STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health
Division of Public Assistance
TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: MC #85
MANUAL: Alaska Temporary Assistance Program
DATE: September 1, 2026
The Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP) heating and non-heating utility standards change effective October 2026.The Eligibility Information System (EIS) will automatically apply these new standards when determining eligibility and benefit amounts beginning October 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 710-4 NATIVE FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND ELIGIBILITY FOR ALASKA TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE
- Clarified that NFAP denials solely due to non-need household or reasons within the household's control do not make a household potentially eligible for ATAP.
- Identified and reallocated duplicative content regarding NFAP to DPA Case Processing Procedures, as this content already exists at Admin MS 116.
MS 711-6 THE HOME
- Clarified Shared Custody Situations are situations in which 2 parents share custody of a dependent child but do not live in the same home.
- Clarified Child Resides with Both Parents are situations in which 2 parents share custody of a dependent child in the same home.
- Provided verification examples.
MS 712-1 DEFINITION OF A CARETAKER RELATIVE
- Removed note stating a natural parent whose parental rights have been severed is a mandatory household member when a dependent child lives in the home of their legally adoptive parent.
MS 713 US CITIZENSHIP AND ELIGIBLE ALIEN STATUS
- Aligned to current federal and state regulations.
MS 713-2 QUALIFIED ALIENS
- Aligned to current federal regulations.
- Restructured; added Native Americans Born Outside the U.S. and COFA Migrants.
MS 713-3 NATIVE AMERICANS BORN OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
- To improve the readability of this manual, this section has been reallocated, and its content incorporated into the existing Qualified Aliens section at ATAP MS 713-2.
MS 713-4 FIVE-YEAR WAITING PERIOD
- Aligned to current federal and state regulations.
MS 713-5 NON-QUALIFIED ALIENS
- Marked COFA migrants as a non-immigrant exception; added reference to 713-2.
MS 713-7 TREATMENT OF AN INELIGIBLE ALIEN'S RESOURCES AND INCOME
- To improve the readability of this manual, this section has been reallocated, as its content already exists under the Ineligible Aliens section at ATAP MS 770-5.
MS 719-1 SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLANNING REQUIREMENTS
- Clarified that fathers in third trimester pregnant women cases and ineligible drug felons may voluntarily have an FSSP; ineligible aliens are no longer included.
MS 721 STRIKERS
- Reinstated section.
- Restructured as MS 721 and MS 721-1 for clarity; added examples.
MS 740-2 PASS II CHILD CARE
MS 750-2 INDIVIDUALS EXCLUDED FROM THE PAYMENT CALCULATION
- Aligned to current federal and state regulations.
MS 757-12 ENERGY ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS
- Changed header from Energy Assistance Payments to Energy and Utility Assistance Payments.
- Added that payments from the Water Assistance Program are exempt.
- Clarified Heating Assistance Program and Water Assistance Program payments may be made by the State of Alaska or a Tribe.
- Clarified exempt AHFC payments are only one-time or crisis assistance payments.
MS 758-8 OFFICE OF CHILDREN SERVICES (OCS) EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPORT PAYMENTS
MS 770-5 INELIGIBLE ALIENS
- Corrected Note to show that ineligible alien parent/caretakers should be coded PA (not DI).
- Clarified that a non-qualified alien parent/caretaker is allowed work incentive deductions.
MS 770-8 DEEMING INCOME AND RESOURCES
- Updated aliens not subject to sponsor-to-alien deeming due humanitarian exemptions per current federal regulations.
- Clarified separate resources wholly held by a stepparent are excluded; jointly owned resources subject to joint resource provisions.
MS 777-1 OFFICE OF CHILD SERVICES (OCS) EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPORT PAYMENTS
- To improve the readability of this manual, this section has been reallocated, and its content incorporated into the reinstated Unearned Income section at ATAP MS 758-8.
MS 777-3 CRISIS OR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
- To improve the readability of this manual, this section has been reallocated, as its content already exists under the Exempt Income sections at ATAP MS 757-12, MS 757-16, and MS 757-18.
MS 777-4 ENERGY ASSISTANCE
- To improve the readability of this manual, this section has been reallocated, as its content already exists under the Exempt Income section at ATAP MS 757-12.
MS 792-4 CLAIMS AGAINST SPONSORS AND SPONSORED ALIENS
- To improve the readability of this manual, section B has been reallocated, as its content already exists under ATAP MS 792-5.
ADDENDUM 1 EXEMPT ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGES
- Updated based on 2026 DOL employment survey results.
---Adjusted to exempt: Haines, Nikolai, Sand Point, Tazlina, Unalakleet.
---Adjusted to non-exempt: Diomede, Tanana.
- Consolidated duplicate communities.
- Updated instructions that exempt communities are shown with a PRESENT exemption and communities no longer exempt are end dated.
ADDENDUM 2 PROGRAM STANDARDS
- Updated heating and non-heating utility standards for FFY27.
ADDENDUM 5 COUNTABLE AND EXCLUDED INCOME FOR ATAP
- Combined Compensatory and Punitive payments; added additional MS.
- Added MS to Payee Arrangement and Per Diem.
- Split Refugee Cash Assistance (countable) and Refugee Resettlement Payments (exempt); added MS.