SR 18-24 Dated 02/18

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION – Division of Family Assistance (DFA)

 

FROM OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DFA:

Kerry Nelson

DFA SIGNATURE DATE:

January 18, 2018

AT (OFFICE):

Division of Family Assistance (DFA)

TO:

District Office Supervisors

SUBJECT:

4-Month ABAWD Certification Period for the Food Stamp Program

EFFECTIVE DATE:

February 26, 2018

 

SUMMARY

 

This SR releases policy that able-bodied workers without dependents (ABAWDs) must receive a minimum 4-month certification period. (Non-exempt ABAWDs who do not satisfy the work requirement will continue to close automatically so that they are limited to 3 full months within a 36-month period.)

 

FORMER POLICY

NEW POLICY

Family Services Specialists (FSSes) adjusted New HEIGHTS’s automated 6-month ABAWD certification period to align with the end of the 3-month ABAWD clock.

New HEIGHTS will automatically set a 4-month certification period for ABAWDs. (Non-exempt ABAWDs who do not satisfy the work requirement will continue to close automatically so that they are limited to 3 full months within a 36-month period.)

 

POLICY

 

Pursuant to federal simplified reporting requirements, ABAWDs must receive a minimum 4-month certification period. (Non-exempt ABAWDs who do not satisfy the work requirement will continue to close automatically so that they are limited to 3 full months within a 36-month period.)

 

NEW HEIGHTS & NH EASY SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

 

Effective Monday, February 26, 2018, New HEIGHTS will automatically set a 4-month certification period for ABAWDs.

 

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

 

No form revisions are necessary.

 

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

 

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

PART 133                     LENGTH OF ELIGIBILITY

Section 133.06             Households with Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)

Section 133.09             Certification Periods

PART 245                     ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS (ABAWDS)

 

IMPLEMENTATION

 

The policy released in this SR is effective Monday, February 26, 2018.

 

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

 

No special client notification is planned or needed.

 

TRAINING

 

No special training is planned or needed.

 

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

 

No forms are affected.

 

DISPOSITION

 

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line manuals.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for DFA policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at www.dhhs.nh.gov/dfa/publications.htm, effective Monday, April 30, 2018. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Food Stamp Manual.

 

DFA/JSC:s