NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
March 18, 2004

	IM #4946

TO:		County Director
EA Policy Regional Representatives

FROM:	Blaine Nordwall, Director, Economic Assistance Policy

SUBJECT:	Certification Periods at Application 430-05-20-95
		Certification Periods at Recertification 430-05-35-50

PROGRAMS:	Food Stamps

RETENTION: 	Until Manualized

CURRENT POLICY:

Policy requires that any household with earned income must be certified for no more than six months.

POLICY CHANGE:

We have received waiver approval of the maximum six-month certification periods for food stamp households with earned income. Effective April 1, 2004 food stamp applications and recertifications with earned income may be assigned certification periods of up to 12 months for the following categories. 

1.	Any combination Food Stamp/TANF case
2.	Any combination Food Stamp/Medicaid case subject to monthly reporting for Medicaid purposes.
3.	Self-employed households with annualized income.
4.	Households with averaged contract income.  

If you have questions, please contact your Regional Representative.