SR 02-24 Dated 10/02

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR expands the mail-in redetermination process and waives the personal interview requirement at redetermination for:

·   adult category In and Out cases with or without food stamps; and

·   Family Assistance Program (FAP) financial and medical assistance cases with no parent/caretaker relative included in which all child(ren) are under age 16 and do not receive food stamps.

In addition, this SR releases:

·   revised Form 800R, Review for Continued Eligibility for Financial, Medical, and Food Stamp Benefits, (formerly known as Application for Redetermining Eligibility for Assistance) and its instructions; and

·   new Form 800RSP, Supplement to Form 800R, and its instructions.

Form 800C(Adult), Cover Letter for Mail-in Redetermination, has been obsoleted.

Technical corrections have been made to Adult and Family Assistance Manual CHAPTERS 100 to fix oversights that occurred when SR 01-29 and SR 02-07 were released. See TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO AAM AND FAM CHAPTERS 100.

POLICY

The mail-in redetermination policy revisions noted in this SR will be phased in effective October 1, 2002, and apply to any new redeterminations that are scheduled on or after October 1, 2002. Ongoing cases will be converted to the revised policy when their current redetermination period expires.

Adult category In and Out cases with or without food stamps and FAP child only cases with all children under age 16 who do not receive food stamps which are in a current redetermination cycle for a face-to-face interview will continue with that cycle until the next redetermination date is set. Since New HEIGHTS will automatically set the redetermination type as "mail-in" for the next scheduled redetermination for these In and Out and FAP cases, District Offices are not required to take any special action to reset the redetermination type for ongoing cases.

EXAMPLE

An adult category In and Out case has a 6-month redetermination cycle from April 25, 2002, to October 25, 2002. A face-to-face interview is required for the October redetermination, as it was scheduled prior to October 1st. After that face-to-face redetermination interview occurs and eligibility is confirmed, New HEIGHTS will set the next redetermination date to April 25, 2003, and the redetermination type to "mail-in." On the 1st Wednesday of March 2003, the case will be selected for a mail-in redetermination, and the DHHS mailroom will send the appropriate forms and return envelopes to the client.

Mailing Procedures for Adult Category In and Out and FAP Mail in Redeterminations

Since mailing procedures differ for In and Out mail-in redeterminations and for FAP mail-in redeterminations, they are outlined below.

Face-to-Face Interview Required for FAP Financial and/or Medical Assistance Cases for Child Only Cases with Children Age 16 or Older

Face-to-face interviews are required for FAP financial and/or medical assistance child only cases when at least one child in the assistance group is age 16 or older. A face-to-face interview is required so that the District Office can use the opportunity to inform the parent/caretaker relative of the availability of NHEP services and other services appropriate for the child.

TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO AAM AND FAM CHAPTERS 100

Due to an oversight during the release of SR 02-07, dated 7/1/02, FAM Section 109.07, Reuse of Forms 800, 800H and 800P After Denial, FAM Section 161.07, Termination at Redetermination/Recertification, and AAM Section 109.09, Reuse of Forms 800, 800H and 800Q After Denial, were not updated to include Form 800HP. The titles and text in these sections have been revised accordingly.

A technical correction has been made to Family Assistance Manual PART 161, REDETERMINATION/RECERTIFICATION, to fix an oversight that occurred when SR 01-29 was released. SR 01-29 specified that 12-month redetermination periods applied to cases with no parent/caretaker relative included in which no case member receives food stamps. FAM PART 161 released by SR 01-29 neglected to include the "no parent" phrase. The text now reflects policy released by SR 01-29.

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

Section 109.07 Reuse of Forms 800, 800H, 800HP, and 800P After Denial or Closing

PART 161 REDETERMINATION/RECERTIFICATION

Section 161.01 Timely Notice

Section 161.05 Processing Redeterminations/Recertifications

Section 161.07 Termination at Redetermination/Recertification

Revised Adult Assistance Manual Topics

Section 109.09 Reuse of Forms 800, 800H, 800HP, or 800Q After Denial or Closing

PART 121 INTERVIEWS

Section 155.01 Timely Notice

Section 155.03 Termination at Redetermination

Section 155.05 Required Verification for Redetermination

FORMS

Form 800R, Review for Continued Eligibility for Financial, Medical, and Food Stamp Benefits

Form 800R, Review for Continued Eligibility for Financial, Medical, and Food Stamp Benefits, (formerly known as Application for Redetermining Eligibility for Assistance) has been revised and reformatted for ease of client use and understanding. Form 800R is now printed on one sheet of 8 ½" by 17" blue paper, and contains a tear-off sheet for the client to retain. The blue color makes it easy for mailroom staff and District Offices to identify as a redetermination form.

Additional changes to the form include the:

·   use of simplified language;

·   addition of an explanatory cover letter; and

·   addition of a "check-off list for required proofs page."

Existing copies of Form 800R must be recycled or destroyed upon receipt of the revised versions.

Obsoleted Form 800C, Cover Letter for Form 800R (Adult)

Since revised Form 800R contains a cover letter, Form 800C(Adult), has been obsoleted. Existing copies of Form 800C must be recycled or destroyed. The forms instructions for Form 800R have been revised to delete references to Form 800C.

New Form 800RSP, Supplement to Form 800R

New Form 800RSP, Supplement to Form 800R, is an eye-catching pictorial form that emphasizes the need for clients to return copies of documentation to District Offices with Form 800R. The mailroom will stuff Form 800RSP with Form 800R when mail-in redeterminations are sent out.

IMPLEMENTATION

The mail-in redetermination policy revisions noted in this SR will be phased in effective October 1, 2002, and apply to any new redeterminations that are scheduled on or after October 1, 2002. Ongoing cases will be converted to the revised policy when their current redetermination period expires.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

District offices will notify clients of the revised policy on an as needed basis.

TRAINING

No training is planned due to the procedural nature of this SR.

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 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.state.nh.us/DHHS/DFA/LIBRARY/Manual/A1.htm, effective October 1, 2002.

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

DFA/SJC:s

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CERTIFICATE OF DESTRUCTION

I certify that all copies of Form 800C, dated 11/00, SR 00-51, and Form 800R, dated 12/98, SR 98-51 have been recycled or destroyed.

Office Manager:     District Office:     

Return this certificate to DHHS Stock Control, 6 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301, after the instructions in the SR have been carried out.