• actions taken during mass adjustments;

• when to void a notice of adverse action;

• when to close a food stamp case if the EU has moved out of state;

• what actions to take if an EU reports an address change;

• unemployment compensation verified on IMES is not considered verified upon receipt;

• child support information verified through MACSS screens or the FAMIS Interface screens is not considered verified upon receipt;

• whether to remove children placed in alternative care who receive Title IV-E payments;

• whether to remove children who are removed from the home and the report is received from the Division of Youth Services or the Children's Division;

• whether to take an action on information provided from matches with local jails or other facilities;

• what changes to make when a change occurs in another FSD program; and

• what action to take if the EU's Temporary Assistance case is closing and there is insufficient information to determine the impact on the food stamp case.

Mass adjustments are considered changes that must be acted on.  When a mass adjustment is completed, all information known at the time of the adjustment must be used to accurately determine the EU's eligibility and allotment amount.  To correctly adjust the EU's case all changes known to FAMIS, including disregarded actions, are used to determine eligibility.  If a simplified reporting EU had disregarded actions and the cumulative effect of all changes on the case results in a decrease in benefits or the case closing, a notice of adverse action is created by the system.

The worker receives the alert "Action Not Authorized" when a notice of adverse action is created, but not authorized. The worker must review the proposed action to determine if it is correct.

If the action is correct, authorize the adverse action AACL or AABR. If the adverse action is not authorized within 10 days, FAMIS authorizes the adverse action.  A notice of adverse action (FA-510) is sent to the EU notifying them of the proposed action when the AACL or AABR action is authorized.

If an adverse action is not correct and has not been authorized (action in RTA status), change the data in FAMIS and complete a new eligibility determination.  The adverse action would be considered incorrect if data was entered incorrectly in FAMIS.  Do not void the adverse action solely because the EU is subject to simplified reporting.  Incorrectly voiding an adverse action causes a payment error.

When To Void A Notice of Adverse Action

If a notice of adverse action is sent to an EU in error, void the adverse action. Refer to Changing an Adverse Action Status for instructions.  This might occur during the following situations:

• When outstanding verification for the Child Care Program is needed and not provided, FAMIS sets the notice of adverse action (NOAA) for food stamps but does not authorize it for 10 days.  The worker receives the alert "Action Not Authorized" and must authorize the action or disregard the action.  If the worker does not disregard the action, the NOAA is sent.  The food stamp case should not be closed, so the worker would void the adverse action to prevent the closing action.

• Information is entered in the system incorrectly by the worker and it is not discovered until after the NOAA is sent to the EU.

• Information is entered in the system correctly by the worker, then the EU calls after the NOAA is sent and says the circumstances have changed again.

• the EU's income exceeds the 130% of poverty,

• an EU member is sanctioned or disqualified,

• an EU member is an ABAWD who has received six non-work months,

• an EU member applies for food stamp benefits in another EU or state,

• cumulative changes acted on during mass adjustments,

• changes considered verified upon receipt, or

• changes reported at application.

If an EU reports they have moved out of the state of Missouri, do not close the food stamp case unless:

• the EU voluntarily requests their case be closed, or

• the EU applies for food stamp benefits in the other state. 

EU Reports an Address Change

If an EU reports an address change, but does not report a change in shelter expenses, do not ask if the EU incurs utility expenses or has a change in utility expenses. Change the address and continue to budget shelter costs determined at the certification or last action.  Record a comment on the Eligibility Unit Member Role (FM3Z) screen regarding the reported address change and that a change in shelter expenses was not reported.

Unemployment Compensation Verified on IMES

Unemployment Compensation benefit information displayed on the IMES screen is not considered verified upon receipt.  IMES is an excellent source of verification for UCB, however IMES does not report the change to FSD, the worker has to know to go look at the information.  Therefore it is not considered verified upon receipt.

