TO:	Commissioners, TA Directors; FS Directors; Staff Development Coordinators

FROM:	Patricia A. Stevens, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Temporary Assistance

SUBJECT:	24-month FS certification periods for households in which all adults are elderly/disabled

EFFECTIVE DATE:	September 10, 2003

CONTACT PERSON:  Eastern Regional Team @ 1-800-343-8859 ext. 3-1469

This is to inform districts of recent regulatory amendments to 18 NYCRR 387.7 and 387.17 regarding food stamp certification periods, effective September 10, 2003. These changes authorize food stamp (FS) certification periods of up to 24 months for households in which all the adult members are elderly or disabled. 

Districts may now assign certification periods of up to 24 months at initial certification or recertification for households in which all adult members are elderly or disabled.  Districts also may extend the current certification period in an undercare transaction as long as the total months of the certification period do not exceed 24 months. As detailed in ABEL Transmittal 03-4, 24-month certification periods will be allowed on WMS, only if workers have entered an “A” in the A/D Indicator on a stored ABEL FS Budget. 

As explained in 01 ADM–08, food stamp households assigned certification periods of more than 12 months (up to 24 months) must have a “contact” at the 12-month point of their certification period.  The requirement to contact households is met by the WMS-generated Food Stamp Change Report Form (LDSS 3151) that is sent in the 11th month of the certification period to households with only unearned income (including income from Temporary Assistance) budgeted on ABEL.

As noted in the second paragraph above, districts may switch to 24-month certification periods by extending a household’s current certification period.  However, this extension method should only be used if WMS data entry is done before the 4th weekend of the 11th month of their current certification period to ensure the case is included in the WMS pulldown for sending the 12-month contact.  Households beyond the 4th weekend of the 11th month of their current certification period should be recertified and assigned appropriate certification periods based on their case circumstances including those to be assigned 24-month certification periods. 

Districts must not initiate adverse action against these elderly/disabled households with only unearned income budgeted who receive the 12-month Food Stamp Change Report Form and do not return the change report form. The Food Stamp Change Report form contains language advising these households of the changes they need to report and directs them not to submit the form unless they have one or more of the described changes. 

Households where all the adult members are elderly/disabled and with no income budgeted on ABEL must not be assigned certification periods greater than twelve months.  In addition, districts are reminded that earned income households should be certified for only six-month certification periods unless the district has requested and received OTDA permission to use 12-month certification periods.