A Publication of the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance

July 2005Vol. XX No. 7

this month in…

Transitions

Continued on Page 2

Quality Corner 2

From the Hotline 4

From the Forms File 4

TAFDC - 12-Month Limit onEducation or Training ActivityMeeting the Work ProgramRequirement 5

Housing Assistance Program(HAP) Referrals and theToolbox 5

Local Housing AuthorityTransitional Housing Program II:Renewal and Expansionof LHATHP 5

TAFDC: Structured Job Search(SJS) Meeting the Work ProgramRequirement 5

Bay State CAP Outreach Plan 6

TAFDC - Distance Learning Sites 6

FYI - BEACON Help Revisions 6

FYI - MBHP Assessments and EAShelter Families 7

FYI - Policy Online Changes 7

From the CommissionerDear Fellow Employees,

The much-anticipated Homeless Management Information System(HMIS) will begin deployment through the Virtual Gateway thismonth. As the sponsoring agency for this initiative, DTA hashelped develop the new system for the Executive Office of Healthand Human Services (EOHHS) as well as for our shelter and serviceprovider partners. These HMIS users will be able to access thesystem, at no cost, by logging into a password-protected area of thehttp://mass.gov/eohhs website. HMIS is in keeping with ourDepartment’s goals to not only identify the issues that createhomelessness but also provide better coordinated supports that willease the transition from homelessness to permanent housing for ourshelter individuals and families. The federal government, under theDepartment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), requiredeach state to begin developing a homeless tracking system. InMassachusetts, formal plans for the system began over a year agowhen the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Homelessness andHousing redoubled the state’s efforts towards homelessness preven-tion, interagency service coordination and improved data collectionand reporting.

Although local Transitional Assistance Office staff will not bedirectly accessing the new application, certain Department employ-ees will be using HMIS for inquiry and data analysis. Once HMISis fully operational and we begin building our database, the systemwill further several of our Housing Program objectives. Theseinclude:

• access to better and more timely information on the numbersand needs of our homeless clients;

• better reporting and analysis on shelter usage patterns and

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Transitions

http://mass.gov/eohhs

July 2005 Page 2Continued on Page 3

Quality CornerThis month we will discussthree errors, one involvingchild support paid directly tothe client and two related to theissue of household composi-tion.

Child Support Paid Directlyto the Client

A TAFDC household consistedof a mother and her five chil-dren. At the time of theTAFDC application, the fatherof four of her children paidchild support of $100 weeklydirectly to her. As part of theTAFDC application process,the client was referred to DORand child support paymentswent to DOR. One of the fourchildren for whom she receivedchild support was receivingSSI. Since September 2004,the client has been receivingthe DEFRA payment of $50monthly.

During the QC review, theDOR payment records werechecked and showed that $25in weekly child support wasgoing directly to the client forher son on SSI, causing a foodstamp overissuance. DOR, infact, received $100 weeklyfrom the non-custodial parent,but sent $25 to the mother forher son on SSI, who does notreceive TAFDC.

potential gaps in shelter availability;

• increased coordination within various affected agencies andeven within our Department; and

• greater efficiency in the management of shelter intake proce-dures.

For shelter providers and our other service partners, HMIS offers:

• a web-based check-in and bed assignment mechanism;

• a web-based tracking program for homeless families andindividuals (some of the client demographic data in BEACONwill be transferred to HMIS); and

• the ability to produce housing and shelter profiles as well asreports on demand.

While HMIS may be our Department’s lead news story this month,the “back-story” on this system is in many ways as significant.The Homeless Management Information System was developed, inpart, with savings achieved through the efficient implementation ofour other Department housing initiatives, including the Shelter-to-Housing Placement Program. Without the savings accumulatedthrough your diligent efforts in eliminating hotel usage while at thesame time placing and referring homeless clients to appropriateshelters and homelessness prevention services, HMIS would nothave been possible.

Although the issues facing homeless individuals and families aregreat, your efforts prove that these challenges are not insurmount-able. Each year, we gain more knowledge and experience inhelping our homeless clients. For the remainder of this year, wewill be focusing resources on prevention and permanent placementalternatives through the Housing Assistance Program and theResidential Assistance for Families in Transition Program. Thankyou for continuing to show a commitment towards making allDepartment housing initiatives successful. I appreciate your coop-eration with these initiatives, past and present; your work is help-ing to make a difference in the lives of homeless families whenthey need it the most.

