STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: MC #63

MANUAL: Alaska Temporary Assistance Program

DATE: September 3, 2019

The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP) heating and non-heating utility standards change effective October 2019. The Eligibility Information System (EIS) will automatically apply these new standards when determining eligibility and benefit amounts beginning October 2019.

Highlights of all the policy revisions are described below. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy and Program Development Team at dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

MS 701-1 D      MONTHS THAT DO NOT COUNT TOWARD THE 60-MONTH TIME LIMIT

• Added to the "ineligible overpaid months" note that the Claims Unit will request the TLIPTime Limit Information / Previous Aid counter update when a full month of benefits has been overpaid.
• Added to the "repaid benefits" note that the Claims Unit will request the TLIPTime Limit Information / Previous Aid counter update when a full months of benefits has been repaid.
• Added hyperlink to the SysOps homepage.
• Clarified exempt Alaska Native villages are identified in Addendum 1.
• Clarified when determining if a family lives in an exempt native village, caseworkers should use the location of the family's residence on the first day of the month.

MS 712-2      LIVING WITH A CARETAKER RELATIVE

• Specified the questions a caseworker should address when determining if a child lives with a caretaker relative.

MS 712-2 A      HOW TO VERIFY CHILDREN LIVE IN THE HOME OF A CARETAKER RELATIVE

• Added subsection explaining how to verify caretaker relative relationship and "living with" as this information belongs in the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program manual rather than the DPADivision of Public Assistance Administrative Procedures Manual.
• Added subsection incorporating information removed from the DPADivision of Public Assistance Administrative Procedures Manual.

MS 712-3      PARENTAL RELATIONSHIP

• Replaced the term "alleged" with CSSDChild Support Services Division term "putative" for consistency throughout the chapter.
• Changed form references from CSSD 1603aChild Support Information Form to "Child Support Information Form" (GEN 53) throughout the section.

MS 712-3 A      DEFINITIONS

• Clarified how to verify adoptive parents when their name is not listed on a child(ren's) birth certificate.
• Added definition defining a term added to the manual which is often used by CSSDChild Support Services Division.
• Renumbered definitions.

MS 712-3 C      VERIFYING PARENTAL RELATIONSHIP FOR CHILDREN BORN IN ANOTHER STATE

• Added "administrative agency" as an acceptable source of verification to align with the term defined in the chapter.

MS 712-3 F      HOSPITAL CERTIFICATES

• Added alternative sources of verification of the paternal relationship as this is being removed from the DPADivision of Public Assistance Administrative Procedures Manual.
• Added note requiring caseworkers to case note if an alternate verification source is used.

MS 717      CHILD SUPPORT ASSIGNMENT AND COOPERATION

• Changed form references from CSSD 1603aChild Support Information Form to GEN 53Child Support Information Form throughout the section.
• To better clarify the term "caretaker" the term "parent" and "relative" were added to the reference.

MS 717-3      HOW A CARETAKER COOPERATES WITH CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION

• Updated note to refer to DPADivision of Public Assistance.

MS 717-4      FAILURE TO COOPERATE WITH CSSDChild Support Services Division

• To better clarify the term "caretaker" the term "parent" and "relative" were added to the reference.

MS 722-4      GOOD CAUSE FOR JOB QUIT OR REFUSAL OF WORK

• Clarified the responsibilities of the Work Services case manager and the caseworker when looking for and applying good cause for a job quit for work refusal to a case.

MS 730-2      EXEMPTIONS FROM WORK ACTIVITIES

• Clarified the responsibilities of the Work Services case manager and the caseworker when looking for and applying exemptions to a case.

MS 731-2      NOTIFICATION AND SCREENING

• Changed form references from CSSD 1603aChild Support Information Form to GEN 53Child Support Information Form.
• Clarified the responsibilities of the Work Services case manager and the caseworker when reviewing good cause due to domestic violence.
• Corrected reference to forms CSSD 1603aChild Support Information Form and CSSD 04-0502Affidavit and Request for Nondisclosure of Identifying Information.

MS 740-2      PASSParents Achieving Self-Sufficiency II CHILD CARE

• Clarified PASSParents Achieving Self-Sufficiency II referrals should be made anytime a TATemporary Assistance case with earnings closes for any reason.
• Clarified PASSParents Achieving Self-Sufficiency II is administered statewide through grants and sub-grants to agencies who deliver services on behalf of the Child Care Program Office (CPPO).
• Clarified the W150 notice should direct the family to contact the PASSParents Achieving Self-Sufficiency II Child Care Assistance Office (CCAO) in their community rather than the main Child Care Program/Licensing Offices.
• Clarified caseworkers should send a copy of W150PASS II Child Care Referral notice to the same local PASSParents Achieving Self-Sufficiency II CCAOChild Care Assistance Office.

MS 758-8      OCSOffice of Children's Services RELIEF SUPPORT PROGRAM

• Added a subsection explaining OCSOffice of Children's Services Emergency Relief Support Program.
• Renumbered subsections.

MS 780-19      SHELTER ALLOWANCE

• Changed "manual section" to "ATAP MS."

MS 780-19 K      SHELTER COST VERIFICATION EXAMPLES

• Changed name of section title to better align with section content.
• Clarified that shelter expenses should be verified when questionable.

MS 780-19 L      CODING SHELTER/UTILITY EXPENSES WHEN ONE OF TWO PARENTS ARE RECEIVING APAAdult Public Assistance

• Added subsection clarifying how shelter/utility expenses should be coded when one of two parents in the household are receiving APAAdult Public Assistance.

MS 790-3 C      CHANGE RESULTS IN INELIGIBILITY

• Clarified PASSParents Achieving Self-Sufficiency II referral should be made anytime a TATemporary Assistance case with earnings closes for any reason.

MS 792-3      OVERPAYMENTS

• Added to the note that the Claims Unit will request the TLIPTime Limit Information / Previous Aid counter update when a full month of benefits has been overpaid.

ADDENDUM 1      EXEMPT ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGES

• Updated "Exempt Alaska Native Villages" listing based on 2010 census data and a labor market survey conducted by Department of Labor (DOL) in 2019.

ADDENDUM 2      TA INCOME AND PROGRAM STANDARDS

• Updated the heating and non-heating utility standards for FFY 2020.

ADDENDUM 3      CRITERIA FOR ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGE EXEMPTION FROM THE 60-MONTH TIME LIMIT

• Updated "Exempt Alaska Native Villages" listing based on 2010 census data and labor market survey conducted by DOLDepartment of Labor and Workforce Development in 2019.