This Field Operations Memo informs TAO staff about a mailing to those clients currently enrolled in Job Search/Job Readiness activities provided by DCS,how to make referrals to DCS at the One-Stop Career Center for Non-ESP funded Job Search/Job Readiness activities effective January 2, 2009, and how to process current clients (including clients who are in extension cases) enrolled in Job Search/Job Readiness. Also attached is a memo from Deborah Harris of MLRI explaining the FOM.

Describes new DTA-funded training slots at some community colleges with job placement at the end of the training.

State Letter 1331, effective January 7, 2008, clarified several criteria used to determine exemption from work requirements in the Food Stamp Work Program (FS/WP) and the Food Stamp Employment and Training Program (FS/ET).  These clarifications affect people who are over 59 years of age, caretakers, and people who live with a household member under 18.  The purpose of this Field Operations Memo is to explain how to apply these criteria in determining exemption from food stamp work requirements.    These changes are effective immediately.

Obsoleted by FOM 2008-3A.

Field Operartions Memo 2008-3A was made obsolete by Field Operations Memo 2008-30, issued on June 30, 2008.

Attached is a Field Ops Memo on calculaing the maximum number of hours someone can be required to do community service (dividing the grant plus food stamps by 
the $8 minimum wage), updated to take the increase in the MA minimum wage into account. The memo fails to state that child support assigned to 
the state must be subtracted when calculating how much the recipient is receiving in TAFDC and food stamps for purposes of the FLSA calculation. The Memo 
says DTA can require recipients to do another activity in addition to or instead of community service if they cannot meet the full work requirement 
with community service because of the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

The attached Field Operations memo. FO 2008-6, descibes training programs being offered by Jewish Vocational Services in culinary arts, medical office training and customer service (that may lead to one of the other programs), that may be appropriate for some clients. Vocational ESL and ABE are included as necessary, along with case management. The medical office training requires a "clean criminal record," which is not defined. The training sites are in Boston, but the programs are available to recipients outside Boston who can commute to Boston.

Since February 2008, Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) has been offering TAFDC clients Customer Service, Culinary Arts and Careers in Medical Office training programs.   Effective immediately, no further referrals should be made to these programs because there are no more enrollment slots available. JVS will continue to provide follow-up services (as detailed in Field Operations Memo 2008-6) for clients who had previously enrolled in these programs.  JVS also continues to offer Job Search/Job Readiness programs through ORI.

The Division of Health Care Finance and Policy (DHCFP) issued new public per diem rates for Massachusetts licensed rest homes, effective January 1, 2008.  Additionally, DHCFP approved a special adjustment rate as additional funding for rest homes for December 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007.    As with every per diem rate change, AU Managers must recalculate the EAEDC benefit individually for each client living in the rest home, using the rest home’s new rate.

The 2008 Health and Human Services (HHS) Poverty Guidelines were published in the Federal Register on 1/23/2008.  The HHS Poverty Guideline is used to calculate the eligibility standards in the following programs:  TAFDC: Income from the Parent(s) of a Teen Parent Under Age 18 (200 percent of poverty guideline);EA Eligibility Standard (130 percent of poverty guideline); and Food Stamps: Gross Monthly Categorical Eligibility Income Standards (200 percent of poverty guideline).  

Field Operations Memo 2007-60 concerned the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program. This FOM expands the groups of clients to which this program is being marketed.

Currently when an EA family is terminated from a temporary emergency shelter, the AU Manager or Homeless Coordinator completes either the NFL-9 or the NFL-ST notice online.  These notices have been revised to allow the  AU Manager or Homeless Coordinator additional space to annotate detailed information (“who, what, where and when”) relating to the appropriate termination reason selected.  Refer to Field Operations Memo 2007-61 for further details.  In addition, a new notice has been created for terminations due to criminal activity.

Beacon has identified noncitizens who are eligible for Food Stamps by virtue of receiving EAEDC as disabled individuals but are not receiving Food Stamps. Outreach letters and Request for Assistance (RA-1) forms are automatically being sent to these individuals encouraging them to apply for Food Stamps.

