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

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

SUBJECT: Non-Assistance Payment Types for Authorization of Temporary Assistance (TA) Emergency or Immediate Needs.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Immediately

C CONTACT PERSON:  Temporary Assistance Bureau at 1-800-343-8859; extension 4-9344 WTW Technical Advisor for Employment Programs or Participation Rate related questions. 

The spring TA/WTW Regional Forums discussed the pool (universes) of FA cases and SNA family cases that are the basis for the TANF and SNA-MOE work participation denominators.  Districts were advised that any FA or SNA-MOE case that received an “assistance payment” in the month for the month is included in the TANF and SNA-MOE universes. These adult headed cases will be included in the combined federal work participation rate calculation effective October 1, 2006, unless specifically excluded for the participation rate denominator, such as in the case of a true single parent caretaker of a child under the age of 12 months, not to exceed 12 months in the caretaker’s lifetime  

Applications where the TA eligibility determination has not been made, but districts needed to make an emergency/immediate need payment would also be included in a district’s TANF or SNA-MOE universes and therefore the participation rate calculation,  if the district authorized such payments by opening a FA case type 11 or 12 with the emergency indicator (X), opening a case type 16 or 17 with the emergency indicator (X) or doing an open/close transaction and using an “assistance” payment type for the emergency/immediate need in the month for the month. 

Using “assistance” payment types for most emergency/immediate needs makes the Federal work participation rate more difficult to achieve. To preclude this from occurring,   there are “non-assistance” payment types that districts must use to authorize payments for the most common emergency/immediate needs. 

The matrix below lists the proper “non-assistance” payment types districts must use when making emergency/immediate need payments. Although, not every emergency/immediate need can be addressed with a “non-assistance” payment type, the most common emergency/immediate needs payments can be made with “non-assistance” payment types.

By using a “non-assistance” payment type for these one-time only payments, districts will prevent cases that have not been determined eligible for on-going TA from incorrectly appearing in the their TANF or SNA-MOE universes and federal participation rate denominator.

SYSTEM IMPLICATIONS:

Several new WMS edits have been created to support the policy detailed above.  New edits are tentatively scheduled to migrate to the Production System on Monday, October 2, 2006.  If there are any delays in this schedule, a subsequent GIS will be issued.
New edits are as follows and will be applied to the following TA Case Types: 11, 12, 16 & 17
	-The following Pay Type Codes will be prohibited if the Emergency Indicator equals "X": 05, 10, 12, 23, 46-48, 58, 63, 69, 71, E3-E7, G1, W1.  Use of these Pay Types when the Emergency Indicator = X, will result in the following error: Error # 1640: PAYTYPE NOT ALLOWED WHEN EMERGENCY INDICATOR = X".
	-If Transaction Type = "09-Open/Close" and the above-listed pay types are used, the Payment Period FROM Date Month/Year must be less than the Transaction Month/Year.  If the Payment Period FROM Date Month/Year is equal to or greater than the Transaction Month/Year, the following error will be generated: Error #1641: "PAYTYPE NOT ALLOWED FOR CURRENT OR FUTURE MONTH AT OPEN CLOSE".
	-At Open/Close (09) Transactions, Pay Type Codes R7 & R9 will be prohibited if there is an individual less than 18 years of age.  Presence of a child with these pay types will result in the following error: ERROR # 1642: "PAYTYPE NOT ALLOWED WITH CHILD IN HOUSEHOLD".
	-For all other Transaction Types, if Pay Type = R7 or R9 and the Emergency Indicator = "X" and there is a child present in the case, the following error will be generated: Error # 1643: "PAYTYPE NOT ALLOWED WITH CHILD IN HOUSEHOLD WHEN EMERGENCY INDICATOR = "X"".
	-If Transaction Type =02, 05, 09, 10 or 11, and Pay Type = D9, Special Claim Codes "F" or "J" will be required.  Failure to enter these Special Claim Codes will result in the following error: "	Error # 0756: "PAYTYPES C7, C9 AND D9 REQUIRE CASE TYPE 19 OR SPC CLM CDE F OR J".
	-If Transaction Type = 02, 05, 10 or 11 and Pay Type = "D9", Emergency Indicator must = "X".  Failure to use Emergency Indicator "X" with this pay type will result in the following error: "Error # 1645: "PAYTYPE D9 REQUIRES EMERG IND".
	-If Transaction Type = 02, 05, 09,10 or 11 and Pay Type = "D9", there must be a child in the household (less than 18 or 18 and in school full-time).  Lack of a child in the case will result in the following error: Error # 1646: PAYTYPE NOT ALLOWED WITHOUT A CHILD IN THE HOUSEHOLD".

EMERGENCY/IMMEDIATE NEEDS PAYMENTS for TANF and SNA APPLICANT FAMILIES	
INCORRECT PAYMENT TYPE CODE	CORRECT PAYMENT TYPE CODE	
		
12 – Utilities to OTG
58 – Natural Gas
E7 – Electricity	60 – Emergency Payment to Prevent Shut-Off or Restore Service	
10 – Shelter
46 – Private Rent
47 – Mortgages Taxes and Assessments on Client Owned Homes
48 – Public Housing Allowance
E3 – Rental Supplement
E5 – Emergency Shelter Allowance
G1 – Shelter/R&B to Guardian	52 – Emergency Allowance to Forestall Eviction	
R7 – Transportation (except for case types 16 & 17 without a TANF defined child in the TA household)	D9 – Diversion Transportation Payment