SR 16-09 Dated 05/16

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION – Division of Family Assistance (DFA)

FROM OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DFA:		Terry R. Smith
DFA SIGNATURE DATE:		May 24, 2016
AT (OFFICE):		Division of Family Assistance (DFA)
TO:		District Office Supervisors
SUBJECT:	Separation of Duties in Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card Issuance and Distribution
EFFECTIVE DATE:	May 30, 2016

SUMMARY

This SR releases a description of the current process for issuing and distributing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards associated with Food Stamp benefits and all categories of cash assistance benefits. To ensure the integrity of the programs, and to reduce or prevent fraud associated with the unauthorized creation or tampering of EBT cards, an organizational structure is in place which divides and separates the responsibilities for eligibility determinations and EBT card issuance and distribution among Family Services Specialists (FSS), Family Service Associates (FSA), and the Data Management Unit (DMU).

CURRENT PROCESS

NEW LOCATION FOR PROCESS

In accordance with federal law, the responsibilities of staff members involved in the determination of eligibility and EBT card issuance and distribution process are separated and divided as follows:

Family Services Specialists (FSS) and DCS Supervisors are responsible for determining:

· eligibility for DHHS assistance programs

using New HEIGHTS; and

· the amount of the cash assistance or Food

Stamp benefit, if eligible.

Family Services Associates (FSA) are responsible for issuing an EBT card through the ebtEDGE system for all recipients of cash assistance or Food Stamp benefits.

Data Management Unit (DMU) staff members are responsible for ensuring EBT card security. DMU receives every EBT card that is issued and distributes the EBT card to the intended recipient.

The division and separation of duties for staff who are involved in the determination of eligibility and EBT card issuance and distribution remains unchanged.

In response to an LBA audit finding, a new manual topic has been added to the Adult Assistance Manual (AAM), Family Assistance Manual (FAM), and Food Stamp Manual (FSM) to include the separation of duties policy.

POLICY

Pursuant to 7 CFR 272.4(c)(1) and 7 CFR 274.5(c)(1), existing policy relating to the process of benefit eligibility determination and EBT card issuance and distribution for cash assistance and Food Stamp benefits is as follows:

Family Services Specialists (FSS) and DCS Supervisors are responsible for determining:

· eligibility for DHHS assistance programs using New HEIGHTS; and

· the amount of the cash assistance or Food Stamp benefit, if eligible.

FSS and DCS Supervisors never have access to an EBT card.

Family Services Associates (FSA) have the ability to issue an EBT card through the ebtEDGE system for recipients of cash assistance or Food Stamp benefits. FSA do not have access to the eligibility determination process in New HEIGHTS nor the ability to determine benefit amount.

Data Management Unit (DMU) staff members are responsible for ensuring EBT card security. DMU receives every EBT card that is issued and distributes the EBT card to the intended recipient. DMU staff do not have access to the eligibility determination process in New HEIGHTS nor the ability to issue an EBT card through the ebtEDGE system.

It is imperative that these functions are performed by separate staff members to ensure program integrity, accountability, security, and compliance with federal law.

Please note that EBT cards must always be transported in a secure locked pouch, and received by the FSA at the District Office or by DMU at State Office. Each District Office must ensure 2 secure locked pouches are available for use when EBT cards are returned to State Office.

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

There are no system changes associated with this information release. New HEIGHTS controls access to the eligibility determination process and does not grant user access to FSA or DMU.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

New Adult Assistance Manual Topics

Section 705.05 Separation of Duties for EBT Card Issuance and Distribution

New Family Assistance Manual Topics

Section 707.07 Separation of Duties for EBT Card Issuance and Distribution

New Food Stamp Manual Topics

Section 707.07 Separation of Duties for EBT Card Issuance and Distribution

IMPLEMENTATION

The new pages in the AAM, FAM and FSM containing the existing policy described in this SR will be available June 27, 2016.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

No special client notification is planned or required, as the information contained in this SR is for agency staff use only.

TRAINING

No training is planned or needed.

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 DFA 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 www.dhhs.nh.gov/DFA/publications.htm, effective June 27, 2016. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Adult Assistance, Family Assistance, and Food Stamp Manuals.

DFA/AOC:s