STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health
Division of Public Assistance
TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: MC #83
MANUAL: Alaska Temporary Assistance Program
DATE: April 1, 2026
The self-employment annualization table has been updated on the changes in the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) for Alaska, effective April 1, 2026.
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 700-4 VERIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION
- Clarified that all countable income must be verified by the income source.
- Removed 700-4 A 3 and merged into 700-4 B Questionable Information due to duplicate information.
MS 701-1 WHAT IS THE 60-MONTH TIME LIMIT?
- Clarified that if a parent in the assistance unit reaches the 60-month time limit, the entire household becomes ineligible.
- Removed all references to Family Progress Reviews as these have become obsolete.
MS 701-3 DETERMINING EXEMPTIONS AND ALLOWING EXTENSIONS TO THE 60-MONTH LIMIT
- Clarified that Extension Staffing Reviews are held for all households at 58 months, at which time extension criteria are reviewed and documented regardless of outcome.
- Clarified that a case on extension may be closed for non-compliance.
- Revised language for clarity.
- Removed all references to Family Progress Reviews as these have become obsolete.
MS 701-5 COMPLIANCE WITH FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLAN WHILE ON EXTENSIONS
- Removed reference to Family Progress Reviews as these have become obsolete.
MS 701-6 FAMILY PROGRESS REVIEWS
- Updated section title to "Reserved" as Family Progress Reports have become obsolete.
MS 701-7 EXTENSION PROCEDURES
- Clarified case manager and caseworker responsibilities.
MS 701-8 WHEN A FAMILY WITH MORE THAN 57 MONTHS DOES NOT WANT AN EXTENSION
- Removed form number references.
- Revised section for clarity.
MS 701-9 WHEN A FAMILY APPLIES FOR ASSISTANCE AND HAS ALREADY USED 57 OR MORE MONTHS
- Changed references of Family Progress Review to Extension Staffing Review.
- Revised section for clarity.
MS 705 APPLICATION PROCESS
- Revises section on home visits regarding filing an application same day as DPADivision of Public Assistance contact for clarity.
MS 711-6 THE HOME
- Adding language to include both the current and next calendar month when determining the household composition.
MS 719-2 EMPLOYABILITY ASSESSMENT
- Revised section for clarity.
MS 722-1 SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT
- Clarified suitable employment does not include employed excluded by federal law, such as the cannabis industry.
MS 740-1 POST TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
- Reinstated section to clarify when a household is eligible for post Temporary Assistance (post-TA) case management, including supportive services.
MS 758-2 IN-KIND INCOME AND VENDOR PAYMENTS
- Renumbered list from numerical to alphabetical.
- Clarified in 758-2(d) that the shelter allowance for the direct vendor payment paid by the General Relief program that is counted as income is also an allowable deduction.
- Added 758-2(e) to clarify that income received for a direct vendor payment from an employer is countable income and the shelter deduction for the corresponding payment is allowable deduction.
MS 759-6 E BUDGETING SELF-EMPLOYMENT INCOME
- Updated self-employment annualization standards due to FPLFederal Poverty Limit changes effective April 1, 2026.
MS 770-6 MILITARY PAY
- Revised section for clarity to show that when income is countable, the corresponding shelter deduction is allowable.
MS 780-9 A WHEN A PROTECTIVE PAYEE MUST BE ESTABLISHED
- Added note that for guardianship/conservatorship to follow Admin MS 100-3I.
MS 780-9 F PROTECTIVE PAYEE PERIOD ENDS
- Added exception that guardianship/conservatorship ends with court order.
MS 780-19 SHELTER DEDUCTIONS
- Clarified that a homeless household must incur a shelter expense to claim a shelter deduction and that if they pay towards heating, a heating deduction may be claimed.
- Clarified that households receiving in-kind shelter payments included in the ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program budget are allowed the associated shelter deductions.
MS 791-3 ADEQUATE NOTICE
- Created list item a (Adequate notice means) and b (Only adequate notice is required in the following situations).
- Revised section to only include situations where adequate notice for ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program is required.
- Clarified some situations in which adequate notice is required and removed some situations in which timely notice is also required.
ADDENDUM 1 EXEMPT ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGES
- Updated to reflect that Point Hope is serviced by ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program for TANFTemporary Assistance to Needy Families.