SR 12-25 Dated 09/12

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases the 2012 annual Food Stamp (FS) Program updates to:

�   the maximum benefit allotments;

�   the gross and net income limits;

�   the standard utility allowances (SUAs);

�   the resource limit for FS households with a disabled member or household member age 60 or older (target population); and

�   certain income deductions.

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

This SR also releases an unrelated policy clarification associated with the Financial Assistance to Needy Families (FANF) shelter allowance. For both the FANF Standard of Need (SON) and FANF payment standard, the shelter allowance component consists of actual shelter costs if incurred, up to the maximum specified shelter allowance. This has always been the policy, but text clarifying it was inadvertently omitted during past revisions to certain policy topics in the Family Assistance Manual. The impacted policy pages have now been corrected.

POLICY

Benefit Allotments and Gross and Net Income Limits

Food Stamp (FS) Program benefit allotment amounts remain unchanged from last year. There have been no changes in the maximum benefit allotment amounts since October 2009 because the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) increased the maximum benefit allotment amounts by approximately 13.6%. Due to this large ARRA increase in 2009, maximum benefit allotment amounts have since remain unchanged.

Gross and net income limits for all group sizes have been updated as noted below, effective October 1, 2012.

1Gross income limits do not apply to the elderly and disabled Target Population.

Target Population Resource Limit

The resource limit for FS households with a disabled member or household member age 60 or older (target population) is $3,250.

The resource limit for non-target FS households remains the same at $2,000.

Standard Utility Allowances

Effective October 1, 2012, the Standard Utility Allowances are as follows:

Income Deductions

Effective October 1, 2012, the Standard Deduction is as follows:

�   the Excess Shelter Expense Deduction increased from $459 to $469;

�   the Homeless Shelter Allowance remains unchanged at $143; and

�   the Medical Deduction remains unchanged at $83.

Extended Food Stamp Benefits

Extended Food Stamp (EFS) benefit allotments will be updated to reflect the current Food Stamp federal deductions effective 10/1/12. Refer to Food Stamp Manual PART 249, EXTENDED FOOD STAMPS (EFS), for more information on EFS benefits.

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

The following updates were programmed into New HEIGHTS to calculate FS eligibility and benefits for the October 1, 2012 issuance:

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

�   the updated standard utility allowances, determined by NH;

�   the resource limit for target population FS households; and

�   the federally-determined income deductions that changed.

The 2012 October Food Stamp Mass Change Schedule will run as follows:

POST MASS CHANGE REPORTS

The reports below are produced as a result of the October Mass Change. These reports are available in New HEIGHTS each subsequent working day after the mass change is 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 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.

UNRELATED POLICY CLARIFICATION

For both the Financial Assistance to Needy Families (FANF) Standard of Need (SON) and FANF payment standard, the shelter allowance is always actual shelter costs if incurred, up to the maximum specified SON or payment standard-associated maximum shelter allowance. This has always been the policy, but text clarifying it was inadvertently omitted during past revisions to certain policy topics in the Family Assistance Manual. These manual topics have been corrected with the release of this SR.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

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

District Offices will be provided with an advance supply of DFA Form 215 and the new version of the poster, both dated 10/12, at the end of September. The Spanish and Bosnian translations of DFA Form 215 can be ordered from the DFA Policy Unit on an as needed basis. Old versions of DFA Form 215, DFA Form 215(Bo), DFA Form 215(Sp), and old versions of the posters must be recycled. A Certificate of Destruction is included in this SR. Place a reorder through the DHHS Warehouse/Logistics via the District Office's Quarterly Forms Order (QFO) when the supply of the new version of DFA Form 215 is low. DFA Form 215, and its Bosnian and Spanish translations, are also available externally on the DHHS website, and internally, for Department staff only, on the Lotus Notes Family Services Database.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

PART 403   RESOURCE LIMITS

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

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

PART 601, TABLE A  FANF Basic Maintenance Needs Allowance and Maximum Standard of Need

PART 601, TABLE A.1  FANF Shelter Allowance

PART 601, TABLE B  FANF Basic Maintenance Payment Allowance and Maximum Payment Standard

Glossary   S-words

IMPLEMENTATION

Policy released in this SR is effective October 1, 2012. An advance supply of DFA Form 215 and the new Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Poster, both dated 10/12, will be distributed to the District Offices at the end of September. The Spanish and Bosnian translations of DFA Form 215 can be ordered from the DFA Policy Unit on an as needed basis. Recycle all versions of DFA Form 215, DFA Form 215(Bo), DFA Form 215(Sp), and the Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Posters, which are not dated 10/12. When the advance supply of DFA Form 215 is low, resume regular ordering procedures through the DHHS Warehouse/Logistics via the District Office's QFO. DFA Form 215, and its Bosnian and Spanish translations, are also available externally on the DHHS website, and internally, for Department staff only, on the Lotus Notes Family Services Database.

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 LAWS CHANGED THE INCOME LIMITS AND THE AMOUNT OF DEDUCTIONS YOU CAN CLAIM. YOUR FOOD STAMP BENEFITS, AS SHOWN IN THE OLD AND NEW BUDGET BELOW, WERE ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THESE CHANGES.

No additional client notification is planned.

TRAINING

No 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 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 www.dhhs.nh.gov/DFA/publications.htm, effective October 1, 2012. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Food Stamp and Forms Manuals.

DFA/KD:s