SR 17-05 Dated 08/17

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

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

SUMMARY

This SR releases a new Internet-Only Food Stamp Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) and updates the Utilities-Only SUA to include internet service as a utility.

Additionally, this SR releases an unrelated policy regarding EBT Card issuance and status.

DFA Forms 800, 800R, 800R[EFS], 800V, and 808 were revised to incorporate the Internet-Only SUA, the change to the Utilities-Only SUA, and the policy regarding EBT Card Status. DFA Forms 800 and 800R were additionally revised to incorporate changes regarding the use of individuals Social Security Numbers (SSN) in anticipation of implementation of an asset verification system for applicants and recipients of medical assistance based on age, blindness or disability. Policy regarding the asset verification system will be released in a separate SR.

DFA Form 77G, How to Use Your NH EBT Card, is now obsolete. New EBT brochures are being ordered through the EBT Contractor. To order more EBT Brochures, contact DHHS: EBT Service Requests via email.

POLICY

Standard Utility Allowances

Effective August 25, 2017, the Standard Utility Allowances are as follows:

Note: The Internet-Only SUA will not be annually updated in October with the other SUAs.

Internet-Only SUA

The Internet-Only SUA is an allowable deduction for Food Stamp Households that are not eligible for the Heat SUA, the Utilities-Only SUA, or the Electric-Only SUA but incur costs for internet service separate and apart from rent or mortgage expenses. Internet service includes both residential (home) or mobile (cell phone) internet.

Utilities-Only SUA

Internet service is now a utility that counts towards the two utilities required for a Food Stamp household to receive the Utilities-Only SUA. Households that pay for a cellphone that includes both voice (i.e. telephone) and data (i.e. internet service) will receive the Utilities-Only SUA. Internet service only counts as one utility. A Food Stamp household that only incurs expenses for residential and mobile internet separate and apart from rent will receive the Internet-Only SUA not the Utilities-Only SUA.

Verifications of Deductions

Food Stamp households that pay for a cellphone that includes both voice (telephone) and data (internet service) may verify two utilities for the Utilities-only SUA with one phone bill. The bill must indicate both phone service (e.g. minutes, voice, etc.) and internet service (e.g. data, GB, gigabyte(s), MB, megabyte(s), etc.).

EBT Card Issuance

There are two different procedures for issuing an EBT Card, depending on the type of EBT Card issued:

Initial EBT Cards issue automatically when New HEIGHTS creates an EBT Account. EBT Accounts are deleted from the EBT EDGE system after there are 365 days of no activity on the account or 60 days after the last benefit ages off an account. Therefore, it is possible for a client to have an EBT Card that is no longer linked to an active EBT Account.

Replacement EBT Cards can only be issued directly out of the EBT EDGE system by support staff or EBT Customer Service. Replacement EBT Cards cannot be issued from New HEIGHTS.

EBT Card Status

The Adult Assistance, Family Assistance, and Food Stamp Manuals were revised to tell workers to check the EBT card status using EBT EDGE when a client is applying for Food Stamps or Cash Assistance. EBT Card status is documented in the “Agency Only” section on DFA Form 800, at the time the application is submitted. If the application is submitted online, EBT Card status is entered in the notes section in the client’s e-folder, by clicking on the pencil icon. If there is no active EBT Account, “none.” This means an initial EBT Card will issue when the first benefit issues and the EBT Account is created. If there is an active EBT Account, EBT EDGE will display one of the following card statuses:

Notify the client during the interview of the status of any EBT Cards and instructions on how to replace an EBT Card, if needed. If no EBT Account exists notify the client that an EBT Card will be issued at the same time the client opens for benefits.

NEW HEIGHTS & NH EASY SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

New HEIGHTS Screen Changes

The Utilities section of the Expenses/Utilities tab of the Screening Information screen has been updated with a checkbox for internet.

A question, “Does your household pay for internet?” was added to the Standard Utility Allowance Screen between the existing questions for electric and phone.

An internet option with a value of $50 was added to the utilities dropdown on the Deductions tab of the FS Manual Budget Calculator screen.

NH EASY Utilities Page Changes

“Internet (including mobile data)” was added to the list of utilities after the question “Do you or your household pay for two or more utilities?”

A Help Popup was added after the two utilities questions that when clicked displays:

Getting internet on your phone counts. If you have a phone bill that shows you pay for voice and data, you can give it to us to show you pay for two utilities.