Child Support Information

Child support income and child support expenses are verified through the FAMIS interface with Child Support Enforcement Unit or through the MACSS screens.  This is an excellent source of verification, however it is not considered verified upon receipt.  Child Support Enforcement is not the "source" of the income or the expense.

Children Placed in Alternative Care and Receiving Title IV-E Payments

If a child is placed in alternative care and is receiving Title IV-E payments, do not act on changes to the food stamp EU that impact the Title IV-E payment, including removing the child from the food stamp case.  If the Temporary Assistance cash grant is changed, then take the actions that caused the grant to be changed.  If the foster parent or other guardian applies for food stamp benefits for that child, remove the child and take any other cumulative action on the case.

Children Removed from the Home Reported by the Children's Division and Division of Youth Services

If the Children's Division or the Division of Youth Services removes a child from the home, do not act on the change, even if CD or DYS reports it.  If the Temporary Assistance cash grant is changed, then take the actions that caused the grant to be changed.  If the foster parent or other guardian applies for food stamp benefits for that child, remove the child and take any other cumulative action on the case.

Prison Matches, Jail Matches, and Matches with Other Facilities

Matches with prisons and local jails are not considered verified upon receipt unless the report contains all information regarding the individual, including the expected length of confinement/release date.  If staff must contact the prison or local jail to obtain additional information or clarification, the report is not considered verified upon receipt.  Do not make changes to the food stamp case based on information provided from these matches unless the match is considered verified upon receipt.

The policy regarding drug and alcohol treatment centers and group living arrangement centers is that the center must provide FSD with a listing of residents of the center each month.  This listing is a requirement, however is not considered verified upon receipt.  Do not make changes to the food stamp case based on receipt of this listing.

Changes To Make When A Change Occurs In Another FSD Program

If a change is reported for another FSD Income Maintenance program, take action to the food stamp case in the following situations.

• Change to the Temporary Assistance, SAB, BP, SP, or SNC grant - if there is a change to one of these grants, the change to the grant and the change that caused the grant to change must be acted on for the food stamp case.

EXAMPLE 1: Ms. A reports she is now working.  Her new employment causes her Temporary Assistance grant to decrease.  Her food stamp case is adjusted to include the decreased Temporary Assistance grant and her new employment.

EXAMPLE 2: Ms. B reports her child was temporarily removed from her home by the Children's Division and there is a clear plan to return the child to her home within 60 days.  The Temporary Assistance grant is not adjusted according to Temporary Assistance Policy.  Her food stamp case is not adjusted, because her cash grant is not changed.

• Change to Child Care or Medicaid - if there is a change to either one of these programs that causes an expense to change on the food stamp case, act on the change to the expense and what caused the expense to change.

EXAMPLE 3: Ms. C is employed and her husband receives Medical Assistance spenddown.  She reports his retirement pension has increased, causing his spenddown amount to increase.  He meets his spenddown each month and this amount is used as a medical expense on their food stamp case.  Their food stamp case is adjusted to include the change to the medical expense and his increased retirement pension.

EXAMPLE 4: Ms. D reports her income increased due to a raise.  Her Child Care case is adjusted and her sliding fee is increased.  Ms. D reports that she is not responsible for any additional dependent care expense, even though her sliding fee is changed.  Her food stamp case is not adjusted, because her dependent care expense is not changed.

When a Temporary Assistance case closes and there is insufficient information to determine the impact on the food stamp case, send a Request for Contact (RFC) form, IM-31, to the EU requesting the EU contact FSD to discuss the EU's circumstances. 

If the EU fails to respond to the RFC, send a notice of adverse action to close the food stamp case.  Enter a worker initiated closing (AAWC) with reason COO - failure to cooperate.  Record the date the IM-31 was sent to the EU on the Eligibility Unit Member Role (FM3Z) screen.  Record the reason for the action on the Action Authorization (FM3H) screen.

If the EU responds to the RFC, enter the information discussed by the EU, request verification as necessary, and take whatever actions are appropriate according to the information provided.

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.