- TO:
- ALL FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION OFFICES
- FROM:
- PATRICK LUEBBERING, ACTING DIRECTOR
- SUBJECT:
- PROTECTED CASELOADS
- MANUAL REVISION #6
DISCUSSION:
Protected Caseloads have been established in the Family Assistance Management Information System (FAMIS) and Missouri Eligibility Determination and Enrollment System (MEDES) to protect Family Support Division (FSD) employees from inadvertently accessing or taking action on protected cases.
All applications and active cases where an FSD employee is a member of the household must be assigned to a protected caseload. Only Eligibility Specialists assigned to a protected caseload may authorize benefits for other FSD employees. Every FSD employee is responsible for immediately notifying their supervisor when a conflict or possible conflict arises so that the supervisor can make other arrangements for handling the client’s case.
Protected Load procedures are based on the following DSS Administrative Policies:
- Conflict of Interest (2-500), which states that employees “are to perform their assigned duties in a manner which precludes any potential for a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest” and “are specifically prohibited from any direct or indirect involvement in determining eligibility for or providing services to a client or applicant if the employee has any personal or financial relationship with the client or applicant. Personal relationships are defined as those that extend beyond a mere acquaintance, or which may compromise the decisions of the employee involved, either in fact or in appearance.
- Work Rules (2-115) and Code of Conduct (2-120)
- Information Security Management (6-100), which states workforce members are prohibited from accessing information regarding themselves, friends or relatives or making any other inquiries or updates that are not required in the performance of their official duties.
The protected load will serve applicants and recipients who meet any of the following criteria:
- A victim of domestic violence;
- A victim of human trafficking;
- A participant in the Safe at Home program;
- An employee of the Family Support Division (FSD);
- A family member (spouse, parent or child) residing with an FSD employee;
- A case on which an FSD employee is the Authorized Representative;
- A temporary employee currently assigned to FSD.
FSD Employee Applications and Active Cases
Effective immediately all applications and active cases where an FSD employee is a member of the household or an authorized representative must be assigned to a protected caseload. The employee should complete the Protected Load Cover Sheet (attached) and email it to ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov. The email subject line should be Protected Load – Initial Notification. Employees may also call 573-751-8959 and provide their identifying information. These cases will be moved into the protected load by the Customer Relations Unit (CRU).
Employees who wish to apply for benefits may do so by:
- Fax 573-522-2886
- Mail: FSD/CRU
PO Box 2320
Jefferson City, MO, 65102 - Email: ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov with Protected Load – Application in the subject line.
- At any FSD Resource Center
- Online at https://dss.mo.gov/fsd/.
Employees choosing to submit their application to a FSD Resource Center or online must notify the CRU. Notification can be done by completing the Protected Load Coversheet and submitting via email to ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov, The email subject line should be Protected Load – Initial Notification or by calling 573-751-8959.
Employees who wish to report changes to their benefit cases may do so by submitting the information via email to ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov with the email subject line Protected Load – Correspondence, by faxing the information to 573-522-2886, by mailing the documentation to the FSD/CRU, P O Box 2320, Jefferson City, MO 65102, by submitting the information to a FSD Resource Center or by calling the Customer Relations Unit at 573-751-8959. Please remember to include notification that you are an FSD employee.
Local Office Process
Family Support Division Resource and Processing Centers who identify applications, change reports, reinvestigations, re-certifications, or any other documentation on cases in the protected load should log all documentation in ITrackRS, per local instruction, stop all work on the case, and scan the completed Protected Load Cover sheet and all documentation via email to ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov with the subject line Protected Load – Correspondence, for review and processing.
Call Center employees who identify a protected case using the below criteria should send an email to ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov with the subject line Protected Load – Correspondence. The body of the email must include the Client’s name, DCN or SSN, and a telephone number where the client can be reached.
A protected case can be identified as follows:
- FAMIS – When viewing a FAMIS case, FAMIS Program Participation (FAMISPAR/FM0D) and the Supercase Member Clearance (SCMBR/FM0E) screens of cases in the protected load will populate with information. The protected load numbers in FAMIS are 004613, 004614, 004615, and 004616.
- MEDES – When viewing a case in MEDES, the person profile page will display a sensitivity level ‘2’ in the upper right hand corner when the case is in the protected load.
- Pending Tasks - If you are working a task associated to a case in the protected load, you will need to complete the Protected Load cover sheet and email the coversheet to ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov for review and handling. Include Protected Load – Correspondence in the email subject line. Update the task to ‘completed’ after emailing the cover sheet.
ATTACHMENTS
PROTECTED LOAD REQUEST FORM
This form is to be used when the applicant does not meet the criteria stated above and is requesting their case remain in, or be moved to, the protected load. This form can be completed by the applicant or completed by the employee on the applicant’s behalf. Completed forms should be emailed to ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov with Protected Load Request in the subject line, for review and processing.
PROTECTED LOAD COVER SHEET
This form is to be used when the applicant does not meet the criteria stated above and is requesting their case remain in, or be moved to, the protected load. This form can be completed by the applicant or completed by the employee on the applicant’s behalf. Completed forms should be emailed to ConfidentialFiles@ip.sp.mo.gov with Protected Load Request in the subject line, for review and processing.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
- Links:
PL/ab