IM-45 September 06, 2024; IM-26 March 24, 2017, IM-01 January 1, 2016
A TA Diversion payment is defined as a single lump-sum payment equal to the maximum TA benefit based on the household size for a two- or three-month period. It is intended as a cash grant for short term needs.
To qualify for a TA Diversion payment, a participant must:
- Be determined eligible for TA cash benefits,
- State what need the money is intended to cover, and
- State the amount of money that will satisfy their immediate need at the time of application.
Diversion requests are screened to determine if a lump-sum payment can address the issue that compelled them to apply for assistance. Verification of need is required to process the request (i.e. letter from landlord of past due rent, letter from mechanic on vehicle repair amount, etc.). Failure to provide verification of need will cause the TA Diversion application to reject. The participant may still be eligible for regular TA benefits.
Example: Lynn Allen applies for TA for herself and her two children. During the phone interview, FSD explains the TA Diversion program. Lynn determines that she only needs assistance to get her car fixed so she can return to work. The estimate by the mechanic is $575. Lynn can accomplish this with two months’ worth of TA benefits. The TA Diversion payment for her family household size is: $584 ($292 for a 3-person household x 2 months). Lynn is eligible for TA Diversion.
If the verified need amount is less than the maximum 2-month TA grant amount, the household is only eligible for the 2-month Diversion amount.
The amount requested cannot exceed the maximum benefit amount equal to three-month’s benefits as determined by household size. The Maximum TA Grant and Maximum Cash Diversion can be used to determine if the requested amount exceeds the maximum amount.
If the amount requested is more than the maximum amount, they would not be eligible for Diversion as the maximum amount the household is qualified for would not be sufficient to resolve their immediate need.
Example: Mary Smith needs a new transmission in her car as she can no longer get to work without transportation. She has requested the total amount of $3000 that it will cost to fix her transmission. She has a household size of three. Per the Maximum TA Grant and Maximum Cash Diversion, the maximum benefit amount for a three-person household is $876. This would not be enough to cover the total amount needed to resolve her situation so would not be eligible for the Diversion payment.
A participant is not eligible for TA Diversion if an adult in the participant’s household has reached his or her TA cash benefit lifetime limit.