NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
September 28, 2010

	IM 5106

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

FROM:	Tove Mandigo, Director, Economic Assistance Policy

SUBJECT:	ABAWD Waivers

SECTIONS 
AFFECTED:	430-05-40-50-10

PROGRAMS:	SNAP

RETENTION: 	Until Manualized

Effective October 1, 2010, ABAWD provisions apply to new applications or reviews received on or after that date.  ABAWDS in ongoing cases that are currently exempt will remain exempt until their next review.  

Benson, Eddy, Emmons, Kidder, McHenry, Pierce, Rolette, Sheridan, Sioux and Towner Counties will remain exempt from the able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) provisions through September 30, 2011.  

Individuals initially applying in the exempt counties on October 1, 2010 or later are exempt from the ABAWD provisions.

For exempt counties when processing review applications and ongoing cases for the benefit month of November 2010, TECS will continue to default the code on ABRE for all individuals to “EX”.  An informational edit will appear on the ABRE screen “county exempt from ABAWDS requirement” and it will not allow the entry of any coding on this screen for any case in the above counties.  The ABAWD provisions do not apply to any individual residing in any of these counties. 

Effective October 1, 2010, Foster, McLean, Mercer, Mountrail, Oliver and Wells Counties will remain exempt from the ABAWD provisions using the State’s 15% exemption criteria allowed by federal regulation. When processing new applications or reviews on or after October 1, 2010, workers in these counties must go through the ABRE screen in TECS, identify all ABAWDs and code those individuals as “SP” in the REQ/EX column, if they are not otherwise exempt.  

If you have questions, please contact your Regional Representative.