In an effort to achieve our goal of increasing economic opportunities for our clients, the Department has developed a Vocational Specialist Program in our TAOs. The vocational specialists will help applicants and clients overcome barriers to employment by meeting with work program required applicants and clients to assess their service needs, barriers to employment and to provide coordination with community support services. The New Initiatives Memo entitled “TAFDC – Vocational Specialists in TAOs (Phase One)” dated January 31, 2008, introduced TAO Staff to the vocational specialist initiative. This memo informed TAO Staff about vocational specialists being placed in the Brockton, Dudley Square, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, New Bedford, North Shore, Revere and Springfield State TAOs. Beginning March 31, 2008 (on an incremental basis), the following TAOs will next receive their vocational specialist: Fitchburg and Framingham will each receive a full-time worker, while Greenfield, Milford, Southbridge, Taunton, Plymouth, North Adams, Pittsfield, Falmouth and Hyannis will each receive a part-time worker. TAO Staff will be notified of the specific arrival dates of the vocational specialists. This will complete the state-wide roll-out of vocational specialists in TAOs.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts has announced Medex premium rate changes for the following non-group plans: Basic, Bronze, Core, Core Plus, Gold, Silver, and Standard. These changes are effective on March 15, 2008. This memo: identifies the non-group plans that have changed and the corresponding rate changes; provides information on updates to Food Stamp benefits and the Medex premium amounts; and; gives information about the 2008 Medex Premium Rate Change Report.

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.

Field Operations Memo, and explanatory information from MLRI, concerning the new standard medical deduction in the Food Stamp program, which will increase Food Stamp benefits for many elderly and disabled recipients.

MA Department of Transitional Assistance's updated and enhanced interpreter services guidance to field offices (for oral interpretation). Also attached is explanatory memo from MLRI.

Federal economic stimulus payments received in 2008 are not countable as income for any of the 4 programs. For TAFDC, EA, and FS, the payments also are not countable as an asset in the month received or for two months afterwards. For EAEDC, they are not counted as an asset in the month received or one month afterwards. Anything held longer than these periods will be countable as an asset.

Approximately 9,000 SSI/ Food Stamp cases will be transferred to the Malden Centralized SSI Office. This will include Bay State Cap cases.

Identifies timelines for DTA Accommodation Team and Central Office Accommodation Appeal Committee responses to requests for accommodation and appeals of accommodation denials.

Obsoleted by FOM 2008-21A.

Field Operations Memo 2007-37 informed TAO staff about the automated Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Match process.  Centralized Eligibility Operations (CEO) Special Match Unit staff is responsible for reviewing the IRS information on the BEACON CEO-Special Match view and are the only ones with access to the view.  Case managers will not be aware of the match unless contacted by the client or notified by the Special Match Unit.  Case manager action is limited to:  assisting clients, upon their request, with providing verification(s) to the Special Match Unit; safeguarding confidential IRS Match information by not filing verifications in the case record or anywhere else at the TAO; and reopening a closed case when notified by the Special Match Unit that a verification(s) submitted after the case was closed is acceptable.

This Field Operations Memo explains changes to how AU Managers are to process client mail returned to the TAOs.  These revisions are designed to minimize confusion for clients, avoid unnecessary termination of benefits to clients residing in Massachusetts, and eliminate unnecessary work for AU Managers.  Since Food Stamp Transitional Benefits Alternative (TBA) and Universal Semiannual Reporting (USR) households have no reporting requirement with regard to change of address, the procedures outlined in this memo do not apply to TBA and USR cases. However, if mail for TBA or USR households is returned to the TAO with a forwarding address, the mail must be forwarded to the new address and the new address entered on BEACON.  This will ensure that subsequent mailings and recertification documents are received by the client.   This memo obsoletes Field Operations Memo 2007-57.

The Department is committed to safeguarding confidential information about an applicant or client (hereafter referred to as client) contained in both the physical case record and in BEACON.  TAO Staff must ensure that information about the client is never disclosed without his or her permission.   In situations in which a client discloses concerns about confidentiality of information, AU Managers must discuss the availability of the heightened level of security indicator in BEACON.  If after the discussion, the client wishes to avail himself or herself of this indicator, it is the Department’s responsibility to accommodate that request immediately.

