STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance 

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER:   2021-01

MANUAL:   Alaska Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

DATE:   April 1, 2021

We revised the self-employment annualization table based on changes in the Federal Poverty Guidelines effective April 1, 2021.  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           Application Process

• Added information regarding acceptable application signatures

MS 601-2(A)       What Is an Acceptable Application Form?

• Clarified that a Native Family Assistance Program (NFAP) application form is an acceptable application and recertification form

MS 601-2(D)       What Is an Identifiable Application?

• Added link to application signature requirements, section 601

MS 601-2(E)       Who Can Sign the Application?

• Added link to application signature requirements, section 601

MS 601-4(A)       Verification

• Removed reference to questionable shelter costs in subsection 2, as verification of shelter costs is required

MS 601-5(E)       Withdrawing the Application

• Added link to application signature requirements, section 601

MS 602-1(F)       Work Requirements

• Removed My House from the list of SNAP E&T providers

MS 602-2(B)       Excluded Resources

• Added subsection regarding Dingle Act Lands

• Renumbered section

MS 602-3(B)       Countable Vendor Payments

• Clarified when a vendor payment is counted as income, exempt as income, and allowable as a shelter deduction

MS 602-4(E)       Shelter Deduction

• Removed examples of questionable shelter cost situations as verification of shelter costs is required

MS 604-2       Recertification

• Added link to application signature requirements, section 601

MS 604-2(A)       Recertification Application Form

• Clarified a Native Family Assistance Program (NFAP) application form is an acceptable application and recertification form

MS 604-3       Reporting and Acting on Changes During the Certification Period

• Revised to include the PARIS match

MS 604-3(G)       Public Assistance Income Changes

• Linked SNAP MS 604-3(G) to SNAP MS 607 so this overpayment calculation policy doesn't continue to be overlooked

MS 605-2(B)       Counting Resources and Budgeting Income and Expenses

• Clarified that ATAP benefits are counted toward the children when coded "DI"

MS 605-2(D)       Annualization Determination

• Updated the Self-Employment Standards to reflect updated FPL effective April 2021

MS 607-3(E)       Establishing An Overpayment Claim

• Clarified how far back to calculate IPV claims

Addendum 2       ABAWD Work Requirement Exempt and Non-Exempt Areas

• Updated Alaska's Census Areas due to an update with the US Census Bureau

Addendum 4       Standards and Maximum Allotments

• Updated Alaska's Census Areas due to an update with the US Census Bureau

Addendum 8       List of Communities by Census Areas

• Updated Alaska's Census Areas due to an update with the US Census Bureau

Addendum 9       State & FNS Approved Substance Abuse Programs

• Added Alaska Dream Center and Set Free Alaska as they are now FNS approved treatment centers