STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER:   MC #36

MANUAL:  Alaska Temporary Assistance Program

DATE:  March 1, 2012

We are making several changes to clarify existing policy as a result of suggestions from the field.  We have also made changes to the self-employment annualization table based on changes in the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) for Alaska.

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 e-mail dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

• Adds a note to clarify a half-sibling living in the home who is not related to the adult in the home may not be included in the TA case.
• Adds a note to the bottom of the section to clarify that parents who are living outside a correctional facility serving a temporary commitment by use of electronic monitoring are not considered incarcerated and must be part of the assistance unit unless otherwise excluded.

• Adds a note to clarify a half-sibling living in the home who is not related to the adult in the home may not be included in the TA case.
• Adds a link to 711-6 for information about trial visits for OCS children.

• Clarifies that, during trial visits arranged by OCS, the child is considered to be in the home for TA purposes.

• Adds a link to the new section 713-4 E which clarifies when to add a person to the case at the end of their 5 year waiting period.
• Adds a new section and examples to demonstrate when benefits begin at the end of the 5 year waiting period.

• Adds a note to this section to explain if a job quit penalty should have been imposed at application but was not, the penalty must still be imposed but the household must now be treated as recipients and adverse action must be given.

• Updates the annualization chart in subsection 4 to reflect new federal poverty guidelines.

• In subsection A, clarifies the amount of money used from a joint account by a deployed individual is not countable income to the family.
• In subsection B 1, adds SAVE pay to list of excluded military income.
• In subsection B 1, Budgeting Combat Pay #1, clarifies only the amount of military pay provided to the household is countable income.

• Corrects SAVE pay to indicate it is not countable income.  This is considered combat pay.