SR 03-19 Dated 07/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

 

SIGNATURE DATE:

Division of Family Assistance June 2, 2003

Division for Children, Youth, and Families June 3, 2003

FROM:

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DFA Mary Anne Broshek

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DCYF Nancy L. Rollins

AT (OFFICE):

Division of Family Assistance

Division for Children, Youth, and Families

TO:

DFA Supervisors

NHEP Teams

SUBJECT:

Annual Cost of Living Increase for Child Care Steps 2 and 3

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2003

 

SUMMARY

This SR releases increases in the Step 2 (140% of federal poverty income guidelines) and Step 3 (190% of the federal poverty income guidelines) child care gross income limits.

 

POLICY

 

The gross income limits for child care eligibility at steps 2 and 3, effective July 1, 2003, are updated annually in July to reflect the current year’s poverty income guidelines. The increases noted below reflect the 2003 Federal Poverty Income Guidelines published in the Federal Register of February 7, 2003. Child care reimbursement rates remain unchanged.

 

Gross Income Limits for Step 2 - 140% of Poverty Level

Family Size

Monthly

Annually

2

$1,414

$16,968

3

1,781

21,372

4

2,147

25,764

5

2,513

30,156

6

2,880

34,560

7

3,246

38,952

8

3,612

43,344

For each additional person beyond 8, add:

 

$367

 

$4,404

 

Gross Income Limits for Step 3 - 190% of Poverty Level

Family Size

Monthly

Annually

2

$1,919

$23,028

3

2,417

29,004

4

2,914

34,968

5

3,411

40,932

6

3,908

46,896

7

4,405

52,860

8

4,902

58,824

For each additional person beyond 8, add:

$498

$5,976

 

NEW HEIGHTS PROCEDURES

 

New HEIGHTS and Bridges will recompute child care eligibility for open social service (SS) cases currently at step 3 whose income is less than or equal to the new step 2 income limits, as these cases will now qualify for a higher rate of reimbursement. Cases that qualify for the higher rate of reimbursement will receive a standard message identifying the individuals in the case that are now eligible for step 2 reimbursement. No other cases will be recomputed.

 

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

 

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

 

PART 935   GROSS MONTHLY INCOME LIMITS

 

IMPLEMENTATION

 

The changes identified in this SR will be implemented after the daily run of June 30, 2003 and before the daily run of July 1, 2003 for current cases, and will apply to any new cases processed on or after July 1, 2003. All normal output will be produced for this run.

 

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

 

Clients will be advised of the new child care income limits at applications or redeterminations on or after July 1, 2003.

 

TRAINING

 

No training is planned.

 

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 Manual, 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, effective July 1, 2003.

 

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

 

DFA/DM:dms