Subject: SNAP Various Revisions Vol. I, II and IIA

Division of Family Support

Operation Manual Transmittal Letter No. 511 June 1, 2017

Volume I

The Table of Contents is revised to remove MS 0700, MS 0710, MS 0715, MS 0720, and MS 0750 as they are obsolete.

MS 0200, Contact Tracking System (CTS) Overview, is revised to change the title to Complaint Module on Worker Portal. It is further revised to replace CTS procedures with procedures for the Complaint Module on Worker Portal. User access is updated to include all field staff with user access to Worker Portal and is no longer limited to only Service Region Administrator Associates (SRAA), designated Program Specialist, and Family Support Supervisors (FSS).

MS 0700, Resolving Batch Matches, MS 0710, KAMES Matches; MS 0715, Death Match; MS 0720, Prisoner Match; and MS 0750, State On-Line Query (SOLQ) Match Messages are obsolete.

Volume II

The Table of Contents is revised to remove MS 6104, MS 6105, MS 6107, MS 6130, MS 6135, MS 6140, and MS 6145 as they are obsolete. It is further revised to reflect the title changes of MS 6480 to SNAP Interim Review Overview; MS 6485 to SNAP Interim Review Processing; MS 6490 to SNAP Interim review Verification Requirements; and MS 6710 to Reporting Requirements & Entering Changes for Pending Applications.

MS 2060, Nonhousehold Members, is revised to clarify that household composition must be verified at application, reapplication, recertification, reported change in household composition and/or address, and whenever the information provided by the household is questionable.

MS 2070, Nonhousehold Members As A Separate Household, is revised to add that the relationship of non-members should be thoroughly explored and documented.

MS 2350, Criminals, is revised to add that when a resident of a drug/alcohol treatment center leaves the facility, a notice is generated advising the individual that a disqualification will now apply unless they meet another exemption criteria. It is also revised to add that a notice is generated the month prior to the due date for a pregnant individual advising that, unless another exemption criteria applies, a disqualification will be applied.

MS 2660, Center Responsibilities, is revised to clarify procedures for debiting a participant’s EBT account and to state that if a participant leaves the treatment center, the center can be returned to the address on the back of the card or returned to the local office.

MS 2730, is revised to remove references to local office and to add that if a participant passes away, the GLA should return the EBT card to the address on the back of the card. OMTL - 511 Page 2 of 5 MS 2900, Alien Status, is revised to include the nationals of “Northern Mariana Islands” as being equivalent to U.S. citizenship and for clarity.

MS 3050, KTAP Sponsored Alien Information, is revised for clarity to state that any reported gross income considered in the KTAP EDG will also be considered in the SNAP EDG as they are in the same case.

MS 3160, Categorical Eligibility, is revised to clarify that ALL household members must be receiving TANF cash benefits or in-kind TANF benefits in order for the household to be considered as categorically eligible.

MS 3175, Verification at Application, is revised to stress that reported resources MUST be entered on the system as they could become a countable resource if the household loses its categorical eligibility.

MS 3220, SAFE Allotments, is revised to correct the two person household benefit when the monthly rent/mortgage expense is $108 or more per month.

MS 3500, Residency, is revised to clarify that residency must be verified for every household member.

MS 3600, Enumeration Requirements for SNAP, is revised to include special consideration for refugees and parolees without a SSN, and for clarity.

MS 3620, SSN Applications, is revised to include that the nationals of Northern Mariana Islands and Swain’s Island do not have to prove legal entry into the U.S. or present proof of citizenship. It is further revised to include that by entering an SS-5 date on the Individual member screen, the system provides the member 165 days to provide the SSN and to include special consideration for refugees and parolees without a SSN. It is also revised for clarity.

MS 3800, Representative Requirements, is revised to change the reference from JP Morgan to Fidelity National Information Services (FIS).

MS 5000, Resources, is revised to clarify that households in which ALL members receive KTAP, Kinship Care, WIN or FAD are considered categorically eligible.

MS 5210, Excluded Income, is revised to state that households with a child who is under 17 years old at application or recertification and has earned income, verify school attendance and accept client statement as verification of earned income in order to exclude the earned income. It is further revised to remove hyphen from ‘KTAP’ and update Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

MS 5520, Special Considerations For Specific Households, is revised to state that the system will calculate the allowable shelter expenses for households with ineligible members.

MS 5610, Month of Application or Recertification, is revised to state that an RFI will generate giving households 20 days to verify out of state benefits. If verification is not returned, the case will process without it. OMTL - 511 Page 3 of 5 MS 6020, Caseworker Responsibilities, is revised to include that the worker must ask the client every question on the system. It is also revised to remove the reference to the work number.

MS 6104, Joint Processing Procedure, MS 6105, Processing of PA SNAP Applications, and MS 6107, Changes Between PAFS And NAFS SNAP Cases, are obsolete as these procedures no longer apply.

MS 6130, Web Portal Overview; MS 6135, Web Portal Client Role; MS 6140, Web Portal Case Assigner Role; and MS 6145, Web Portal Case Worker Role, are obsolete.

MS 6310, Types of Interviews, is revised to add that applications can be accepted through the Self Service Portal (SSP).

MS 6480, SNAP 6-Month Review Overview, is revised to change the name from “6- Month” to “Interim” and to update the certification periods. It is also revised to add that 30/60 policy does apply to FS-2 actions.

