MEMORANDUM

DISCUSSION:

Beginning July 1, 2012, a new IM-16 Log (Child Support TA Sanction Request) must be used by Family Support Division (FSD) Income Maintenance (IM) offices to track requests to add or remove a sanction due to non-cooperation with Child Support (CS). A recent audit of Temporary Assistance (TA) revealed a timeliness issue on sanction requests received from CS for non-cooperation. To rectify the timeliness issue, the IM-16 Log is created to track sanction requests and removal of sanction requests received from CS.

Current CS policy requires the child support specialist (CSS) to send the sanction request to the appropriate eligibility specialist (ES) only, through e-mail or by forwarding a Communication Transmittal (IM-16) form. Effective July 1, 2012 the CSS will be sending requests to add or remove a TA sanction due to non-cooperation with child support to the appropriate ES and the FSD ES supervisor.

This memorandum outlines:

• DETERMINING THE RECIPIENT OF THE TA SANCTION REQUEST;
• UPDATING THE IM-16 LOG;
• PROCESSING CS REQUESTS FOR SANCTION;
• MAINTAINING THE IM-16 LOG;
• MANUAL UPDATES; and
• FORMS MANUAL UPDATE.

DETERMINING THE RECIPIENT OF THE TA SANCTION REQUEST

The CSS checks the TA Eligibility Unit Summary (EUSMM or FM0J) screen in FAMIS to determine the most current ES and ES supervisor, which is noted in the User ID (ES) and Sup ID (ES supervisor) field. To identify the name that belongs to the User ID and Sup ID the CSS copies the IDs and then pastes the User ID in the "To" field and the Sup ID in the "Cc" field of the email. Clicking on the "To" and "Cc" button after pasting the IDs populates the name that belongs to that ID as it is stored in Outlook. Program & Policy staff met with Child Support and Field Operations staff and determined this was the optimal method for routing the sanction requests.

UPDATING THE IM-16 LOG

The ES supervisor must add each TA non-cooperation sanction request and each request to remove a TA non-cooperation sanction to the IM-16 Log and "check mark" when the requested action is complete. Email and paper IM-16 sanction requests must be entered onto the log.

The column headings on the IM-16 log are:

• Date Received In FSD Office
• Child Support Specialist Name
• Participant's Name
• DCN
• Add A Sanction (entry ONLY requires a check mark)
• Remove A Sanction (entry ONLY requires a check mark)
• Date Given To ES (complete if sanction request is received via paper IM-16)
• ES's Name
• Initials Of Assigner (initials of person tracking request/typically ES supervisor)
• Action Taken (entry ONLY requires a check mark)

PROCESSING CS REQUESTS FOR SANCTION

The ES must act on the sanction request within ten days of receipt of the e-mail or paper IM-16. The e-mails received from CSS requesting the addition or removal of a sanction contains the words "TA Sanction" in the subject line of the e-mail. CS Program and Policy (P&P) are in the process of notifying CSS staff on the subject line wording for TA sanctions. Continue to accept e-mails from CSS requesting a TA sanction when "TA Sanction" wording is missing in the subject line and follow the same process outlined in this memo regarding the IM-16 Log and timeframes for processing.

MAINTAINING THE IM-16 LOG

The IM-16 Log is attached. FSD IM offices are instructed to save the IM-16 Log to the shared drive so the ES supervisor(s) and/or County/Program Managers have access to the log. Both the IM-16 Log and instructions for completing the IM-16 Log are available in the Forms Manual. The IM-16 Log must be e-mailed to State Office quarterly. FSD offices can follow the same office procedures set in place for the Customer Service Feedback log, introduced in Income Maintenance Memorandum IM-32, dated April 15, 2008 and follow the same quarterly reporting time; however, the IM-16 Log must be e-mailed to FSD.coletapolicy@dss.mo.gov.

MANUAL UPDATES

Section 0205.060.35 Sanctions for Refusal to Cooperate has been updated to include the option for CSS to email the sanction request to the ES and the eligibility specialist supervisor.

FORMS MANUAL UPDATE

The IM-16 Log and Instructions have been added to the Forms Manual.

To Access the IM-16 Log in the Forms Manual:

• from the FSD Intranet page, click Temporary Assistance;
• click Forms;
• click Forms Manual;
• click Volume I; and
• click IM-16 Log.

The IM-16 Log will be uploaded soon. To complete the IM-16 Log:

• go to D:\FSFORMS and
• select the IM-16 Log.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Both the ES and ES supervisor are e-mailed for sanction requests.
• The ES has ten days to act on sanction request.
• IM-16 Log is ONLY for TA sanction requests for non-cooperation and removal of sanction requests from Child Support
• Save the IM-16 Log on shared drive so all ES Supervisors and County/Program Managers in an office have access to log.
• ES supervisors track TA non-cooperation requests to add or remove sanction requests.
• E-mail the IM-16 Log to State Office quarterly to FSD.coletapolicy@dss.mo.gov. The first IM-16 Log is due October 15, 2012 for requests received July-September 2012.

LH