Proposed revised regulations are out for public comment, due December 29, 2005. The changes address: State Participation and Beneficiary Choice; Employment Network (EN) Payment Systems; and a new requirement, that an employment network report to the Program Manager each time it requests to take a ticket out of assignment. SSA also is seeking comments on four additional issues: (1) whether a beneficiary should be eligible for more than one ticket in a period of entitlement for SSDI or SSI benefits; (2) whether and how to simplify the definition of “using a ticket;” (3) whether the evidence requirements for EN payment are unnecessarily burdensome; and (4) whether there are any circumstances under which SSA should pay both Phase 1 and Phase 2 milestones to an EN for beneficiaries who assign their ticket after SSA has made a payment to the State VR agency under the cost reimbursement payment system. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
ACL 05-24 – Foster Care and Kin-GAP Program Rates (September 22, 2005)
The hard to get rates are now posted in this ACL. Don’t forget to ask for special need payments! [Download]
ACIN I-61-05 – Amendments to the Expanded Expedited Service Disaster Evacuee Policy (September 23, 2005).
FNS has extended the period for applications for “Expanded (ES)” food stamp benefits by 15 days, through October 31, 2005. The “relaxed procedures” for EBT transactions (hand entering number instead of using card) is extended to through September 30, 2005. And, just to keep evacuees (and their advocates) on their toes, the numbers for to get the EBT card numbers (for aforesaid manual entry) has changed: the new numbers are 1-888-524-3578 (Louisiana) and 1-866-449-9488 (Mississippi).
[Download]
Katrina Food Stamp Administrative Notices
FNS has put out two notices. AN 05-27 reviews the “expectations” for expedited services for Hurricane evacuees. Of note: 1 day (not 7, not 3) issuance of expedited food stamps, and review of its two new Food Stamp policies: the National Enhanced Policy for the first month of application and the Expanded Disaster Evacuee Policy for additional months. (California has developed a special application, page 5.)
For applications received through October 31, 2005, the National Enhanced Policy allows for a one-month allotment based on household size and evacuee status, no other criteria need be considered. For the Expanded benefits, cases can be certified, with postponed verification, up through December, 2005. The household composition, work registration/program, and ABAWD rules are also suspended through December, 2005.
ACL 05-16 – CalWORKs 60-month Time Limit Exemption for Calworks Recipients Living in Indian Country (July 13, 2005)
The latest list of which Tribal Reservations and Rancherias are off the 60-month clock because of high unemployment. Affected counties include: Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Humboldt, Madera, Mendocino, Riverside, San Diego, Siskiyou. [Download]
ACL 05-18 – COLA for the MAP and MBSAC for CalWORKs and Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Programs (July 22, 2005)
Silver lining to the budget bad news. Although it suspended the COLA for two years, since the was not approved as of July 1, 2005, the COLA went through for July. CalWORKs and RCA folks will get a one-time corrective underpayment “as soon as administratively possible.” The Food Stamp Program will treat this payment as a resource. [Download]