TO:	TA Directors, FS Directors, CAP Coordinators, Staff Development Coordinators

FROM:	Richard McElroy, Acting Deputy Commissioner

SUBJECT:  Periodic Reports for Non-TA Food Stamp Households 

EFFECTIVE DATE:  June 30, 2004

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

This is to remind districts of the new centralized WMS mailing of the “Periodic Reports” (LDSS-4310) to Non-Temporary Assistance Food Stamp (Non-TA FS) households without earned income.  The periodic reports are mailed at the end of the fifth month of the certification period for those unearned income households who are subject to 6 month reporting and have certification periods of seven full months or greater.   Formerly, these households were mailed a change report form (LDSS-3151) that did not have to be completed and returned to the district unless the household had a change to report.

As described in 04 ADM-02, “Changes in Food Stamp Program Change Reporting Rules”, beginning October 1, 2004 (with mailers that are sent in September and due in October), all of these unearned income households are required to complete and return the Periodic Report DSS-4310 by the 10th of the month following the month in which it was mailed.  It is recommended that districts “log in” returned periodic mailers using the “Quarterly Contact Update” function on the WMS Quarterly Reporting Subsystem (WMS menu selection #24), so that the list of “No Response” cases is up to date.  This listing could then be used to identify households that have not responded.  This is more important now than in the past with the increased volume of periodic mailers due to the inclusion of households with only unearned income.  Households sent a periodic mailer due to the presence of unearned income are identified by a “Select Code” of “U”.

Districts are reminded that the earliest effective date for closing unearned income households for failure to return a completed Periodic Report will be October 31st, 2004.  As noted above, the unearned income households (Select Code “U”) are distinguished on the WMS Quarterly Reporting Subsystem from the earned income households (Select Code “2”); earned income households are  subject to adverse action for failure to respond.

However, if an unearned income household does return a report with a change the district must act upon that change.  Reported changes that will decrease the benefit amount are made with adequate notice.  If the information reported will increase the benefit amount, the change must be verified before the increase is made.  If the information reported must be verified or is insufficient to determine the effect on the household’s eligibility or benefit amount, the district must attempt to verify the information by use of a Request for Contact. A household that fails to respond to a Request for Contact to verify a reported change that would increase their benefit amount will not have that increase made.  Failure to respond to a Request for Contact for additional information required to determine eligibility, for example adding a required member to household composition at the 6 month contact point, will result in the district providing timely notice to close the case.