Pilot program established pursuant to legislation, currently for Brockton TAO area only. Will respond to FS inquiries and process all RFA's that are mailed, faxed, or dropped off.

In an ongoing effort to expand access to food stamp benefits, USDA has clarified that more waivers of the in-office face-to-face interview should be given to applicants and recipients. An in-office face-to-face interview is an interview conducted at a TAO. AU Managers must inform applicants and recipients of their right to request a waiver of the in-office face-to-face interview. Applicants and recipients who have a hardship reason automatically qualify for a waiver of the in-office face-to-face interview below for the definition of hardship). AU Managers are encouraged to waive in-office face-to-face interviews whenever possible. Thus, all NPA FS AUs must be reviewed during the (re)application or recertification process to determine if a waiver of the in-office face-to-face interview is appropriate.

In our continuing effort to simplie Food Stamp Program rules and increase participation, the Department of Transitional Assistance is requiring certain NPA FS AUs with earned or unearned income (or a history of income within the past six months) to be on Universal Semiannual Reporting.

DTA issued revised FS application form with fewer questions, more simplified language. Check DTA website for the most current version of the paper application form.

Continued outreach efforts and simplification of food stamp program rules to reduce access barriers have resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of food stamp applications across the state. To process these applications timely, TAOs are encouraging and using the waiver of the face-to-face interview, see Field Operations Memo 2002-16.

In our continued effort to increase food stamp participation and reduce barriers to access, the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) have met over the past several months to identify obstacles DMR clients face in accessing food stamp benefits. A simplified process has been developed to remove those barriers and increase participation among this population.

The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program Office, within the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for administering the SAVE Program. The SAVE Program is used to verify a noncitizen’s immigration status by using the noncitizen’s alien registration number (“A” number). The noncitizen verification is provided primarily through the Verification Information System (VIS).

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is committed to improving access to programs and increasing the efficiency, quality and consistency of services. The Online Virtual Gateway to EOHHS programs and services is one way to achieve these goals. In August, consumers and service providers will have a new means by which they can conduct business with EOHHS. Although it is new and innovative, it will not change EOHHS programs or delivery.

Consistent with the Agency’s mission to serve all clients with dignity and respect, the Department of Transitional Assistance reviewed its procedures for processing TAFDC and FS applications, particularly applications from households with noncitizens.

Over the past several months, the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in partnership with the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) has tested a simplified application process for residents of licensed group homes. Given the success of this initiative, DTA is now expanding this streamlined process to FS applications from residents of group homes licensed by any state agency in the Commonwealth. DTA is currently working with DMR and DMH licensed group homes.

Throughout the past year, the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in partnership with the Department of Mental Health (DMH) has tested a simplified application process for DMH clients. Beginning in March 2004, the Fitchburg TAO began receiving and processing FS applications from DMH clients in Western Massachusetts. Given the success of this initiative, DTA is now expanding this streamlined process to FS applications from DMH clients statewide.

Recertification of Bay State CAP Assistance Units (AUs) will occur either when the Social Security Administration (SSA) redetermines eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or when the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) recertifies the AUs. It is expected that the majority of Bay State CAP AUs will be recertified for food assistance benefits as part of the SSI redetermination. However, some Bay State CAP AUs will not be redetermined for SSI within the three-year certification period for food assistance benefits. The final USDA approval for Bay State CAP allows DTA to recertify Bay State CAP AUs.

The Department is working on changes to the way food stamp applications are processed, particularly when the application is denied for failure to submit verifications. In certain situations, if the applicant submits outstanding mandatory verifications between Day 31 and Day 60, a second application is no longer required. The Department will process the original application in accordance with procedures described in this Field Operations Memo.

DTA instructions to workers on how to process FS applications including screening an applicant for expedited, when the applicant must be contacted for an interview, time frames for sending out the notice of an interview. Instructions also state that an SSN that is validated through the SVES system is considered verification of identity and no other verification must be required for expedited FS purposes.

The Department of Transitional Assistance and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) are strongly committed to providing eligible low income households with nutrition assistance through the Food Stamp Program. Department staff have increased participation in the Food Stamp Program while maintaining timeliness in case processing and also decreasing the error rate; a very remarkable achievement.

The purpose of this memo is to: describe the BEACON changes included with Increment 2.1.20 that affect Reevaluation Type; and stress the importance of making sure the correct information has been entered into BEACON so the system will select the correct Reevaluation Type and send the AU the appropriate notice and recertification form, if any.

