NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
April 16, 2008

IM 5035

TO:		County Social Service Directors
Economic Assistance Policy Regional Representatives
Economic Assistance Policy Quality Control Reviewers

FROM:	Tove Mandigo, Director, Economic Assistance Policy

SUBJECT:	Changing from Change Reporting to Simplified Reporting

PROGRAMS:	Food Stamps

EFFECTIVE:	May 1, 2008

RETENTION: 	Until Manualized

SECTIONS 
AFFECTED:	430-05-67-45-10 – Changing from Change Reporting to Simplified Reporting

Effective May 1, 2008 for all ongoing cases, if a change reporting household reports and verifies a change that meets the simplified reporting criteria, the worker must change the household to a simplified reporting household two months following the month the change is reported.  

Changing from Change Reporting to Simplified Reporting 430-05-67-45-10
 
If a household certified as a change reporting household reports and verifies a change that meets the simplified reporting criteria, the worker must act on the reported change and change the household to a simplified reporting household two months following the month the change is reported.  
 
The worker must enter a Y on the FS Simplified Reporting Household – Send Six Month Report Form two months following the month the change was reported.  TECS will then automatically send the X421 – SR Requirements for CE HH Over Gross Income or the X422 - Simplified Reporting Requirements, whichever is appropriate, to the household the first day of the month the indicator is a Y.

Workers will need to set an alert as a reminder to change the indicator to a Y for the second month following the change.  

Examples:

1.	A household with all elderly members and no earned income was certified in December.  On February 6th, the household reports and verifies a new source of income from employment for a household member.  In March, the simplified report indicator must be changed to a Y for the benefit month of April March.  TECS will automatically send Notice X422 April 1 and the household becomes a simplified reporting household effective April March 1st.

2.	A household with all disabled members and no earned income was certified in March.  On June 25, the household reports a new source of income from employment for a household member.  The worker sends the F442 on June 26 requesting verification of the new employment allowing the household 10 days to provide the verification.  The household remains change reporting for the benefit month of July. 

	If the household provides the verifications within 10 days, the change must be acted on for August benefits allowing for 10-day advance notice and the household becomes simplified reporting effective August.  TECS will automatically send X422 August 1.  

If the household fails to provide the verifications within 10-days, the F401 must be sent and the case will close the end of July.

If the household provides the verification prior to the case closing, the changes must be acted on for August benefits. Adequate and advance notice is not required as the household is receiving a benefit rather than case closure.  The household becomes simplified reporting effective August and TECS will automatically send X422 August 1.

3.	A TANF household requests their case be closed on March 26th as child support exceeds the amount of the grant.   The TANF grant must not be counted for April benefits.  Anticipated child support for April will result in a decrease in benefits and cannot be acted on for April as advance notice is required.  The household remains change reporting for the month of April.

	If the worker receives an alert on April 1 that child support was paid in the base month of March, the worker must anticipated child support income for May allowing for advance notice.  In April, the worker must change the simplified reporting indicator to a Y for the benefit month of May April. TECS will then automatically send Notice X422 May 1 and the household becomes a simplified reporting household effective May April 1st.

If anticipated child support for April would result in a decrease in benefits, a 10-day advance notice is required. 

If the worker receives an alert on May 1 that child support was paid in the base month (April), the household is now a simplified reporting household.  Counting the child support paid in the base month would result in a decrease in benefits.  The change is not acted on until six month report or recertification, whichever occurs first.

4.	A TANF household files a monthly report for TANF on July 5 and reports a household member started a new job in June.  The worker sends the F442 requesting verification of the new income.  The household provides the verification on July 10 and based on the verification the TANF case will close the end of July.  The earned income must be added to the case and the TANF grant removed for the benefit month of August for Food Stamps.  The household remains change reporting for the benefit month of August.

In August, the worker must change the simplified reporting indicator to a Y for the benefit month of September. TECS will then automatically send Notice X422 September 1 and the household becomes a simplified reporting household effective September.

If the household fails to provide the verification, the F401 must be sent and the case will close the end of July.  

5.	On July 20, a TANF household reports a new job and requests their TANF case be closed.  The worker sends the F442 requesting verification of the new income.  The household fails to provide the verification within 10 days. Since it is after advance notice deadline, the F401 cannot be sent to close the case.  The grant must be removed for August and the household remains change reporting.  

	The worker will receive an alert to send the F401 on August 1.  The F401 must be sent to close the case the end of August.  

If the household provides the verification during the advance notice period, the worker has 10 days from the date the verification was provided to act and the case must not be closed.  In August, the worker must change the simplified reporting indicator to a Y for the benefit month of September. TECS will then automatically send Notice X422 September 1 and the household becomes a simplified reporting household effective September.

If there are less than six months left in the household’s certification period, no six month report is required, as the household must be recertified at the end of its current certification period.
 
If there are more than six months left in the household’s certification period, a six month report will be mailed to the household on the 5th to the last working day of month five.   The report is due by the 10th day of month six. In addition, the household is required to complete the recertification application at the end of the household’s current certification period.
 
If the household does not submit a monthly report for TANF and they have a two consecutive prior month (could include the processing month) history of late reporting for TANF, anticipate the TANF grant and the household remains a change reporting household.
 
If the household does not submit a monthly report for TANF and they do not have a two immediate prior consecutive month (could include the processing month) history of late reporting for TANF, do not anticipate the TANF grant.  The household becomes a simplified reporting household the first month following the month after the TANF case closes.  Monthly reports for TANF are due on the fifth of the month or the first working day after the fifth of the month if the fifth falls on a weekend or holiday.  A TANF monthly report received after the due date is considered a late report.  
 
Examples:

1.	A household received four months of TANF Diversion Assistance and a closing notice is sent in month four. The household submits a TANF monthly report in month four and a Request for Benefits.  A TANF grant must be anticipated and counted for month five. The case remains change reporting.

2.	A household received four months of TANF Diversion Assistance and a closing notice is sent in month four. The household submits a TANF monthly report in month four but does not submit a Request for Benefits.  A TANF grant is not anticipated or counted for month five.  The case becomes simplified reporting for month six five. 

3.	A household received four months of TANF Diversion Assistance and a closing notice is sent in month four. The household does not submit a TANF monthly report in month four but does submit a Request for Benefits.  A TANF grant is not anticipated or counted for month five. The case becomes simplified reporting for month six five.

4.	A household received four months of TANF Diversion Assistance and a closing notice is sent in month four. The household does not submit a TANF monthly report or a Request for Benefits in month four.  A TANF grant is not anticipated or counted for month five.  The case becomes simplified reporting for month six five.

5.	A household received two months of TANF.  The household submits a Request for Benefits and a TANF monthly report in month two to be changed to TANF Diversion.  A TANF Diversion grant must be anticipated and counted for month three.  The case remains change reporting.