TO:	  Commissioners; TA Directors; FS Directors; WMS Coordinators 

FROM:	Patricia A. Stevens, Deputy Commissioner

SUBJECT:	 TBA – Transitional Benefit Alternative- Conference Call schedule

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 15, 2001 	

CONTACT PERSON: Eastern Regional Team @518-473-1469

This is to notify local districts about the Food Stamp Transitional Benefit Alternative (TBA) conference calls schedule.  As described in 01 ADM-16, local districts will implement TBA for eligible households that leave Family Assistance (Case Type 11) and Safety Net Assistance-Federally Participating (Case Type 12) beginning November 15, 2001.  To provide technical assistance during this time, staff from the Division of Temporary Assistance Eastern Regional Team have planned conference calls for local districts.  The calls will be held starting Thursday, November 15, 2001 through Friday, November 30, 2001.  

The purpose of these calls is to offer a forum in which TBA-related issues and questions can be discussed and resolved.  Our experience using conference calls for the 60-month time limit and with Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) implementation proved to be extremely helpful in resolving implementation problems and answering questions.  The TBA calls will not conflict with the ongoing 60- month time limit calls.

Districts are invited to take part in one conference call per week lasting about one hour.  Below is the schedule for each district’s assigned days and times. 

We invite as many of your staff to participate in these conference calls, as you deem appropriate.  Due to the number of potential participants in each call, however, and to efficiently administer these calls, we ask that you appoint a spokesperson to coordinate your district’s questions.  In addition, if your district has more than one site, we ask that these calls be coordinated at one of your sites.

If your district would like to participate in the conference call, you may do so by calling 1-877-300-8186 and using the Pass Code 553343.  The operator will prompt the caller to enter the Pass Code followed by the # sign for access to the conference call.  

In the event that your district does not wish to participate on a given day, but you have questions or problems, you may contact the Eastern Regional Team at 518-473-1469.

TBA conference Call Schedule
November 15, 2001 to November 30, 2001

One Call Per Week

Thursday, November 15, 2001,  Monday, November 19, 2001,  Monday, November 26, 2001

Group One (9:00-10:15): Oneida, Chautauqua, Broome, Niagara, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Ulster, Rockland, Jefferson, St. Lawrence (10 counties)

Group Two (10:45-12:00): Hamilton, Lewis, Otsego, Wyoming, Schoharie, Putnam, Yates, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne (11 counties)

Group Three (1:45-3:00): Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Warren, Washington, Livingston Cattaragus, Orleans, Herkimer, Tioga (10 counties) 

Friday, November 16, 2001,  Friday, November 23, 2001,  Friday, November 30, 2001 

Group Four (9:00-10:15): Ontario, Chemung, Allegany, Cortland, Cayuga, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Fulton (9 counties)

Group Five (10:45-12:00): Monroe, Erie, Westchester, Suffolk, Nassau, Onondaga, Albany, Orange, NYC HRA (9 counties)

Group Six (1:45-3:00): Genesee, Sullivan, Chenango, Tompkins, Oswego, Madison, Saratoga, Montgomery, Columbia (9 counties)

Conference Call Phone Number 1-877-300-8186 (Pass Code 553343)