SR 05-08 Dated 07/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases eligibility and benefit criteria for Extended Food Stamps (EFS) benefits, an initiative in which a fixed amount of Food Stamp benefits are provided for up to 5 months to certain families whose TANF cash assistance has ended.

Two New HEIGHTS-generated notices were created as a result:

·   Form CM0022, EFS Start Letter, generated when EFS is first opened; and

·   Form CM0023, EFS Ending Letter, generated at the end of the EFS period.

POLICY

Effective July 1, 2005, Extended Food Stamps (EFS) benefits will be provided to certain families whose TANF cash assistance has ended. EFS is a fixed amount of Food Stamp benefits that will be provided for up to 5 months after TANF cash assistance has closed.

EFS Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for EFS, at least one household member must be receiving Food Stamp benefits prior to TANF cash assistance closing. Eligible members in the Food Stamp assistance group at the time that TANF financial assistance ends, will be included in the EFS assistance group. EFS will only be provided to households with multiple TANF grants, after all the household’s TANF grants have ended.

Households are not eligible for EFS if TANF cash assistance closed due to, or in association with:

·   a sanction, being a fugitive felon, or IPV;

·   a transfer of assets or property to qualify for assistance;

·   receipt of a lump sum;

·   failure to cooperate with quality control or child support;

·   failure to provide verification required to determine eligibility;

·   failure to complete a recertification or attend a special review appointment;

·   not residing in New Hampshire;

·   a client requesting their case be closed unless the request is due to saving TANF months on the lifetime limit; or

·   a casehead leaving the household.

Determining the EFS Benefit Amount

The EFS benefit amount is determined by using the Food Stamp budget for the month that TANF cash was last issued, and deducting the TANF grant that the household is no longer receiving. The resulting net income is used to calculate the EFS benefit amount. Since New HEIGHTS will be using the prior month’s Food Stamp budget to calculate the EFS benefit amount, the change that caused the TANF cash assistance to close will not be used in the EFS benefit calculation.

"Freezing" the Extended Food Stamp Benefit

Once the EFS benefit has been determined, the benefit amount is locked in, or "frozen," for the duration of the EFS benefit period. During the EFS period, EFS benefits are not altered by information entered into New HEIGHTS for other assistance programs in which the household participates.

Exceptions: EFS benefit allotment amounts may change under the following circumstances:

·   federally mandated updates to Food Stamp Program allotments and deductions in October;

·   recoupment; and

·   when an individual leaves an EFS household and either reapplies for Food Stamp benefits on their own or is reported as applying for Food Stamps in another household.

Determining the EFS Benefit Period

The EFS benefit period begins the first month following the last month TANF financial assistance was received, and continues for 5 consecutive months unless, during the EFS period, the household:

·   reopens for TANF cash;

·   reapplies for regular Food Stamps; or

·   requests that EFS close.

End of EFS

Households must reapply for Food Stamps during the 5th month of EFS in order to redetermine ongoing eligibility for regular Food Stamps. The CM0023, EFS Ending Letter, is generated on the last business day of the 4th month of EFS to notify the household of application requirements. EFS automatically expires at the end of the EFS period if regular Food Stamps have not been confirmed open by the last day of the EFS period.

Changes During the EFS Period

If the household only receives EFS, and is not open for another assistance program, the household has no reporting requirements. If the household is open for other programs in addition to EFS, the household must continue to report all changes as required by those programs.

FSS are to continue to act on reported changes during the EFS period per current policy. Since EFS benefits are frozen and cannot be altered during the EFS period, any changes entered into the system for other programs will not impact the EFS allotment amount. If a household believes that changes in their circumstances would cause them to receive higher benefits, e.g. the household’s income was reduced or the household’s expenses or size increased, then the household must file a new application for Food Stamps. During month 5, if the household reapplies for regular Food Stamp benefits, all changes entered into the system during the EFS period will be recognized and used in the eligibility determination.

Work Program Requirements

There are no work registration requirements during the EFS period. New HEIGHTS will automatically exempt any individual who would normally be mandatory for the work program, for the duration of the EFS period.

FORMS REVISIONS

All forms have been attached to this SR for reference.

New HEIGHTS-generated CM0022, EFS Start Letter

The CM0022, EFS Start Letter, informs EFS recipients of eligibility for EFS, how the benefit was determined, who is eligible, and for how long. The CM0022 is generated when TANF cash assistance closes and the household is determined eligible for EFS.

