FOOD STAMP MANUAL REVISION #1
SECTION 1115.020.00
SECTION 1115.020.03
SECTION 1115.020.05.20
SECTION 1130.030.00
SECTION 1130.030.05
SECTION 1130.030.15
SECTION 1130.030.20
SECTION 1140.000.00
SECTION 1140.005.00
SECTION 1140.005.05
SECTION 1140.005.10
SECTION 1140.005.15
SECTION 1140.005.20
SECTION 1140.005.20.05
SECTION 1140.005.20.10
SECTION 1140.005.20.15
SECTION 1140.005.20.20
SECTION 1140.005.20.25
SECTION 1140.005.20.30
SECTION 1140.005.20.35
SECTION 1140.005.20.40
SECTION 1140.010.00
SECTION 1140.010.05
SECTION 1140.010.10
SECTION 1140.015.00
SECTION 1140.020.00
SECTION 1140.025.00
 

• migrant/seasonal farmworker EUs and

• EUs in which all adult members are elderly or disabled and have no earned income or whose only earnings are excluded.

• their income exceeds 130% of poverty for their EU size or

• an ABAWD's hours worked or participation in a qualified training program fall below 20 hours per week, averaged monthly.

Implementation

February 4, 2003, eligible EUs become subject to simplified reporting at certification, recertification, or when a change in circumstances is acted on and there is sufficient time to lengthen or shorten the current certification.  If the current certification cannot be lengthened or shortened when a change in circumstances is completed, the EU remains subject to the current reporting requirement.  For an EU to be subject to simplified reporting the EU must be certified for 6 months.  Refer to the Change in Reporting Requirement during Certification Period section of this memorandum to determine if a certification period can be lengthened or shortened.

When a Legacy food stamp case is converted to FAMIS an eligibility determination is done.  During the eligibility determination, FAMIS checks to see if the EU is migrant/seasonal farmworker or an EU whose adult members are all elderly or disabled.  If not, FAMIS flags the case as subject to simplified reporting, shortens or lengthens the certification period as appropriate, and sends the FA-150 Claimant Action Notice.  The notice tells the EU that they are now subject to simplified reporting rules and they do not have to report changes 
unless their income exceeds 130% of the federal poverty level for their household size.

When a case would be subject to simplified reporting, and there are exactly six months remaining in the certification, the flag is not set in FAMIS and a letter is not generated.  These cases are not subject to simplified reporting rules until the EU is advised of the new reporting requirement.  A change entered that causes the length of certification to change will cause the flag to be set and a letter to be generated.

Check EUSUMM(FM0J) to determine whether a case is subject to simplified reporting.

Certification Procedures

At application and reapplication, use the following guidelines to give the appropriate certification periods.

• EUs subject to simplified reporting are given 6 months,

• Migrant/seasonal farmworker EUs are given 1 to 3 months, and

• EUs in which all adult members are elderly or disabled and no included earned income are given 1-12 or 24 months.

The reporting requirements for migrant/seasonal farmworker and elderly/disabled EUs are not changed.  The reporting requirements are outlined in Food Stamp Manual section 1140.010.00.

Change in Reporting Requirement during Certification Period

The lengthening or shortening of a certification period is done automatically by FAMIS or the Legacy system when it is appropriate.

The certification period for an elderly/disabled EU is shortened beginning with the month the change is effective if the remainder of the certification does not exceed six months when:

• An adult who is not elderly or disabled moves into the EU,

• A disabled individual is no longer disabled, or

• An elderly or disabled household member becomes employed and the earnings are not excluded. 

The new change reporting requirements for the EU becomes effective the month following the month in which the action is completed.  Notify the EU of their new change reporting requirement on the IM-149 Benefit Adjustment notice for those EUs not in FAMIS.  The FA-150 Claimant Action Notice is sent by FAMIS to notify the EU of their change reporting requirement.

System Changes

Programming changes are complete in FAMIS and Legacy to allow the certification of EUs subject to simplified reporting for one, two, or six months.  Programming is also complete to systematically lengthen or shorten certifications when a change in circumstances is entered that changes an EU's reporting requirement.

The "Earned Income" field on screens in Legacy and FAMIS is changed to "Simplified Reporting".

Manual Revision

The online Food Stamp Manual is revised.  All references to earned income reporting are changed to simplified reporting. 
A hard copy is not being sent at this time.

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

• Implement this policy effective February 4, 2003.
  

Attachment
Distribution #6