STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: MC #45

MANUAL: Alaska Temporary Assistance Program

DATE: September 2, 2014

The Alaska Temporary Assistance heating and non-heating utility standards increase effective October 2014. The Eligibility Information System (EIS) will automatically apply these new standards when determining eligibility and benefit amounts beginning October 2014. We also made several changes to clarify existing policy as a result of suggestions from the field.

Highlights of these policy revisions are described below. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy and Program Development Team at 465-3382 or email dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

MS 720-3      Determination of Incapacity

• Adds a note to clarify that a "partial medical exemption" is sufficient for a two-parent family to receive the maximum payment standard and be exempt from the two-parent seasonal reduction.

MS 723-3 B      Restoring Benefits

• Adds a clarifying statement that the date the penalty is ended is the day before the compliance date.
• Adds three examples to aid caseworkers' understanding of the penalty ending or deleting process.

MS 740-2 A      Factors of Eligibility

• Removes the words "or training" to clarify when a household is eligible for PASSParents Achieving Self-Sufficiency II child care, i.e. when an ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program case closes that has an included adult with earned income and a dependent child.

MS 790-3 C      Changes that Result in Ineligibility

• Adds a note with cross reference to MS 740 to remind caseworkers to send the PASSParents Achieving Self-Sufficiency II child care referral when appropriate and examine the household for Post-Temporary Assistance.

Addendum 2      Temporary Assistance Income and Payment Standards

• Updates the heating and non-heating utility standards for FFY 2015.