UPSTATE ONLY MESSAGE      

DSS-4357EL                                                                 
WGIUPD                  GENERAL INFORMATION SYSTEM               02/27/01  
                   DIVISION:  Temporary Assistance  

GIS 01 TA/DC008                                                           

                                                                             

TO:		Commissioners; IM Directors; FS Directors; EBT Coordinators;          
     		Finance Directors; WMS Coordinators; CAP Coordinators                 
FROM:  	Patricia A. Stevens, Deputy Commissioner                            
       		Division of Temporary Assistance                                    
SUBJECT:  FS Cash-out Conversion                                       

EFFECTIVE DATE:  February 23, 2001 
CONTACT PERSON:  Tom Hedderman @ 1-800-343-8859, extension 6-6939         

	This is to advise the above-designated staff of Albany, Allegany, Broome, Erie, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Rockland, St. Lawrence, Suffolk and Monroe Counties that:

	Beginning February 1, 2001, all food stamp benefits throughout the state were to have been posted to EBT food stamp benefit accounts.  As you were informed previously in GIS 01 TA/DC005, the conversion of food stamp "cashout" benefits did not take place as scheduled.  February food stamp benefits in the affected cases were posted instead to an EBT cash account.

	Subsequently, you have received GIS 01 TA/WMS002 informing you that you now must use Method of Payment Code "01-Unrestricted" when issuing FS benefits to CAP recipients.

	This GIS is to inform you that the FS cashout conversion is now scheduled to take place 3/1/01.  Beginning on that date, all food stamp benefits throughout the state will be posted to EBT food stamp benefits accounts.  In the event that any exceptions to the conversion do occur, they will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.