TO:	Local District Commissioners, TA Directors, FS Directors, Staff Development Coordinators

FROM:  Russell Sykes, Deputy Commissioner, Division of  Employment and Transitional  Supports

SUBJECT:	Group Home Standardized Benefits (GHSB) Adjustments

EFFECTIVE DATE:	 February 1, 2006

CONTACT PERSON:	For FS program questions contact (518)-473-1469; for WMS systems questions contact Tom Walkuski @ (518)-473-9780.	

We have secured federal approval for adjustments in the Group Home Standardized Benefit (GHSB) amounts as follows:

	TA Income	SSI/SSA income	Other Income, No TA or SSI/SSA income	
NYC, Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester	  $86  (was $84)	$39  (was $33)
	$51
(Unchanged)	
Rest of State	
$90 
(was $98)	
$44 
(was $31)	$140
(Unchanged)

	
All Districts Supervised /Supportive Apartment/Enriched Housing Eligible for full HT/AC SUA	$152
(Unchanged)	$152
(Unchanged)	$152
(Was $140)	

These benefit standards apply to all group home recipients in shelter types 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, and 42.

The new GHSB standards will be migrated in to the Upstate WMS system on January 14, 2006.  Information regarding the WMS mass rebudgeting/reauthorization of GHSB cases was provided in GIS message 05 TA/WMS032 on December 22, 2005.