MS 6485, SNAP 6-Month Review Processing, is revised to change the name from “6- Month” to “Interim”, remove “6-month" from “review”, and to add that 30/60 policy does apply to FS-2 actions.

MS 6490, SNAP 6-Month Review Verification Requirements, is revised to change the name from “6-Month” to “Interim” and remove “6-month" from “review”.

MS 6600, Assigning Certification Periods, is revised to state to assign all households a 12 month certification period except for households in which all members are elderly or disabled and have no earned income. These households are certified for 24 months.

MS 6710, Reporting Requirements for Pending Applications, is revised to change the title to, Reporting Requirements & Entering Changes for Pending Applications. It is also revised to add procedures on how to enter changes on a case that is in pending INTAKE to ensure the correct RFI is generated.

MS 6765, Acting on Change of Address, is revised to include that if a client reports an address change, household composition must be verified whether there is a change or not.

MS 6770, Providing Supplementals, is revised to remove the statement that if the 20th falls on a weekend or holiday the client must report the change by the next work day to be eligible for supplemental benefits. It is further revised for clarity.

MS 7000, Required Verification at Application, is revised to state inactivity of a case for more than 90 days deems verification as outdated. It is also revised to update the list of all available programs and system verification sources, and clarify that all are to be inquired for each adult household member. It is further revised to change “KASES” to “Child Support Enforcement (CSE) External Search”; remove the statement about the worker making a ‘CC’ during the interview if the client doesn’t have verification of shelter expenses with them at that time; to clarify that residency is verified for every household member; disqualifications are not displayed until eligibility has been run on the case; add that school enrollment and attendance must be verified at application, recertification, and member add for a child under 17 years old by a ‘CC’ in lieu of client statement unless the child has earned income; and for OMTL - 511 Page 4 of 5 clarity. It is also revised to state that if the household is required to return information, advise them not to wait until the final due date to return their information as this may cause a delay in the receipt of benefits and to state that the Eligibility Advisor (EA) cannot be used to verify identity for SNAP.

MS 7020, Verification of Questionable Information, is revised to add that the EA should be used to verify resources.

MS 7030, Required Verification at Recertification, is revised to update the list of all available programs and system verification sources, and clarify that all are to be inquired for each adult household member. It is further revised to change “KASES” to “Child Support Enforcement (CSE) External Search”; add that school enrollment and attendance must be verified at application, recertification, and member add for a child age 17 and under by a ‘CC’ in lieu of client statement unless the child has earned income; and for clarity. It is further revised to state if the household is required to return information, advise them not to wait until the final due date to return their information as this may cause a delay in the receipt of benefits.

MS 7475, SNAP Case Documentation, is revised to remove the following from required case documentation: worker initials and caseload code; KAMES alien code; the reason why all of the prior 2 months pay checks weren’t used; commenting when an RFI is issued; how deductions were calculated when the household includes an ineligible member; and the reason for completing a system override. It is further revised to include in comments the details of contact made with the Help Desk (i.e. specific error message received and an assigned ticket number), for clarity, formatting, and to replace ‘T-member’ with ‘nonmember’.

Volume IIA

The Table of Contents is revised to change the title of MS 1100 to Work Registration Overview and to change the title of MS 1650 to Work Registration Exemptions. It is further revised to add MS 2510, Training Site Agreement Procedures.

MS 1050, Frequently Used Terms, is revised to remove KAMES as a term, as the system is no longer in use, change the acronym for Employment and Training Program to E&T, and remove ‘WPP’, as it is an obsolete term. It is further revised for formatting.

MS 1100, Overview, is revised to change the title to Work Registration Overview, to state that all required members are work registered when the SNAP application is signed, and to remove the process that the member has to register through the Office of Employment and Training.

MS 1550, Work Registration Procedures, is revised to state that all required members are work registered when the SNAP application is signed, and to remove the process that the member has to register through the Office of Employment and Training.

MS 1650, Exemptions, is revised to change the title to Work Registration Exemptions, and to provide a definition for physically or mentally ‘unfit’ for work and add examples. It is further revised for formatting.

MS 2250, Components, is revised to include that DCBS doesn’t pay for background checks on WEP participants. OMTL - 511 Page 5 of 5 MS 2350, Changes in ABAWD Status, is revised to clarify that only a Field Services Supervisor or an E&T worker can manually correct a tracking code.

MS 2500, Procedures for Non-Exempt ABAWD, is revised for clarity and to include that the FSET-145, Employment and Training Program Activity Report, has to be turned in and entered on the system by the 3rd of the following month or the system will initiate conciliation.

MS 2510, Training Site Agreement Procedures, is created to provide information on form KWET-241, Work Experience Program (WEP) Training Site Agreement, and state that a copy of this form must be in ECF for each WEP placement.

MS 2550, Good Cause Determination, is revised to clarify good cause.

MS 3900, Curing Disqualifications, is revised to change “ETP” to “E&T”, update the procedures for processing an application when the client has served an E&T disqualification and wants to apply, and for formatting.

MS 4450, Imposing Work-Related Disqualification, is revised to change the MS link to VOL I, MS 0490 to reference the correct procedure when a household requests benefits to continue while awaiting a hearing and for clarity.