New HEIGHTS-generated CM0023, EFS End Letter

The CM0023, EFS End Letter, informs EFS recipients that EFS is ending and that a new application is required to determine ongoing Food Stamp eligibility. This letter includes an 800R, Review for Continued Eligibility for Financial, Medical, and Food Stamp Benefits, and 811R, Your Rights and Responsibilities, along with a postage paid return envelope for the appropriate District Office. The CM0023 is generated on the last business day of the 4th month of EFS.

Form 757, How Your Benefits Will Change When You Go To Work, and Form 221, The New Hampshire Employment Program (NHEP)

Form 757, How Your Benefits Will Change When You Go To Work, and Form 221, The New Hampshire Employment Program (NHEP), have been revised to include a brief explanation about EFS. No certificate of destruction is included in this SR because current versions of these forms must be depleted before the new version will be printed.

NEW HEIGHTS CHANGES

Because EFS benefits are an extension of the Food Stamp program, New HEIGHTS will continue to designate cases that are open for EFS as open for Food Stamps with an additional "EFS" indicator to alert staff of the status of the household. The EFS indicators are check boxes that, if checked, indicate receipt of EFS. These check boxes have been added to multiple screens in New HEIGHTS, such as the "Inquiry" screens, the "SFU/EDBC" cascade, and the "Food Stamp budget" screens. Additionally, a new option has been added to the "DO Traffic Information" screen entitled "Extended FS Applying Reg. FS" which is to be used for individuals who are applying for regular Food Stamps while receiving EFS.

In general, no special actions are needed by the FSS to implement EFS. New HEIGHTS will automatically:

·   determine EFS based upon the TANF cash closing reasons;

·   monitor EFS by sending the CM0022, EFS Start Letter, when EFS is first determined;

·   issue supplemental Food Stamp benefits when the action to close TANF cash is taken within the first 4 days of a month and regular Food Stamps have already been issued for that month and the household would have been eligible for the higher EFS benefit;

·   determine eligibility for other programs without altering eligibility for EFS;

·   close EFS if a household returns to TANF;

·   send out the CM0023, EFS End Letter, with an 800R and 811R when the EFS period is ending;

·   send an alert to FSS when the CM0023 has been generated to the client;

·   notify FSS every time that SFU/EDBC is run during the last month of EFS with a pop-up, informing them that EFS will end at the end of the current month if the POA switch is not changed; and

·   terminate EFS if regular Food Stamps are not confirmed open by the end of the EFS period.

The "Food Stamp" tab on the Program of Assistance (POA) screen has also been altered to help FSS change the status of an EFS household in special circumstances. These New HEIGHTS additions are expected to be used rarely and only in the special circumstances outlined in the DO procedures section below:

·   The first addition on the "Food Stamp" tab in "POA" screen is a check box entitled, "Do Not Build EFS". The check box is used to end EFS and triggers New HEIGHTS to recalculate regular Food Stamps using current information.

·   An additional switch has been added on the individual level of the Food Stamp "Request for Assistance" screen entitled, "Include in EFS." This switch defaults to "yes" but can be manually switched to "no" to allow a single individual to be removed from the EFS assistance group when the individual applies for Food Stamps in another case.

DISTRICT OFFICE PROCEDURES

Application For Regular Food Stamps During the EFS Period

A household may apply for regular Food Stamp benefits at any time during the EFS period. FSS must first complete a manual budget with the EFS household using the "Manual Food Stamps Budget Calculator" located in New HEIGHTS to determine if the change would indeed increase the household’s Food Stamp benefits. If the last manual budget completed is over 10 days old, a new budget will need to be done prior to completing an application. Manual budgets can be completed over the phone or in person. All household information needs to be taken into consideration when completing a manual budget. All instructions given to a household should be documented in case comments.

If the manual budget indicates that:

·   EFS benefits are more than what regular Food Stamps would be, FSS are to encourage the household to continue with EFS for the remainder of the EFS period; or

·   regular Food Stamp benefits would be more than the EFS benefit, FSS are to instruct households to reapply for regular Food Stamps, if this is a phone conversation, or should move forward with the reapplication if the household is a walk-in.

Applications are done at the District Office on a walk-in basis. The effective date of the new Food Stamp benefit will be the first of the month following the month that the case is confirmed.