In 2007, approximately 54,000 FS households received increased food stamp benefits and a $1.00 fuel assistance benefit as a result of the H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program. On April 24, 2008, approximately 46,000 FS households were selected for 2008 H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program benefits. Approximately 16,000 are newly eligible H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program households. For these households, May 2008 FS benefits will be recalculated using the Heating/Cooling SUA as anticipated recipients of the H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program. DHCD will enroll all households in the 2008 H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program and make $1.00 H-EAT fuel assistance benefits available.

In an effort to improve the nutritional status of working families and to increase the amount of services available to them, the Department has developed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNA) program. SNA is a work incentive benefit provided to families in receipt of Non-Public Assistance (NPA) food stamps who meet SNA program requirements. A benefit of $7.00 a month will be issued in addition to the regular food stamp benefits for each month the family meets the eligibility criteria of the SNA program, or until the SNA program is terminated (see 106 CMR 705.250).   Effective May 01, 2008 approximately 14,000 households will begin receiving the SNA benefit. BEACON will automatically issue SNA benefits retroactive to October 2007 for each month the household was actively receiving NPA food stamps and met SNA program requirements.

Due to recent federal legislation, Iraqi and Afghan noncitizens who have been granted special immigrant status are eligible for certain public assistance programs, including TAFDC and Food Stamps, for a limited time period. Afghan noncitizens with special immigrant status and their family members are eligible for benefits for up to six months. Iraqi noncitizens with special immigrant status and their family members are eligible for benefits for up to eight months. Once the six- or eight-month period ends, these individuals and their families are subject to the five-year bar on receipt of public assistance unless they qualify for benefits under another qualified noncitizen status.

In order to receive benefits, these noncitizens must meet all other eligibility requirements. 

The Department is further expanding categorical eligibility rules for Non-Public Assistance food stamp (NPA/FS) households. Effective June 9, 2008 there will no longer be an asset test for most NPA/FS households.    Clients will be relieved of the burden of providing asset information and verifications. TAO staff will no longer have to request and review asset verifications or explore asset-related matches. This change will have a positive impact on many vulnerable Massachusetts households, particularly households with elder and disabled members.  The State Letter transmitting the Maximized Categorical Eligibility policy is currently being finalized. 

There are about 2,000 EAEDC noncitizen elders who are not getting food stamps because of the federal 5-year bar. These elders can now qualify for food stamps if a doctor verifies that the individual has a severe mental or physical impairment that will last 12 months or result in death and prevents substantial gainful activity in light of the person's age, education, and work experience. Initially, DTA will give EAEDC elders the form at application, redetermination and other times when the person is in the office. Eventually, DTA will do outreach to these clients. Even if an elder is not scheduled for any contact with the local office, they can bring in the completed form (or fax it to the worker)and ask to apply for Food Stamps.

The purpose of this Field Operations Memo is to tell TAO staff about: • the new MassHealth card;
• the impact of the new MassHealth card on the Recipient Eligibility Verification System (REVS); and
• the mailing of and client use of the new MassHealth card.

Obsoleted by FOM 2008-30A.

Field Operations Memo 2008-30 provided TAO staff information related to the expansion of the existing DTA/FSS initiative to the Somerville and Framingham Public Housing Authorities. This Field Operations Memo adds the Brockton Housing Authority to the list of Housing Authorities offering the FSS Program to its tenants. This portion of the DTA/FSS initiative begins December 1, 2008 in Brockton. The existing DTA/FSS initiative continues in the Somerville and Framingham Public Housing Authorities.

The Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI) is the result of the decision in the Rosie D. et. al. v. Patrick lawsuit.  It is a joint collaboration between the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and MassHealth to implement the decision and to take additional steps to promote the behavioral health of MassHealth-enrolled children under the age of 21.  As part of the CBHI, MassHealth is improving its education and outreach to MassHealth members, providers, members of the public, and private and state agency staff who come into contact with MassHealth-enrolled children under the age of 21 about Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) services as well as other preventive care services provided through MassHealth.  This memo contains details about behavioral health screening services.

At the completion of a training on procedures to provide referrals to facilitate homeless child care assistance, DTA and EEC staff put together a document entitled, "Streamlining Access to Child Care for DTA Homeless Families Homeless Child Care Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)". The FAQs document provides ready access to DTA homeless child care eligibility information, EEC/CCR&R programmatic issues, EEC website links for resource information and homeless child care referral procedures. This memo instructs TAO staff on how to access the FAQs document.

