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 701-1D 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 TLIP counter update when a full month of benefits has been overpaid.
Added to the "repaid benefits" note that the Claims Unit will request the TLIP 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 ATAP manual rather than the DPA Administrative Procedures Manual.
Added subsection incorporating information removed from the DPA Administrative Procedures Manual.
MS 712-3 PARENTAL RELATIONSHIP
Replaced the term "alleged" with CSSD term "putative" for consistency throughout the chapter.
Changed form references from CSSD 1603a 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 CSSD.
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 DPA 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 1603a to GEN 53 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 DPA.
MS 717-4 FAILURE TO COOPERATE WITH CSSD
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 or 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 1603a to GEN 53.
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 1603a and CSSD 04-0502.
Clarified PASS II referrals should be made anytime a TA case with earnings closes for any reason.
Clarified PASS 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 PASS 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 W150 notice to the same local PASS II CCAO.
MS 758-8 OCS RELIEF SUPPORT PROGRAM
Added a subsection explaining OCS Emergency Relief Support Program.
Renumbered subsections.
MS 780-19 SHELTER ALLOWANCE
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 APA
Added subsection clarifying how shelter/utility expenses should be coded when one of two parents in the household are receiving APA.
MS 790-3(C) CHANGE RESULTS IN INELIGIBILITY
MS 792-3 OVERPAYMENTS
Added to the note that the Claims Unit will request the TLIP 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 DOL in 2019.