The purpose of this memo is to: address issues related to reverification of information that is considered permanently verified; and remind AU Managers that, once SSN and date of birth are verified, applicants /recipients must not be required to verify the item unless a change is entered in BEACON or the information is questionable.

DTA instructions to the Field eliminating the "blue form" additional application signature requirement.

This memo provides AU Manager instructions for sending the BEACON-generated Food Stamp Application Appointment Letters; sending the BEACON-generated Food Stamp Notice of Missed Interview; and scheduling an Appointment Interview after Day 30. State Letter 1323 transmits the regulatory changes related to the Food Stamp Notice of Missed Interview.

This memo describes changes in the layout and readability of the BEACON Generated Verification (VC-1) and informs AU Managers of related procedural changes. Advocacy note: Instead of paper verification checklists, FS applicants and recipients should be receiving in the mail a customized check list of verifications which should asks ONLY for the verifications specific to their case, should list a range of alternative verifications and should not ask for verifications already in the record or considered "permanent." Be sure to check the accuracy of verifications listed on this BEACON generated list.

This Field Ops memo instructs workers on a range of "negative errors" including erroneous denials and potential underpayments, using examples where workers should not have asked for verification already in a file or erroneously calculated benefits.  There are very important examples in this memo for advocacy work.

Effective November 29, 2007, people can apply for Food Stamps over the internet from anywhere in MA.

Instructs FS workers (aka AU managers) to give elder/disabled households 24 month certification periods, and all other households 12 month certification periods (with listed exceptions for expedited FS, transitional benefits (TBA), Bay State CAP. etc). For many households, this means less frequent reapplication forms, less frequent interviews, fewer trips to the DTA office. Households are still required to report changes (and provide relevant verifications) that affect benefit amount or eligibility, but they are not required to do a full case certification or interview.

DTA has issued a revised TWO page FS application form for seniors.  This FS application is designed for 
applicants age 60 or over who live alone, live with a spouse, or live with others but who purchase and 
prepare a majority of their food separately.  Effective June 9th, there is no longer any asset test for
most FS applicants -including seniors and persons with disabilities -  so the FS application does not 
include any questions about assets and applicants do not need to provide verification of bank accounts,
retirement accounts, etc (although are still asset questions for FS household is seeking "expedited" or
fast food stamps).  The application is also available from DTA in Spanish.  

To facilitate the recertification process for food stamp clients, the Department has revised the food stamp recertification notice and will now enclose a food stamp application form for the client to complete and return.  The inclusion of the application form will make it easier for the client to recertify, reduce the number of phone calls to the TAO related to the recertification and reduce the need for the application form to be mailed out by the TAO.  It is important to note that this change does not apply to pure SSI household recertifications.

Negative errors are errors that occur when the Department denies or closes a case incorrectly. In recent months the Department has seen a significant rise in the negative error rate. The purpose of this memo is to: remind case managers and supervisors of the policies and procedures that, when correctly followed, will ensure that no case is inappropriately denied or closed; and introduce the job aid, "SNAP Negative Errors and How to Avoid Them."

TAFDC and EAEDC AU Managers are reminded that, when denying a TAFDC or EAEDC application before the 30th day for missing two interviews, the FS application must remain pending and not be denied before the 30th day.

TBA Food Stamp assistance units are not required to report changes during the TBA period, but if they do report a change the case worker must enter it on BEACON. If the resulting Food Stamp benefit is less than or equal to what the recipient already receives, BEACON will continue to pay the current level of benefits and leave the household as TBA. If the result is an increase in Food Stamp benefits, BEACON treats the report of change as a request to recertify and increases the Food Stamp benefit and removes the household from TBA.

Social Security Number validation by the electronic SVES system is acceptable verification of identity for all DTA benefits programs. No benefits should be delayed for failure to verify identity if the SVES system can validate the social security number.

Case workers must assist with obtaining verifications, inform applicants and recipients of alternate verifications, and must not deny an application for failure to verify something that would result in an increase in benefits.

Explains procedures for processing new Food Stamp benefit amounts resulting from reported changes, specifically what case workers should do when increased benefits must be expedited.

While the landlord verificaiton and shared housing verification forms are the preferred form of verirication of housing expenses, case workers cannot limit applicants or recipients to one form of verificaiton and must accept alternate verifications.