This memo implements the ABAWD waiver and describes: • BEACON changes to the Work Requirements window; • data-fix and clean-up activities (pre-conversion, conversion and postconversion) • procedures for processing: ABAWDs (applicants and reapplicants) residing in waiver-approved areas; and ABAWDs who move into or out of a waiver-approved area. The memo also introduces a new job aid that will assist AU Managers to appropriately code ABAWDs on BEACON.

Obsoleted by FOM 2008-62.

The Department has certain obligations towards applicants and clients under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  Section 504 makes it illegal for public agencies receiving federal funds to discriminate against individuals with disabilities.  Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by states and government entities.  Generally, the Department must provide an individual equal opportunity to participate in or benefit from its programs.  The Department’s ADA regulations can be found at 106 CMR 701.390 for the cash assistance and Emergency Assistance programs, and 106 CMR 360.250 for the Food Stamp program.

This memo transmits procedures to be followed when new MassHealth cards are returned in the mail.

This Field Operations Memo provides revised procedures for referrals to the Regional Non-Profit (RNP) housing agencies. These procedures mirror procedures for referrals to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) detailed in Field Operations Memo 2008-30.

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.  

Due to budgetary constraints, the initiative to have vocational specialists in all TAOs statewide (detailed in Field Operations Memo 2008-12) has been suspended.   Vocational specialists will continue to be staffed in the following TAOs: Brockton, Dudley Square, Fall River, Holyoke, Lowell, New Bedford, Newmarket Square, North Shore, Revere, Springfield Liberty, Springfield State and Worcester.  Case managers in these TAOs should follow the procedures in Field Operations Memo 2008-12 for client referrals and follow-up.

Field Operations Memo 2007-38 described increases in the federal minimum wage that began in July 2007 and will continue through July 2009. On July 24, 2008 the federal minimum wage will increase to $6.55. In the summer of 2009 the federal minimum wage will increase to $7.25.

Due to its success, the Franklin/Hampshire Employment Training Consortium is continuing to offer the Enhanced Services Program to our clients. This program will help TAFDC clients, whether work program required or not, who would benefit from participating in skills training, job readiness and pre- and post-training job search programs begin the transition to work. Clients who either need skills training to become job ready or who are currently job ready should be referred to this program.

Obsoleted by FOM 2008-53.

A disabled noncitizen adult who does not qualify for TAFDC because he or she does not meet TAFDC noncitizen requirements may qualify for EAEDC as a disabled individual, if he or she meets all EAEDC requirements.

Field Operations Memo 2008-37 provided revised procedures for referrals to the Regional Non-Profit (RNP) housing agencies.   This Field Operations Memo gives TAO staff a new list of TAFDC clients with Housing Choice (Section 8) vouchers who will receive Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) informational sessions detailed in Field Operations Memo 2008-37. The list will be e-mailed with this Field Operations Memo.  The following TAOs have clients on this list:  Brockton, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, North Shore, Plymouth and Taunton.  TAO staff must follow procedures in Field Operations Memo 2008-37 for these clients.

The Department will pay a nonrecurring clothing allowance of $150 per eligible TAFDC client under the age of 19 for September 2008.  The clothing allowance is prorated for clients under the age of 19 with an eligibility start date after September 1, 2008.

Field Operations Memo 2008-45 told TAO Staff about the 2008 clothing allowance.  The memo provided incorrect dates for clients who will receive the supplemental clothing allowance payments in September, October, November and December.  The payments will be available on September 19, October 17, November 21 and December 19.  

Field Operations Memo 2007-45 introduced TAO staff to Orientation Sessions. Attendance at these sessions was voluntary for any TAFDC applicant or work program required client. To ensure that all TAFDC applicants receive this critical information in as timely and as uniformly a way as possible, the Department is making the orientation PowerPoint presentation a required part of application activities for all TAFDC applicants (see 106 CMR 702.125 (C) and (E)). This change in procedure will begin September 2, 2008.

Explains changes made to the Orientation Presentation. Each TAO has an orientation PowerPoint presentation, located in the “W” Drive.

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.

