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

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

SUBJECT:	Problem with March mailing of LDSS-3151 to elderly/disabled households

EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately

CONTACT PERSON:	FS Bureau at (800) 343-8859, ext. 3-1469  

This is to notify districts that there was a problem with the March mailing of the LDSS-3151 Food Stamp Change Report forms sent to certain elderly/disabled food stamp (FS) households.  The FS Change Report form is sent to non-NYSNIP FS households in which all adults are elderly or disabled and have a certification period longer than 12 months, to fulfill the requirement for a contact at the 12 month point of the certification period.  Households do not have to complete and return this form unless they have had reportable changes occur.

The inserts (LDSS-3151) that are supposed to accompany the system-generated cover letter were not included in the March mailing.  The mailing is being repeated to correct the omission of the reporting form.

Districts must not initiate adverse action against these elderly/disabled households if they do not return the LDSS-3151 change report form, and should consider a completed report form received from these households after the 10th of April, as having been submitted in a timely manner if it is submitted on or before April 30, 2005.