SR 05-32 Dated 10/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases the 2005 annual Food Stamp Program October updates to:

·   the maximum benefit allotments;

·   the gross and net income limits;

·   the standard utility allowances (SUAs); and

·   certain income deductions.

Form 215, Reporting Requirements Handout, and the Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Poster were revised accordingly.

Additionally, this SR releases a technical correction regarding subsidized housing, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and eligibility for the full SUA.

POLICY

Benefit Allotments and Gross and Net Income Limits

Benefit allotment amounts and gross and net income limits for all group sizes are part of the annual October Food Stamp Program update and will increase as noted below, effective October 1, 2005.

1Gross and net income limits do not apply to categorically eligible households (all members receive SSI or are eligible for or receive PA).

For reference purposes, District Offices were sent an electronic copy of the Basis of Issuance Tables provided by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) via Director’s Memo dated September 6, 2005. District Offices were instructed to detach the tables into a shared drive to ensure access to the documents for all District Office staff.

Standard Utility Allowances

Effective October 1, 2005, the Standard Utility Allowances are as follows:

Income Deductions

Effective October 1, 2005, the Standard Deduction is as follows:

In addition:

·   the Excess Shelter Expense Deduction increased from $388 to $400;

·   the Homeless Shelter Allowance remained unchanged at $143;

·   the Medical Deduction remained unchanged at $83; and

·   the Dependent Care Deduction remained unchanged at $200 for a child under two and $175 for a child two or older.

Extended Food Stamp Benefits

Extended Food Stamp (EFS) benefit allotments will be revised to incorporate the increased food stamp benefit allotment figures and federal deductions effective 10/1/05. See SR 05-08, effective 7/1/05, for additional information on EFS benefits.

RELATED TECHNICAL CORRECTION

SR 04-27, effective 10/1/04, released a rewrite of FSM 603.09, Other Allowable Deductions: Utility Standards. When the page was revised, the term, "unless living in subsidized housing," was inadvertently deleted from text allowing the full SUA to individuals who intend to apply for, have applied for, are current recipients of, or who received LIHEAP in the last 12 months. This phrase has been replaced and the words "with heat included," have been added to further clarify policy.

The text related to the LIHEAP provision at FSM 603.09, Other Allowable Deductions: Utility Standards, will now read as follows:

Allow the heat and utilities SUA for households that:

·   unless living in subsidized housing with heat included, intend to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), have applied for LIHEAP, are current recipients of LIHEAP, or have been recipients of LIHEAP in the previous 12 months.

Individuals living in subsidized housing with all heating costs included in their rent are not allowed the heat and utilities SUA.

NEW HEIGHTS CHANGES

The following updates were programmed into New HEIGHTS in September to calculate food stamp eligibility and benefits for the October 1, 2005 issuance:

·   the maximum allotment amounts;

·   the gross and net income limits for all group sizes;

·   the updated standard utility allowances; and

·   certain income deductions.

Previously, these updates were programmed during the middle of September, which did not allow the system enough time to issue correct benefits for the first October issuance. Entering the updates in New HEIGHTS earlier in the month allows the system to build correct budgets beginning with the October 1, 2005 issuance and additionally allows workers to act on cases that went into exception prior to the October 1, 2005 issuance. The 2005 October Food Stamp Mass Change Schedule ran as follows:

In addition, on September 14, 2005, New HEIGHTS conducted a clean-up run to capture cases from all offices that have not been previously confirmed with an October budget.

POST MASS CHANGE REPORTS

The reports described below were produced as a result of the October Mass Change. These reports became available in New HEIGHTS each subsequent working day after the mass change was run.

NMC600RA: Status After MC

This report lists all cases that were selected for the Mass Change, including cases that were successfully confirmed as shown on NMC540RA and those that were not confirmed (exceptions shown on NMC550RA). This report is sorted by District Office and contains the following information: D.O., Worker Name, Client Name, Case Number, and household size.

NMC600RB: Status Before MC

This report shows the pre-mass mass change status of cases that were selected for the Mass Change. It contains the following information: D.O., Worker Name, Client Name, Case Number, and Household Size.

NMC540RA: AG’s Affected by MC

This report lists all cases upon which the Mass Change ran successfully through confirmation. It contains the following information: D.O., Worker Name, Client Name, and Case Number.

NMC550RA: MC Exception

This report lists cases that were selected for the Mass Change, but were not confirmed due to some discrepancy in data. These cases require further District Office action. The report contains the following information: D.O., Worker Name, Client Name, Case Number, Reason for Exception, and Mass Change Type.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

PART 601, TABLE E   FOOD STAMP MAXIMUM MONTHLY INCOME LIMITS

PART 601, TABLE F   MAXIMUM FOOD STAMP ALLOTMENTS

PART 601, TABLE G   DETERMINING FOOD STAMP ALLOTMENTS

PART 601, TABLE I   FOOD STAMP DEDUCTIONS

Section 603.09    Other Allowable Deductions: Utility Standards

FORMS REVISIONS

Form 215, Reporting Requirements Handout, and the Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Poster have been updated to incorporate the current figures provided by FNS.

IMPLEMENTATION

All benefits issued for the months beginning with October 2005 will be calculated using the new figures.

Tables and Standards sections for benefits prior to October 1, 2005 need not be retained for reference for retroactive benefits because New HEIGHTS will hold them internally and automatically use them for calculating benefits for eligibility periods prior to October 1, 2005.

Effective October 1, 2005, destroy old versions of Form 215, Reporting Requirements Handout, and the Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Poster and replace them with current versions released in this SR. State Office will provide all District Offices with the Food Stamp posters and an initial supply of the Form 215 until the order from Graphic Services arrives. At that time, resume regular ordering procedures for Form 215.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

Households experiencing a change in food stamp benefits due to the mass change will receive a standard New HEIGHTS Notice of Decision (NOD). The following message will also appear in the "Explanations" section of the NOD:

On October 1, Federal and State changes increased income limits, the maximum amount of Food Stamps you can receive, and the amount of deductions you can claim. Your Food Stamp benefits, as shown in the old and new budget above, were adjusted to reflect these changes.

No additional client notification is planned.

TRAINING

No training is planned or needed.

FORMS 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.nh.gov/DHHS/DFA/LIBRARY, effective October 3, 2005.

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

DFA/DMS:JBV