Lists the various types of reporting requirements and mandates that case workers explain applicants' and recipients' individual reporting requirements to them.

From November, 2005 Transitions.

Reminder to case workers that verifications are not limited to any one type of document.

An FYI to DTA staff on expired immigration documents, explaining that an expired document does NOT mean expired immigration status!!

AU Managers must remember to help applicants and clients obtain required verifications, if they are unable to obtain verifications for reasons beyond their control. AU Managers must also remember to allow additional time and to give additional help to applicants and clients who have identified themselves as having trouble providing verifications due to Domestic Violence (DV), if specific documentation, such as a birth record to prove relationship, is taking more time than normally required (10 days) or would put the applicant or client at risk.

Reminder to case workers that they are obligated to assist applicants and recipients with getting verifications that they have difficulty getting for reasons beyond their control, and to inform applicants and recipients of alternative forms of verification including self-declarations and collateral contacts.

Step-grandparent and TAFDC relationship requirement; proper way to close FS case for recipient moving out of state; reporting requirements for FS applicants with pending UI claims.

SSN matches; no need for SS card for verification.

Verification procedures for victims of Hurricane Katrina; Voluntary Authorization to Release Information (Collateral contact) forms; program requirements to apply for UI.

FS and TAFDC eligibility for LPR children and adults in country less than 5 years; when verification of citizenship is and is not required.

Learnfare sanctions and effect on Food Stamps; effect of NAP receipt on FS.

Treatment of tax refunds and EIC for TAFDC and FS; FS reporting requirements for work-required homeless households.

Food Stamps transitional benefits allowance (TBA)-- what happens when TAFDC closed for not complying with work requirement; Food Stamps TBA for different TAFDC closing reasons; TBA FS for cases closed due to SSI;

Food Stamps: Verfiying shared shelter costs; no verifications needed for claim of purchasing and preparing food separately;

Department of Mental Health FS referrals

Food Stamp application procedures for dealing with mail-in and web applications with and without phone numbers listed, with and without reasons given for hardship waiver, and screening them for expedited FS.

Food Stamp program: treatment of child support payments for obligor's Food Stamp case;  verification of obligor's child support obligations; Food Stamp clients only need to verify household composition if questionable.

Food Stamp verification issues: no verifications needed if no changes reported at recertification and nothing questionable; procedure for requesting verification of increased rent and for zeroing expenses if not verifiied; alternate verifications for housing expenses and caseworker obligation to assist with obtaining (collateral contaact); birth certificates not required.

FS: Quality Control and most frequent errors; missing pay stubs; DTA must act on notification of changed circumstances within 10 days; CIP's; preventing shelter and utility deduction errors; medical expense deduction and family health insurance plan.

FS: recertification of NPA AU's associated with TAFDC AU's; UI compensation is counted gross for all programs; procedures for placing pregnant homeless teens who do or do not receive TAFDC.

Multilingual cards must be sent with every manual notice, inlcuding verification checklists; TAFDC: Family cap and deprivation factor; TAFDC: work requirement for parents of school-age children is based on mandatory school age not school attendance (note that while this reasoning still applies for figuring out which work requirement applies, it is no longer true that no work requirement applies to parents of children under 6).

All programs: treatment of irrevocable trusts; FS: eligibility of students over 18 who work during the summer; FS: verification  deadlines; DMA responsible for paying for transportation to medical appoinitments and methadone clinics; FS: effect of period of ineligibility  imposed by another state; FS: meal fees included in rent charge must be deducted for purposes of shelter deduction.

Cannot deny for failure to verify expenses for deduction purposes; cannot deny PA household for over-asset; cannot count both EAEDC and SSI income; cannot close Food Stamps for failure to verify something that is only required for TAFDC; if mail is returned with forwarding address must send letter to new address.

When a recipient cures a TAFDC sanction, Food Stamps must be ajusted to remove attributed income. Instructions on correctly anticipating income at certifications for Universal Semi-Annual Reporting households.

The new form does not ask the landlord to list all the household members or other questions irrelevant to receipt of benefits, but instead focuses on specific information needed for residence and shelter costs. It also advises the client of many alternative verifications instead of the form on the reverse side. This form will be issued more formally in the February Transitions, but is presently on-line with DTA forms. The "Shared living" form will be similarly revised.