IM-10 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, OR STALKING AND APPLICATION FOR TA (IM-1TA) AND REINVESTIGATION FORM UPDATES

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Department of Social Services
Family Support Division
PO Box 2320
Jefferson City, Missouri

TO:  ALL FAMILY SUPPORT OFFICES

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, OR STALKING AND APPLICATION FOR TA (IM-1TA) AND REINVESTIGATION FORM UPDATES

MANUAL REVISION #
0204.000.00
0204.010.000

FORM REVISION #
IM-1TA
IM-1TA-SPANISH
IM-1TA-DARI
IM-1TA-PASHTO
FA-202

 

DISCUSSION:

Manual Update:

The Consolidated Appropriations Act establishes standards and procedures for TA applicants, potential TA applicants, and TA participants who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. New manual sections, 0204.000.00 Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, or Stalking and 0204.010.000 Identifying at Application are now added to the TA manual.

Procedures are in place for the following:

  1. Applicants and potential applicants will be informed of assistance available by the state to victims of sexual harassment and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
    1. A link to the MO Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence website (https://www.mocadsv.org/) is available on the MyDSS website.
  2. All Family Support Division (FSD) staff will receive training regarding sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
    1. Training will be for any staff member who administers the TA program including but not limited to Benefit Program Associates (BPA), Benefit Program Technicians (BPT), Administrative Office Support Assistants (AOSA), Senior Office Support Assistants (SOSA), Benefit Program Specialists (BPS) (including Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) BPS), Program Specialists, Benefit Program Supervisors, Program Coordinators, and Program Managers.
    2. This training has been developed and the memo will be released with instructions on how to complete this training.
  3. To ensure compliance with the Domestic Violence Act already in effect, all applications will be screened for potential victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sexual harassment. Participants will continue to receive services while active in the TA program. These questions do not affect eligibility and should not hold up processing an application.
    1. Three questions are being added to the TA application (IM-1TA) to assist with the screening process:
      1. Are you or a member of your immediate household currently being physically or emotionally harmed by a family member or current or former intimate partner?
      2. Have you or a member of your immediate household currently or ever been forced to have sex or perform sexual acts when you said no or did not want to?
      3. Have you or a member of your immediate household ever been or are currently being followed around from place to place or being harassed by an individual or group?
    2. Identified victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or stalking will be placed in the confidential load FAMIS load 4613.
      1. FSD staff registering the application will be responsible for reviewing the screening questions and placing applications into the confidential load.
      2. Interview/processing will be completed by the staff who cover this load.
    3. MWA staff will refer applicants/participants to local resources for assistance with their current situations while unable to do traditional work activities.
    4. Every 90 days, MWA staff will review identified active cases. The case will be evaluated for the need of continued special assistance and or if the household is ready for traditional MWA work activities.

Form Updates:

The following questions have been added to the IM-1TA to help identify individuals who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking victims:

  • Are you or a member of your immediate household currently being physically or emotionally harmed by a family member or current or former intimate partner?
  • Have you or a member of your immediate household currently or ever been forced to have sex or perform sexual acts when you said no or did not want to?
  • Have you or a member of your immediate household ever been or are currently being followed around from place to place or being harassed by an individual or group?

The Civil Rights section on the IM-1TA has been updated with the full joint Nondiscrimination Statement (NDS) as well as information on Civil Rights complaints.

Child Care information is updated to direct applicants to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website.

Questions related to service in the U.S. Armed Forces have been added to the following forms:

  • TANF application (IM-1TA)
  • TANF Reinvestigation (FA-202)

The questions below are designed to gather information to allow the Family Support Division (FSD) to provide useful information to veterans and their families. These questions will not affect eligibility and if left unanswered must not cause a case to be rejected, closed, or delayed.

  • Question 1: Have you or an immediate family member ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces?
  • Question 2: If yes, would you like information about military-related services in Missouri?

The revised IM-1TA form has a revision date of 02/2024. All other IM-1TA forms are obsolete. FSD will accept the obsolete applications until 05/31/2024.

Additional instructions will be provided regarding obsolete applications received after 05/31/2024.

Forms are available in the public forms manual and the internal forms manual.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
  • Begin using revised IM-1TA 02/2024 immediately.
  • Discard and recycle blank obsolete IM-1TA forms.
  • Share with community partners.

 

 

 

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