TO: Commissioners, TA Directors, Staff Development Coordinators, TOP Coordinators, CAP Coordinators

FROM: Russell Sykes, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Temporary Assistance

SUBJECT:	LIFELINE Indicator

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately

CONTACT PERSON: Cash Assistance Bureau @ 1-800-343-8859, extension 4-9344

Discounted telephone service is available from telephone service providers for low-income households.  This discounted service is known as “LIFELINE”.  LIFELINE service can reduce the telephone service expense of a low-income household.  OTDA has an agreement with certain telephone service providers (currently Verizon) to share limited information regarding Temporary Assistance (TA) and Food Stamp (FS) recipients to enable the possible automatic enrollment in LIFELINE.  Proper measures must be followed to ensure that the client’s right to choose and confidentiality are not compromised.

The release of client information does not guarantee the automatic enrollment in a LIFELINE service program.  A recipient of any low-income program, including Medicaid (MA) and Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), can apply for LIFELINE service by contacting their telephone service provider.  An individual need not be in receipt of benefits from a low-income program to receive LIFELINE service.  An individual meeting income guidelines may be eligible.  Negative action cannot be taken by a local district against a case for failure to apply for LIFELINE service.

The release of client information is limited to the name and address of recipients of TA and FS.  Recipients of MA-only and HEAP-only are excluded from this automatic enrollment process, but can apply for LIFELINE service by contacting their telephone service provider.

TA and FS recipients must be afforded the opportunity to “opt-out” of the release of client information to their telephone service provider.  Therefore, language has been added to Section 26 on page 16 of the “Common Application” LDSS-2921 Statewide (Rev. 1/05) that allow TA or FS applicants to “opt-out” of releasing information to their telephone service provider.

•	If the checkbox associated with this language is checked, this indicates that the applicant does not want information released to their telephone service provider and the local social services district (LSSD) must take action as stated below to ensure the information is not released.

•	If the checkbox is blank, this indicates the applicant is allowing the information to be released to their telephone service provider and no further action is required by the local social services district (LSSD.

This GIS explains the procedures districts must follow based on the response to the LIFELINE checkbox on the application.

A LIFELINE data element input field (“LFLN”) has been added to Section 1 of the WMS Application Turnaround Document (APP-TAD) (LDSS-3636).  This “LFLN” field is located to the right of the “TRACKING” box.

•	If the applicant has checked the checkbox on the application, an “N” must be entered in the “LFLN” field of the APP-TAD and on WMS Screen 1 during Full Data Entry (FDE) to prevent the release of information.

•	If the applicant leaves the checkbox blank, no further action is needed since a blank “LFLN” field will release the client information to the telephone service provider.

Upon successful completion of FDE of the APP-TAD, an Authorization Form (LDSS-3209) will be produced with the “LFLN” field blank or displaying an “N”.

No further local social services district (LSSD) action is required until such time that the recipient indicates a change of the decision as to whether or not have information released to the telephone service provider.  If that should occur, the same APP-TAD procedures would be used with the Authorization Form (LDSS-3209).

Any questions related to LIFELINE service must be directed to the recipient’s telephone service provider.

An administrative directive will be forthcoming.