A new question “Do you pay for internet only? (including mobile data)” was added between questions for electric and telephone.

Verification Checklist Letter Changes

The table row in AE0026 Verification Checklist for examples of utility expense verifications was changed to include internet bills and remove cancelled checks as acceptable verification of utility expenses.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

DFA Form 77G, How to Use Your NH EBT Card, is now obsolete. New EBT brochures are being ordered through the EBT contractor. To order more EBT brochures, contact DHHS: EBT Service Requests, via email.

DFA Form 768, Shared Shelter Arrangements, was revised to ask whether an applicant or recipient living in a shared shelter arrangement is responsible for a portion of the cost of internet service.

DFA Form 800, Application for Assistance, was revised as follows:

DFA Form 800R, Application for Continued Eligibility for Financial, Medical, Child Care, and Food Stamp Benefits, was revised as follows:

DFA Form 800R[EFS], Extended Food Stamp (EFS) Application for Continued Eligibility for Food Stamp Benefits ONLY, was revised as follows:

DFA Form 800V, Examples of Acceptable Proofs, was revised to include Internet including mobile data as a utility expense that must be verified.

DFA Form 808, Proof Needed to Determine Your Assistance, was revised to include internet including mobile data as a utility expense that must be verified.

The instructions for DFA Form 800 were revised to include:

The instructions for DFA Form 800R[EFS] were revised to include legal authority and a description of the workflow for the form.

The Spanish and Nepali versions of DFA Form 800, DFA Form 800V, and DFA Form 808 have been updated accordingly.

The current version of all forms identified in this SR will be used until the supply is exhausted, at which point the new version will be printed.

All forms identified in this SR except the new EBT brochures are available in the DHHS Warehouse and can be ordered using current forms reordering procedures, via the Quarterly Forms Order (QFO). The forms are also available electronically, for Department staff only, in the Family Services Folder on the N Drive. Translated forms may be printed from the Family Services Folder on the N Drive when needed, or, if a larger supply is required, contact the Supervisor of the Policy Development Unit. To order more EBT brochures contact DHHS: EBT Service Requests, via email.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

New Adult Assistance Manual Topics

Section 707.03                         Issuing or Replacing EBT Cards or PINs

Revised Adult Assistance Manual Topics

PART 707                                 REPLACING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS

New Family Assistance Manual Topics

Section 709.05                         Issuing or Replacing EBT Cards or PINS

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

Section 709.01                         What Benefits May Be Replaced

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

PART 601, TABLE I                  FOOD STAMP DEDUCTIONS

Section 603.09                         Other Allowable Deductions: Utility Standards

Section 603.11                         Verification of Deductions

PART 711                                 ISSUING OR REPLACING EBT CARDS OR PINS

IMPLEMENTATION

All policies in this SR are effective August 25, 2017.

All forms identified in this SR except the new EBT brochures are available in the DHHS Warehouse and can be ordered using current forms reordering procedures, via the Quarterly Forms Order (QFO). The forms are also available electronically, for Department staff only, in the Family Services Folder on the N Drive. Translated forms may be printed from the Family Services Folder on the N Drive when needed, or, if a larger supply is required, contact the Supervisor of the Policy Development Unit. To order more EBT brochures contact DHHS: EBT Service Requests, via email.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

Notification of the new Internet only SUA and the changes to the Utilities only SUA was published in the NH Rulemaking Register, Office of Legislative Services, on June 1, 2017. A public hearing on the Administrative Rule associated with this policy, He-W 742.02, was held on June 12, 2017.

The following announcement will appear at the top of the DHHS food stamp web page at https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dfa/foodstamps/index.htm from August 25, 2017 through October 1, 2017.

New Standard Utility Allowance

Do you get internet at home or on your phone? Internet is now considered a utility in determining Food Stamp benefits. If you pay for internet, you may be eligible for a new SUA that might increase your Food Stamp benefits. If you already pay for heat or two utilities, you will not be eligible for the new SUA. Ask your caseworker for more information.

The DHHS Food Stamp eligibility web page was updated to include internet (including mobile data) as a shelter cost that may be deducted from household income.

TRAINING

No special training is planned or needed.

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

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 October 2, 2017. 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, Food Stamps, and Forms Manuals.

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