The following steps need to be taken in New HEIGHTS in order to determine regular Food Stamps after a manual budget has been completed. The information on the application is entered without the assistance of a driver flow in New HEIGHTS because Food Stamps are already considered open.

1. Check the "Do Not Build EFS" check box on the Food Stamp tab in the POA screen, and click "Save."

2. Evaluate all eligibility criteria and enter updated information on the pertinent screens.

3. Run eligibility and confirm case.

If an application is filed and the household withdraws the application prior to confirming regular Food Stamps, a manual NOD will need to be issued even if the "Do Not Build EFS" check box was unchecked. If the next EFS allotment is issued before regular Food Stamps are confirmed, a supplemental Food Stamp benefit may need to be issued for any difference in benefit amounts.

When EFS Ends

Households must reapply during the 5th month of EFS in order to recalculate ongoing eligibility for regular Food Stamps. New HEIGHTS will automatically track EFS months and send the CM0023, EFS End Letter, with an 800R and 811R on the last business day of the 4th month of EFS. New HEIGHTS will send the FSS the following alert at the time that the CM0023 is generated: "EFS Period Ending – FS Application is Due."

Each time the FSS runs the EFS case in on-going mode during the final month of EFS, the FSS will get a pop-up message on the "Case Eligibility Summary Results" screen reminding the worker that this case is in its final month of EFS and that the FSS will have to take action on the POA screen if the household is to continue to receive Food Stamps.

NOTE: This pop-up will not appear if the case redetermination month and the final EFS month are the same.

EFS and Redetermination Date Setting

No changes have been made to the redetermination date setting process, so with one exception New HEIGHTS will not reset an already established case redetermination date when EFS is open. Case redeterminations which fall within the EFS period will continue to be processed using the set procedures for all programs. EFS will not be redetermined at case redeterminations that occur during the EFS period. Accordingly, Food Stamp related text will be eliminated from the CS0001, Schedule Rede Interview Notice, and CS0005, Mail-In Application Notice. During a case redetermination, other programs may be initiated, confirmed, and possibly closed without changing the EFS benefit or EFS period.

Exception: If EFS is the only open case program at initiation of EFS or at any point during the EFS period, the confirmation process will automatically reset the case redetermination date to the last EFS month. For example, TANF cash closes due to increased earnings in August and the case opens EFS and 12 EMA beginning September 1st, making January the final month of EFS. Prior to TANF closing the case redetermination date had been scheduled for November. On October 22nd, EMA terminates because the only eligible child has left the household, leaving EFS as the only open case program. New HEIGHTS will automatically reset the case redetermination date to January, the final month of EFS.

EFS End Date and Case Redetermination Date Are Not In The Same Month

If the EFS end date and the case redetermination date are not in the same month, the following steps will need to be taken in order to redetermine ongoing Food Stamp eligibility during the 5th month of EFS. Note that once the household returns the 800R, the information from the application is entered into New HEIGHTS without the assistance of the New HEIGHTS driver flow because it is not considered a case redetermination:

1. Check the "Do Not Build EFS" check box on the Food Stamp tab in the POA screen and click "Continue."

2. Evaluate and save all eligibility criteria and enter updated information on the pertinent screens.

3. Run eligibility and confirm case.

Note: If the case redetermination date is in the month immediately following the EFS end date, the EFS ending letter will also include text stating that the end of EFS and the case redetermination are two separate procedures and that the household is required to complete both procedures by the specified due dates in order to determine ongoing eligibility for all requested assistance programs.

EFS End Date and Case Redetermination Date Are In The Same Month

If the EFS end date and the case redetermination date are in the same month, the EFS ending letter will not be sent. Instead, the regular redetermination letter will be generated and current redetermination procedures are followed. There is no need to check the "Do Not Build EFS" check box to end EFS in this circumstance.

If the redetermination is completed by the end of the 4th month and:

1. The new Food Stamp benefit is higher than the EFS benefit, EFS will automatically stop at the end of the 4th month and regular Food Stamps will start immediately.

2. The new Food Stamp benefit is less than the EFS benefit, EFS will continue until the end of the EFS period and automatically switch to regular Food Stamps at the end of the EFS period.

3. The household is no longer eligible for regular Food Stamps, EFS will continue until the end of the EFS period and then close.