State Letter 1340 issues policy revisions implementing the following cost-of- living changes in the Food Stamp Program: Maximum Benefit Levels; Minimum Benefit Level; Gross, Net and 165 Percent Income Eligibility Standards;Standard Deduction;Shelter Deduction;Standard Utility Allowance (SUA); and Homeless Shelter/Utility Deduction.

The Farm Bill of 2008 contains several provisions that affect the Food Stamp Program such as eliminating the dependent care deduction cap and expanding the list of noncountable assets. Other changes affect program administration only.   Of particular significance is the change in name from the Food Stamp Program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Obsoleted by FOM 2008-53.

The Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) will be replaced with a new application entitled NewMMIS. NewMMIS is scheduled for deployment on January 5, 2009.   Field Operations Memo 2008-29 stated that MassHealth Cards would begin to be mailed out between July and September 2008. The mailings have been delayed. As a result, the mailings of these cards are now scheduled to begin October 3, 2008.  This Field Operations Memo gives TAO staff: information about new REVS functionality; and procedures for replacing MassHealth cards; and procedures for issuing Temporary MassHealth cards.

Due to increased enrollments in vocational rehabilitation, DTA will exceed available funding unless we immediately suspend any further referrals to the program. Therefore, the Vocational Rehabilitation Services program is being suspended effective October 31, 2008. No referrals to the Vocational Rehabilitation Services program may be made by TAO staff after the close of business on October 31, 2008. Referrals made by TAO staff to the Vocational Rehabilitation Services program by the close of business on October 31, 2008 will be honored by Vocational Rehabilitation Services providers until the close of business on November 14, 2008. The provision of any authorized service must be completed by December 31, 2008. This suspension will not impact the role of the Vocational Specialists.

Obsoleted by FOM 2008-53A.

The Department changed how it counts clients’ work program participation in the following areas: homework/study time counts towards overall participation in certain education and training activities; post-secondary education beyond an Associate’s degree (including Bachelor’s and Graduate Degree programs) meets the work program requirement (provided the client has not already exceeded the 12-month limit of education or training activity to meet the work program);child support counts in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) calculation when determining community service participation limits; and the Job Search/Job Readiness counter is activated during a client’s first weeks in a Supported Work – Job Search/Job Readiness activity.

Totals and breakdowns of Food Stamp households that received increased Food Stamps as a result of the H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program.

DTA will now provide information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to all families who are approved for EA, as well as TAFDC applicants and clients.

This Field Operations Memo informs TAO staff that effective immediately, no referrals to the Division of Career Services program for ESP-funded Job Search/Job Readiness activities should be made by TAO staff. Clients who are currently participating in ESP-funded Job Search/Job Readiness activities may continue to participate in the activity until October 31, 2008. At that point, these clients will be transitioned over to the One Stop Career Center for non-ESP funded services. TAO staff will receive more information on how this impacts work program required clients as it becomes available.

This memo is obsolete and replaced by Field Op Memo 2008-56B.

Field Operations Memo 2008-56 informed TAO staff that no referrals could be made by case managers to the Division of Career Services (DCS) for ESP-funded Job Search/Job Readiness activities after October 28, 2008. As a result, Participation and Attendance Forms which measure a client’s participation in October will be the last forms signed by DCS for the foreseeable future.  Central Office is working with DCS on participation tracking solutions. You will be notified when a solution has been reached.  Case managers may continue to refer eligible clients to Office of Refugees and Immigrants (ORI) for Job Search/Job Readiness services and to One-Stop Career Centers for informal services.

Effective 10/28/08, DTA is no longer funding the career centers to do job search. However, some offices have continued to refer clients for these services. Workers must not sanction these recipients for failing to meet the work requirement.

Field Operations Memo 2008-51 told TAO staff that NewMMIS MassHealth cards would be mailed beginning Friday, October 3rd. The Field Operations Memo also gave TAO staff procedures for replacing these cards and issuing temporary MassHealth cards. This Field Operations Memo answers questions that have arisen as a result of clients receiving these new MassHealth cards.

The Farm Bill of 2008 changed the name of the Food Stamp Program to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This change was effective on a federal level as of October 1, 2008. Field Operations Memo
2008-49 informed staff that a name change had taken place but that states could exercise their option to choose a state-specific name. Effective with the October issue of Transitions, the Commissioner announced that Massachusetts had adopted the national name SNAP. Choosing to remain aligned with the national program name should reduce any potential confusion that could be caused by the use of another name. In short, using the new name provides an opportunity for the program to be retooled and remarketed under the new slogan Putting Healthy Food Within Reach.

