporting as there is no longer status reporting in Alaska effective April 1, 2018. 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 at dpapolicy@alaska.gov.
OVERVIEW OF CHANGES
MS 601-3(A) WHEN IS AN INTERVIEW REQUIRED
Added information that households meeting the elderly / disabled FNS waiver requirements may be exempt from the recertification interview requirement
Clarified that an interview does not need to be completed if a household submits their recertification after the end of the certification period but within the following month and is not due for their annual interview
MS 601-3(F) CHANGES REPORTED DURING THE INTERVIEW
Removed references to status reporting households as there is no longer status reporting in Alaska effective April 1, 2018
MS 601-5(C) PENDING THE APPLICATION
Clarified that an interview does not need to be completed if a household submits their recertification after the end of the certification period but within the following month and is not due for their annual interview
MS 602-1(A) HOUSEHOLDS
Clarified household composition rules regarding homeless shelters
Added majority custody language to manual due to a fair hearing loss
Added clarification that proof of compliance with drug felon criteria is required
Added explanation of the four-part test to establish fleeing felon status
MS 602-1(I) VOLUNTARY JOB QUIT AND REDUCTION OF WORK HOURS
Removed references to status reporting households as there is no longer status reporting in Alaska effective April 1, 2018
MS 602-2(A) DEFINITION AND TYPES OF RESOURCES
Added clarification regarding crowdfunding accounts
MS 604-1(A) LENGTH OF CERTIFICATION PERIOD
Removed references to status reporting households as there is no longer status reporting in Alaska effective April 1, 2018
Clarified circumstances in which shorter certification periods can be provided
MS 604-2 RECERTIFICATION
Added information regarding the new FNS waiver allowing Alaska to waive the recertification interview for certain elderly / disabled households
Clarified that an interview does not need to be completed if a household submits their recertification after the end of the certification period but within the following month and is not due for their annual interview
MS 604-3 REPORTING
AND ACTING ON CHANGES DURING THE CERTIFICATION PERIOD
Removed references to status reporting households as there is no longer status reporting in Alaska effective April 1, 2018
MS 604-3(G) PUBLIC ASSISTANCE INCOME CHANGES
Reworded section to clarify that SNAP overpayments are worked with the amount of TANF that should have been issued unless fraud is involved
MS 605-1(D) INSTITUTIONS
Updated section DAC/GLA rules to match FCEA 2008 and new reporting requirements at 7 CFR 273.11(e) and 7 CFR 273.11(f)
MS 605-2(D)7 ANNUALIZATION DETERMINATION
Updated self-employment annualization standards with release of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for Alaska, effective April 1, 2018
MS 605-3(B) EXPEDITED SERVICE
Clarified information regarding the postponed interview waiver
Added examples illustrating when and when not to use the waiver outside of the expedite timeframes
MS 605-7(I) PFD REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Removed references to status reporting households as there is no longer status reporting in Alaska effective April 1, 2018
Added Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER) to the list of urban cities
Added Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER) to the list of communities by census area for Anchorage
Added Valley Oaks Residential Treatment Facility to the list of approved substance abuse facilities
Added Phillips Ayagnirvik Treatment Center to the list of approved substance abuse facilities
Deleted F194 as this notice is no longer active as of April 1, 2018