NOTE: To permit the above to occur, a new New HEIGHTS edit will prevent redeterminations scheduled in the last month of EFS to be initiated earlier that the 22nd of the prior month.

Individual Leaving Household

When an individual leaves an EFS household, FSS are to continue to follow the same procedures that they now take in New HEIGHTS. FSS will:

·   change the "living arrangement" of the individual to "Out of Home-Perm," and click "Save;"

·   run eligibility and confirm the case; and

·   delete the individual on the "Demographics" screen.

NOTE: When the FSS attempts to delete the individual on the "Demographics" screen, a pop-up message will indicate that the individual cannot be deleted because they are still included in an open assistance group. This message will act as an alert for FSS that the case is EFS and they can close out of the case at that point and take no further action. When EFS ends and regular Food Stamps are determined at the end of the EFS period, New HEIGHTS will automatically take that person out of the Food Stamp assistance group.

Reopening TANF Cash

If a household returns to TANF at any time during the EFS period, New HEIGHTS has been programmed to close EFS, with no advance notice period, and reevaluate eligibility for regular Food Stamps using the most current information entered into New HEIGHTS. If the household is determined eligible, regular Food Stamps will begin the month after TANF is confirmed open. The following is an example:

Automatic Supplementals

If TANF cash closes during the first four days of a month, New HEIGHTS end-dates TANF cash as of the end of the previous month. However, New HEIGHTS would have already issued regular Food Stamps for the first month in which households are now eligible for EFS. In this scenario, New HEIGHTS has been programmed to issue a supplemental Food Stamp benefit for the initial month to cases where the EFS benefit is greater than the already issued regular Food Stamp benefit. In the following example New HEIGHTS will automatically issue a supplemental Food Stamp benefit:

EFS Individual Applies For Food Stamps On Their Own

If an individual who has left an EFS household either reapplies for Food Stamps on their own or is reported as a member in another household during the EFS period, the FSS handling the EFS case will take the following additional steps to totally remove the individual from the EFS household:

·   Go to the POA screen and select the "Request Assistance Details" tab for the Food Stamp Program.

·   At the Individual level, set the "Include in EFS" switch to "No" and save. The system will automatically set the Individual Level POA request to "No."

·   Select a Reason and click save.

·   Run eligibility and confirm the case. The participation status of the individual will now be "Excluded."

·   If desired, the individual may be deleted from "Demographics" at this time.

Note: The Food Stamp budget will now reflect the removal of the individual’s needs, income, resources, and expenses. As result of these actions, the EFS benefit of the original household may increase, decrease, remain the same, or close.

All other changes that have been entered into New HEIGHTS since EFS was initially determined will not be recalculated at this time. New HEIGHTS will generate a NOD to the original EFS household explaining any changes in the EFS benefit amount.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

PART 249   EXTENDED FOOD STAMPS

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

Section 145.04   Special Reporting Requirements

PART 159   CHANGES DURING THE EXTENDED FOOD STAMP PERIOD

PART 249   EXTENDED FOOD STAMPS (EFS)

Section 249.01   Who Is Eligible For Extended Food Stamp (EFS)

Section 249.03   Who Is Not Eligible For Extended Food Stamps (EFS)

Section 249.05   Determining The Extended Food Stamp (EFS) Benefit Allotment

Section 249.07   Extended Food Stamp (EFS) Periods

Section 249.09   Extended Food Stamp (EFS) Work Requirements

Section 249.11   Changes During The Extended Food Stamp (EFS) Period

Section 249.13   Terminating Extended Food Stamps (EFS)

IMPLEMENTATION

Extended Food Stamp benefits program will be provided to eligible individuals beginning July 1, 2005.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

A public hearing was held regarding EFS on May 24, 2005.

No additional client notification is planned. The CM0022 will be sent to clients when eligibility is first determined for EFS, as described in the Forms section of the SR.

TRAINING

EFS was discussed at the Supervisor’s meeting on March 18, 2005 and May 26, 2005. A remote training was held on June 16, 2005 for District Office supervisors. There will also be a remote training for District Office FSS on June 27, 2005. In addition, EFS will be a topic of discussion at a Question and Answer session scheduled for July 21, 2005.

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line manuals.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for Division of Family Assistance policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DFA/LIBRARY, effective July 1, 2005.

This SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all hard copy holders of the Family Assistance and Food Stamp manuals.

DFA/JLH:s