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."

This memo informs TAO staff about a change to the Family Cap Rule for a TAFDC case that contains a dependent child who is not the client’s natural or adoptive child.

Field Operations Memo 2008-49 implemented the 2008 Farm Bill provisions which included lifting the cap on the dependent care deduction in the calculation of SNAP benefits. Since the dependent care deduction is now uncapped, it could become error prone if individual dependent care expenses are not carefully entered into BEACON for each household.  This memo informs staff of the Dependent Care Expense Clean-up Report and issues procedures to process the report. 

The process for referrals for determination of Emergency Assistance shelter noncompliance is being amended. Field Operations Memo 2007-64, which advised staff of the availability of support services provided through referrals to F.O.R. Families, Project RISE and Families Living Together, is now obsolete. 

Due to budget shortfalls, homeless families are eligible for a full time voucher without otherwise meeting a service need requirement (e.g. without engaging in activities required for an ESP or an income eligible voucher) for only 3 months. After 3 months, if they are on TAFDC they will need to be in an ESP activity to qualify and, if they are not on TAFDC, they will need to meet the service need requirements for income-eligible child care. This policy went into effect on Nov. 3.

DTA has expanded the DTA Internship Program and renamed it “DTA Works.” DTA Works provides supported work opportunities at DTA for clerical positions as a stepping stone for our clients to obtain higher paying jobs.   The DTA Internship Program will be expanded statewide by January 2, 2009 and will place one intern in each of the remaining TAOs statewide.   

Due to TAFDC funding changes and the expansion of categorical eligibility, DTA has been able to relax and simplify sponsor deeming regulations.  Effective 12/15/2008,there will no longer be sponsor deeming in the TAFDC Program and SNAP sponsor deeming regulations will be amended. Fewer noncitizens will be subject to sponsor deeming provisions and those subject to deeming will have less sponsor income and assets counted in determining SNAP eligibility and benefit amount.

Field Op Memo 2006-42 informed TAO staff of process for transferring families from one shelter to another if the second shelter could provide more services the family needs. Due to an increase in homeless families across the state, this procedure is no longer feasible.

The Social Security and SSI Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) have been scheduled. Effective January 2009, Social Security benefits and SSI payments will increase by 5.8 percent. The basic Medicare Part B premium will remain unchanged at $96.40 per month. 

The Interagency Housing Solution Team Command Center (HSTCC) has been established to address the increase in EA hotel/motel placements. Representatives from DHCD and the DTA are working together to expedite housing opportunities for families in shelter and hotels/motels.  The goal is to eliminate the need for hotel/motels as temporary shelter placements. DCF will participate as needed and DMH will coordinate mental health service assessments when necessary. 

December 29, 2008 is the last day for food stamp households that lost power as a result of the storm to request extra food stamps. To be eligible, the household should (1) be a recipient of food stamps, AND (2) live in an area that lost power as a result of the storm and have an SSN ending in 8 or 9 (these households did not get extra food stamps automatically), OR (3) live in an area that lost power as a result of the storm that was not on the Mass. Emergency Management Agency list of affected areas. This Field Op Memo explains the procedures.

The purpose of this memo is to inform staff about the BEACON data entry responsibilities of CEP for initial placements from the Boston Family Housing Office including families referred to BFH from the Dudley Square and Newmarket Square TAO’s.

The TES-EPR-1 form has been revised to better capture the information needed when a family is placed into shelter. The revised TES-EPR-1 form is attached to this memo and will be available statewide.

During the first two weeks of January 2009, the Department will issue the annual informational mailing about federal and state tax credits and child care assistance.  Included with this mailing, the Department will inform clients and certain former clients about the ability to meet TAFDC requirements with school and study, as well as the Food Stamp Program name change. 

This Field Operations Memo identifies the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) designated affected cities and towns;describes the waiver received from USDA;explains the SNAP benefit mass replacement process; and reminds case managers of procedures for household misfortune situations. Also attached is a memo from Deborah Harris explaining the process and how people from towns not on the list can get get replacement benefits.