STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance 

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER:   2019-04

MANUAL:   Alaska Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

DATE:   December 2, 2019

This year the Social Security Administration announced a Cost of Living Allowance (COLACost of Living Allowance) increase effective January 2020, which increased the payee fee that can be excluded as unearned income. In addition to the COLACost of Living Allowance change, this manual revision includes an ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents policy clarification regarding who is considered physically or mentally unfit for work as a result of guidance from FNSFood and Nutrition Service.

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 602-1(A)           Households      

• Clarified that if an individual has multiple drug felony convictions that occurred on or after August 22, 1996, and did not meet one or more of the conditions listed in SNAP MS 602-1(A)(5)(g) for even just one of the convictions, the individual would be ineligible for SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

• Clarified that if a client had multiple sexual abuse, murder, sexual exploitation etc. felony convictions that occurred on or after February 7, 2014, and did not meet one or more of the conditions listed in SNAP MS 602-1(A)(5)(h) for even just one of the convictions, the client would be ineligible for SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program  
  

MS 602-1(D)       US Citizenship and Eligible Alien Status

• Clarified that individuals who are approved for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACADeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) are considered non-qualified aliens

MS 602-1(G)       Determining Work Requirements and Exemptions

• Clarified anyone attending high school at least half-time is considered an exempt student EISEligibility Information System Code I

• Included chronic homelessness as an ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents exemption under persons physically or mentally unfit for employment, rather than a separate exemption type

MS 602-1(I)       Voluntary Job Quit and Reduction of Work Hours

• Clarified if a participating household voluntarily reports a job quit and it is determined that good cause does not exist, we would take action at that time and give them notice of adverse action.  If the job quit is discovered by other means, no action is taken until the household recertifies

• Clarified when expedite SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are issued, the household is considered a participating household and we would follow the participating household policy when applying job quit penalties

MS 602-1(L)       Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)

• Clarified homelessness is an exemption for ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents.  Chronic homelessness was not previously added to this section

• Updated example to change Wasilla to exempt and Anchorage to non-exempt

MS 602-3(B)       Unearned Income

• Updated payee fees to reflect COLACost of Living Allowance change

MS 602-3(D)       Exempt Income

• Added 2020 Census income due to a demonstration waiver approved by FNSFood and Nutrition Service

MS 602-4(D)       Medical Deduction

• Clarified that a medical deduction is not allowed for Medicare Part B premiums while we are waiting for the buy-in to kick in. Medicare Part B premiums are a reimbursable expense

MS 604-3(D)       Temporary Ineligibility/Case Suspension

• Clarified for timely recertifications, if the household is ineligible for SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in the month immediately following the end of its current certification period, the recertification is denied

• Clarified that PFDPermanent Fund Dividend is an exception to this rule if the household is eligible in the following month

MS 605-1(D)       Institutions

• Clarified institutions include hospitals, boarding schools, military schools, Job Corps, nursing homes, mental health facilities, and prisons

MS 605-3(B)       Expedited Service

• Clarified in determining expedite eligibility, we should use the client reported rent and the standard heating or non-heating utility standards for their region (if higher than the actual reported utility expenses) and compare this total with their reported countable monthly gross income and liquid resources

MS 605-4(B)       Subsistence Hunting and Fishing

• Clarified that subsistence hunting and fishing requires a written statement signed by the head of household, spouse, or authorized representative that they intend to secure a substantial portion of their food by means of subsistence hunting and fishing. The statement must also indicate that they do not intend to use the items purchased for commercial purposes

MS 608-1       Fair Hearings

• Linked fair hearing procedures to Administrative Procedures Manual at section 117-2