Category: Food Stamp Home

DISCUSSION:

This memorandum is follow-up to the recent interview techniques discussed in the Dynamic Interview and Income & Expenses Training.  The change to the interview process is as a result of the Business Process Review (BPR) with collaboration of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS).

The goal of the Dynamic Interview process is to:

• simplify the interview process for staff and customers,
• obtain better clarifying information from customers
• not ask the same questions of customers repetitively, and
• make the interview process efficient.

Use the Dynamic Interview process at initial application and recertification for all programs. 

NOTE:  For Food Stamp recertification, the criteria for waiving interviews remains the same. Refer to Food Stamp Manual section, 1130.015.15 Processing Recertifications and to the Food Stamp Recertification Interview Decision User Guide.

The Dynamic Interview should follow the one-touch thought process to prevent the same application/case from being touched multiple times. This means the Eligibility Specialist (ES) will complete every action they can based on the information available at that time, before sending it on for further tasking.

In a Dynamic Interview, the interviewer does not ask the customer questions s/he has already answered on a web or paper application, when the answers do not require further clarification.  

NOTE:  Always re-ask and get better clarification about income, expenses and questionable information, even when an answer is on the application.

The Dynamic Interview is an open-ended conversation between the interviewer and the customer.  The interview should clarify answers provided on the application and to ask questions which are not on the forms, but are in the controlled flow in FAMIS or in the MEDES system.

EXAMPLE: The customer answered, ‘NO’ to “Are you a migrant seasonal farmer worker,” on the application. Since the customer already answered the question, it does not need to be asked again during the interview. 

EXAMPLE: The customer answered, ‘YES’ to paying shelter expenses on the application; however, no income was listed.  Interviewer should ask clarifying questions to determine how the customer is paying his/her expenses with no income. Since this is an income/expense question, it should automatically be re-asked.

EXAMPLE:  The Food Stamp Application does not ask about dependent care expenses, but they are an allowable expense. When the driver question appears in the controlled flow, ask if the EU has dependent care expenses and enter a comment that supports the client’s statement of expense.  Since this is an income/expense question, it should automatically be re-asked.

EXAMPLE:  The declaration questions have all been answered ‘NO’ on the application and nothing is questionable.  There is no need to re-ask these during the interview.

It is imperative that staff use worker judgement when completing interviews to identify information that needs clarification.

EXAMPLE:  A Food Stamp recertification application shows rent of $750 and a roommate who is not in the EU. Supercase Member Clearance (SCMBR) shows the roommate and Shelter Expense (SHELEXP) of $350 rent. It would be good worker judgement to ask clarifying questions about sharing expenses, record the answers in the proper fields and make comments.  Since this is an income/expense question, it should automatically be re-asked.

When an answer to a question listed on the application is left blank, it will be necessary to use worker judgement to determine whether or not clarification is required or if a blank answer on the application can be assumed as ‘no’ or ‘none’.

EXAMPLE: A new Food Stamp application is received for a homeless customer that only listed themselves in the household. They did not answer if they purchase and prepare with anyone else. No can be assumed in this scenario.

Links to the Dynamic Interview and Income & Expense Training and the Dynamic Interview Question Reference Sheet can be found on the BPR page of the Social Services intranet.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

DISCUSSION:

The October Food Stamp Mass Adjustment will occur over the weekend of September 8, 2018. All policies and updated information will go into effect for all applicants and customers as of October 1, 2018.

This memorandum addresses the following issues related to the mass adjustment:

• Updates to the Maximums and Deductions
• Update Process
• Decreased Benefits or Case Closings
• Conflict of Actions
• Cases Not Adjusted
• Notices
• Fair Hearing Requests
• Manual Revisions

Updates to the Maximums, Utility Standards and Deductions:

The Following updates were made during the mass adjustment:

*These maximums are used to determine if an EU whose members are elderly, live with others and are unable to purchase and prepare food due to a disability, are eligible as a separate EU for Food Stamp Benefits. The Food Stamp Manual Section 1105.015.04.05 has been updated with the new chart.

Update Process

The Food Stamp Budget Summary (FM4A) screen and the Worker Initiated Budget Calculation Area – WIBCA (FMXN) are updated with the new amounts.

After the eligibility determination is run during the mass adjustment, the following actions on active Food Stamp cases may be displayed in FAMIS, depending on the action taken during the mass adjustment:

The reason field on the Action Authorization (FM3H) screen displays TUA – Table Update Adjustment (system) for the mass adjustment.

To inquire why an action is taken, on EU Action Log (FM40), select the action, and press F17=INQAUTH. The Action Authorization (FM3H) screen appears. Press F19=REASON. The reason code and the code description appear. After payroll closing, the Payment History (FM5F) screen displays the appropriate allotment for each EU.

Decrease Benefits or Case Closings

EUs with cases that have an allotment decrease or their case is closing will receive an FA-150 Action Notice.

Conflict of Actions

FAMIS will adjust active Food Stamp cases during the mass adjustment, even if the case has a pending adverse action. A conflict of action is created, if there is a pending adverse action, when the mass adjustment is completed. The Eligibility Specialist voids the adverse action and process the mass adjustment adverse action following these steps:

1. Void the first (pending) adverse action on the Action Resolution (FM50 or ACTRES) screen.
2. Complete the eligibility determination on the Eligibility Determination Resolution screen (FM3Y or EDRES).
3. Authorize the new action, even if the action is a benefit reduction or closing.

Refer to FAMIS user guide Changing An Adverse Action Status for instructions.

Cases Not Adjusted

Pending applications and cases with pending changes cannot be adjusted during the mass adjustment and require the Eligibility Specialist to take action. When the Eligibility Specialist completes the appropriate action, the case will be automatically adjusted.

The following are examples of cases not adjusted:

• Expedited EUs that are active with postponed verification (APV status).
• Any EU with an incomplete eligibility determination, such as when there is insufficient data (ISD).
• Any EU in the controlled flow.
• If an unacceptable or blank verification code is entered for a program element.

Notices

All EUs with an allotment increase will be sent an FA-150 Action Notice. These notices are dated September 26, 2018. The notice informs the EU of the following:

• The Standard Deduction and Excess Shelter Maximums have changed
• The Utility Standard Allowances have changed.
• The household Food Stamp allotment for October has changed.

Fair Hearing Request

If the EU requests a fair hearing for the Food Stamp Program, the Agency needs to:

• Follow your current hearings office process in your local office.

Manual Revisions

The Food Stamp Manual Revisions are as follows:

• Section 1105.015.04.05 – Update 165% FPL
• Section 1115.035.05 – Update the Standard Deduction
• Section 1115.035.15.05 – Update the amount of the Medical Deduction.
• Section 1115.035.25 – Update the Excess Shelter Maximum
• Section 1115.035.25.15 – Update the Utility Standards
• Section 1115.099.00 – Update Maximum Allowable Monthly Income Limits and Allotment Table
• Section 1130.099.00 – Update Appendix A Simplified Reporting Requirements
• Section 1135.010.07.05 – Update standard for pre-strike calculations

The following information has been revised on the intranet:

• Food Stamp Program Changes Flyer
• Standards History Chart
• Manually Calculating a Food Stamp Budget
• Basis of Issuance Tables
• Simplified Reporting Requirements

The SUA or the telephone standard is used in calculating the community spouse (CS) allotment, for vendor cases. This calculation is completed by FAMIS based on the shelter expenses and utility standards entered by the Eligibility Specialist. The MHABD manual has been updated to reflect the new standards, in examples and appendices.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

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