STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: MC #78

MANUAL: Alaska Temporary Assistance Program

DATE: September 3, 2024

The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP) heating and non-heating utility standards change effective October 2024. The Eligibility Information System (EIS) will automatically apply these new standards when determining eligibility and benefit amounts beginning October 2024.

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

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

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

• Added a reference to Pandemic Emergency Assistance Funding (PEAF) and newly created NRSTNon-Recurrent Short-Term section.

MS 705-3 E         SCHEDULING INTERVIEWS

• Added request for services language back to the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program Manual.
• Updated the reference to X010, which is now titled "ATAP BENEFITS DENIED - MISSED INTERVIEW."

MS 705-4 B         INFORMATION FROM DATA SYSTEMS AND EIS INTERFACES

• Removed INMEEIS Inquiry Menu#9 for PFDPermanent Fund Dividend income from mandatory interfaces listed and replaced with IEVSInstant Eligibility Verification System.

MS 711-2             MANDATORY FILING UNIT (MFU): WHO MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE ASSISTANCE UNIT

• Revised the note to remove, "ALWAYS" language that was added in MC#66 regarding birth certificates/biological parents. In many instances, parental rights being terminated "trump" biology and old birth certificates are null and void after being updated.

MS 713                US CITIZENSHIP AND QUALIFIED ALIEN STATUS

• Added COFACompact of Free Association migrants as a group eligible for ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program benefits.

MS 713-5 B          NON-IMMIGRANTS

• Clarified that although a COFACompact of Free Association migrant is is exempt from the five-year waiting period, if their status changes to a qualified alien as outlined in MS 717-2, the five-year waiting period will apply unless they meet an exemption listed in MS 713-4 D.

MS 713-6 C          PROOF OF ELIGIBLE ALIEN STATUS

• Added reference to the Administration for Children & Families' Shepherd HHS Letter Verification website for verifying interim assistance letters and eligibility letters for the victims of trafficking (https://shepherd.otip.acf.hhs.gov/shepherdpublic/letterverification.)

MS 723-2             BEGINNING A PENALTY

• Updated the note to include information about work eligible families being considered optional for the purposes of receiving assistance during the period of retroactivity.

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

• Removed from unearned income section and added to new section for Non-Recurrent Short-Term Benefits (NRST). Changed subsection title to "Reserved".

MS 777                NON-RECURRENT SHORT-TERM BENEFITS

• Added new section for Non-Recurrent Short-Term Benefits (NRST).
• Included subsections for:
  • OCSOffice of Children's Services Emergency Relief Support (ERS) Program (removed from MS 758-8).
  • Victims of "EBTElectronic Benefit Transfer skimming" related fraud.
  • Energy Assistance related payments (LIHEAPLow Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHWAPLow Income Household Water Assistance Program) on behalf of low-income families.

MS 780-19 G       HOMELESS SHELTER DEDUCTION 

• Updated the homeless shelter deduction to $190 for FFYFederal Fiscal Year 2025. 

Addendum 1       EXEMPT ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGES

• Updated the exempt Alaska Native villages based on the 2024 DOLDepartment of Labor and Workforce Development employment survey results.

Addendum 2       ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program INCOME AND PAYMENT STANDARDS 

• Updated the heating and non-heating utility standards for FFYFederal Fiscal Year 2025.