MEMORANDUM

DATE: July 15, 2003

TO: All Temporary Assistance Manual Holders

FROM: Policy & Program Development Team, Ellie Fitzjarrald, Chief

SUBJECT: Temporary Assistance Manual Change #9

This manual change incorporates a variety of updates into the Temporary Assistance manual, as detailed below. These include policies that were previously implemented by broadcast, alignments with policy and language issued previously by the Food Stamp program, and reorganizations and clarification of existing policy. Many of these changes are in response to field staff questions and suggestions.

If you have any questions about this manual change, please contact any member of the Policy and Program Development Team at 465-3347 or email dpapolicy@health.state.ak.us.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

Chapter 710, General Eligibility

Adds the 60-month time limit to the list of general eligibility factors, and adds a new section listing conditions that disqualify a family from the Temporary Assistance program.

Chapter 713, Citizenship and Eligible Alien Status

Updates the list of qualified aliens and aliens who are not subject to the five year bar; adds victims of trafficking to both lists. The policy is also simplified for easier reading and understanding.

Section 752-10, Vehicles

Re-writes the entire section to more clearly state vehicle policy; adds policy for using the NADA website to determine the value of countable vehicles. This change corresponds to the change issued in December by the Food Stamp program.

Section 754-7, Retirement Funds

Incorporates policy for determining the availability and countability of the balances in retirement funds. This policy was implemented by broadcast in April 2002.

Section 770-4, Diversion

Updates the number of months that can be used to determine the maximum diversion payment. This change was implemented by broadcast in July 2002. Further updates of diversion policy will be made in the future to incorporate experience gained from using diversion as part of EOIP.

Chapter 780, Payments

Adds policy on refusal of payments (refuse cash); adds second mortgages and condominium fees to the list of allowable shelter expenses; clarifies policy on using actual shelter costs; adds policy disallowing shelter expenses that are paid by a 3rd party.

Section 790-1, Change Reporting Requirements

Updates the reporting requirement for unearned income to the new $50 threshold.

Section 790-5, Periodic Reviews

Moves the last paragraph of the section to the beginning of the section to clarify the policy. The misplacement of this paragraph has caused continuing confusion for field staff.

Section 792-4, Calculating the Correct Payment

Adds policy for calculating corrective payments under prospective budgeting. This change mirrors the policy issued in December by the Food Stamp program.

Addendum 1, Exempt Native Villages

Incorporates the changes in exempt Native village status that went into effect May 1, 2003.