IM-71      06/30/05

SUBJECT:

PHASING OUT CASE MANAGEMENT

DISCUSSION:

In order to realign resources to meet mandates and goals outlined by the governor and the general assembly, case management services for Temporary Assistance recipients are being phased out effective July 1, 2005. Family Support Division (FSD) staff are experts at providing our customers with valuable referrals to assist with barriers; caseworkers will continue to provide these important services to applicants and recipients.

The phasing out of case management allows for more time to be devoted to other eligibility criteria such as:

• Completing annual reinvestigations for all programs, as required,
• Completing priority actions regarding removing 19 year-old children from Medicaid,
• Determining eligibility for other types of Medicaid for newborns before they turn age one,
• Verifying Social Security Numbers for all persons receiving assistance,
• Completing determinations of overpayments and processing claims for overpayments, and
• Addressing changes in a timelier manner by evenly distributing the work load for all programs.

Initial Determination of Skills, Work Experience and Employability

FSD is required to make an initial determination of the skills, prior work experience and employability of each applicant/recipient who:

• is at least 18 years of age, or
• has not completed high school (or equivalent) and is not attending secondary school.

The Initial Assessment (IM-309I) form gathers this information along with the determination of “employment and training ready” status for purposes of referral to the Division of Workforce Development (DWD). To remain in compliance with state statutes and regulations, the Initial Assessment form is revised to ensure that all required information is captured at application.

Based on information provided on the Initial Assessment form, individuals are placed in one of the following categories:

• Exempt from work participation,
• Temporarily excluded from work participation, or
• Employment and training ready, to be referred to DWD.

Missouri statutes also require a self-sufficiency pact be completed after the initial determination of employment and training status has been made. To satisfy this requirement, the following sentence has been added to the Initial Assessment form:

“If it is decided I am work and/or training ready, I understand I must be in work activities in order to receive a cash grant.”

Review this paragraph with the individual and ensure that s/he understands what is expected of him/her as a Temporary Assistance recipient. It is still important for the worker to explain that participating in a work activity is a requirement to receive Temporary Assistance benefits. Continue to remind individuals of the sixty-month lifetime limit and of the number of months s/he has used.

The Initial Assessment form will be available as an electronic form only. The form and instructions are attached to this memorandum; use the form attached to this memorandum until it becomes available online.

Begin using the new Initial Assessment form to determine skills, work experience and employability July 1, 2005.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The domestic violence screening process is revised. The Initial Assessment form contains two questions used to determine whether or not domestic violence is a current issue. Based on the answers to these questions, enter “(Y)es or (N)o” in the DV field on the Assignment Referral screen (FM86) in FAMIS. The Domestic Violence Screening (IM-2DVS) and Domestic Violence Assessment (IM-2DVA) forms are obsolete effective July 1, 2005.

Claims of current domestic violence issues continue to be a valid reason to be temporarily excluded from participating in a work activity and to be extended past the Temporary Assistance sixty-month lifetime limit. Claims of domestic violence are to be re-evaluated every ninety days.

EXEMPT

Continue to enter the appropriate exemption code on the COMPACT (FM8B) screen for individuals who meet the definition of an exemption. Continue to use the following exemption reasons:

• 01   Custodial Caretaker of a Child Under 12 Months of Age.
• 02   Custodial Caretaker of a Child Under 12 Months of Age for More than 12 Months.
• 05   Needed in the Home to Care for an Individual with a Disability.
• 06   Permanently Disabled.
• 07   Payee 60 Years of Age or Older.

60-MONTH REVIEW

The Temporary Assistance sixty-month lifetime limit review process outlined in memorandum IM-83 dated July 3, 2002 is revised. Effective July 1, 2005, team reviews are no longer required.

FAMIS will continue to generate notices to recipients at 24, 36, 48, and 54 months receipt of Temporary Assistance benefits. In the 58th month, a notice will be sent to the individual. This notice informs the individual of the number of months that s/he has received Temporary Assistance benefits and that there is a possibility that s/he might be eligible to receive past the sixty-month lifetime limit. The notice lists the exemption and extension reasons as well as the verification required to qualify for an extension or an exemption.

Valid extension reasons include:

• in treatment for mental health issues,
• in treatment for substance abuse issues,
• receiving services related to a domestic violence issue,
• receiving services from the Children's Division and work activities do not coincide with the Children's Division plan, or
• family crisis.

Extensions should be granted for the above reasons when treatment or services being provided for the issue prevents the individual from successfully participating in work activities.

Examples:

• The individual is in a residential facility for mental health issues. A statement from the facility by phone or in writing would verify the need for an extension due to a hardship, as this would prevent the individual from participating in a work activity.

• Taking medication for depression would not constitute treatment which would prevent an individual from participating in a work activity.

The individual is to provide information needed to verify a hardship by the 15th of the 59th month. Forward all submitted information with an Extension or Closing Summary (IM-360A) to the County Manager or the Supervisor III for final determination of granting an extension due to a hardship. Notify the individual of the decision to grant or deny the extension request on the Notice of Temporary Assistance Extension for Hardship Action (IM-363) form.

If it is determined the individual is eligible for an extension due to a hardship, the case must be reviewed to ensure Temporary Assistance eligibility exists. If during the evaluation process it is determined that eligibility for Temporary Assistance does not exist, follow current procedures to close.

Extensions are granted to allow the individual time to overcome/adapt to barriers causing eligibility for an extension. Individuals who have been granted an extension are to be re-evaluated every 90 days. Verification of the reason for extension is to be obtained at each re-evaluation in order to verify the continued need for an extension.

Individuals who have received Temporary Assistance benefits for sixty-months and who do not qualify for an extension are no longer eligible to receive Temporary Assistance. Notify these individuals of their ineligibility for Temporary Assistance by Notice of Adverse Action. This notice is to be sent with the IM-363 that informs the individual of the denial of an extension.

The 58th month notice and revised sixty-month review policy is currently under development. A separate memorandum will be issued to explain the revised process.

CASES FSD PREVISOUSLY CASE MANAGED

Letters are not being sent to individuals who were previously case managed by FSD to inform them that they are being referred to DWD. DWD will send call-in letters to these individuals. If the individual contacts the FSD worker, answer all questions and remind the individual that participating in a work activity is an eligibility requirement for the Temporary Assistance program. Continue to use current work requirement codes. A separate memorandum will be issued with further details on the process to use with teen parents, refugees, temporary exclusions, etc. Continue to issue supportive service payments to individuals in an open component, per the Temporary Assistance Manual Section 0290.00.00, until further notice.

Discontinue use of the IM-300 series forms effective July 1, 2005 with the following exceptions:

• IM-309I - Initial Assessment
• IM-311 - Referral and Transmittal (Used for Food Stamp METP. Refer to the Food Stamp Manual Section 1105.025.50.15.)
• IM-360A - Extension or Closing Summary
• IM-363 - Notice of Temporary Assistance Extension For Hardship Action

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Begin using the IM-309I Initial Assessment form July 1, 2005.
• Discontinue the team reviews for the sixty-month review effective July 1, 2005.
• Discontinue use of the Domestic Violence Assessment (IM-2DVA) and the Domestic Violence Screening (IM-2DVS) forms effective July 1, 2005.
• Discontinue use of the IM-300 series forms except for those listed in this memorandum.
• Continue to issue supportive service payments to individuals in an open component until further notice.

CW
Attachments:
IM-309I
IM-309I Instructions