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Sincerely,

John Wagner, Commissioner

Page 3 July 2005

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What’s an AU Manager toDo?

The client should have reportedthat she was receiving childsupport each week for her childon SSI. However, this informa-tion had also been displayed onView Direct since September2004 which coincided with thestart of her $50 DEFRA pay-ment. A DEFRA payment isalways an indication that childsupport payments are beingmade. Since the AU consistedof a child who receives SSI, theAU Manager should havechecked View Direct to see ifchild support payments werebeing made for the child re-ceiving SSI. If the AU Man-ager had followed up with thechild support income, the errorwould have been prevented.

PA Household Composition

A client received TAFDC for aniece (age nine) and nephew(age five) for whom she hadlegal custody, and who bothreceived a small amount ofRSDI income. The TAO wasnotified by Learnfare in Janu-ary 2005 that the girl was not inschool and had been placedwith her mother out of state.The niece was removed fromthe TAFDC and FS AUs inFebruary 2005, while thenephew continued to live withhis aunt. Quality Control

determined that both children had left the home and returned totheir mother in December 2004. This change was not reported toDTA by the client.

The BENDEX record shows that a change of address and changeof payee were done in January at both SSA and school. Since thenephew was no longer in the home, the case was overissued.

What’s an AU Manager to Do?

Again, this was obviously a client error since she failed to reportthe change in circumstances. Since both children belonged to thesame parent, the AU Manager could have contacted the client todetermine if her nephew was also being placed with his mother.The boy was only five years old and not subject to Learnfarewhich was the aspect of the case that revealed that the niece wasbeing removed from the client’s home. With a little more probing,the AU Manager could have prevented the error.

NPA Household Composition

Another household composition error occurred in the NPA case ofan elderly couple. At the last recertification, they listed their 21-year-old son on the application and reported that he contributed$200 a month to the rent. He was removed from the food stamphousehold after this certification with the explanation that heshould be a separate household. This appears to have been a mis-take on the part of the AU Manager who seemed to believe that theson was 22 years old and eligible to be emancipated from hisparents’ FS AU. QC determined that, since the son was not yet 22years old, he had to remain in his parent’s AU based on foodstamp household composition rules, and could not be grantedseparate household status. The son was employed full-time, sowhen he was added to his parent’s FS AU, his earnings caused theAU to be over the income limit for the AU size. This resulted in anoverpayment error.

What Can an AU Manger Do?

Food stamp regulations state that a child under 22 years old cannothave a separate FS AU while living with his or her parents. See106 CMR 361.200(A). If there is any reason for separate house-hold status to be granted or if the child is ineligible (as a collegestudent, for example), this should be noted in the case record whenthe action is taken. Since there was no reason for the son to beexcluded, the QC reviewer had no choice but to call an error.

July 2005 Page 4

From the HotlineQ. My TAFDC recipient’s only child will soon be turning six

years of age. How do I know when this recipient needs tobegin increasing her work program requirement hours?

A. There is a BEACON view called “Youngest Child Turns 6 or9.” Your recipient’s AU will appear on this view one monthprior to her child’s sixth birthday.

Q. What do I do once my TAFDC recipient whose youngestdaughter will be six years of age next month appears on theBEACON view “Youngest Child Turns 6 or 9?”

A. When your recipient appears on this view, contact her as soonas possible and schedule a meeting to explain that her hourlywork program requirement will be increasing from 20 hours to24 hours each week as required in the regulations at 106 CMR203.400(A)(5). Also, determine whether the recipient has aGood Cause reason for not meeting the new hourly require-ment. (Refer to 106 CMR 701.380 for a complete list of GoodCause reasons.)

Q. If my TAFDC recipient’s youngest child is turning six yearsof age, are there additional activities to complete aside frommeeting with her and explaining the new hourly work programrequirement and Good Cause reasons?

A. Yes. Remember to review and complete the TAFDC WorkProgram Requirement brochure with your recipient. Circleher new hourly requirement and enter “N/A” in the 60-dayWork Search Period Begin and End Date fields. This must benoted on the Narrative tab. Refer to Field Operations Memo2004-37 for more information on this brochure.

Q. How many days does my TAFDC recipient with a youngestchild turning six have before she must comply with the in-creased hours of her work program requirement?

A. Your recipient is allowed 30 days from her daughter’s sixthbirthday to arrange for the increase in hours and begin work-ing or participating for 24 hours each week. During this 30day period, sanctions should not be authorized for failureto meet the new hourly requirement (24 hours). A sanctioncan only be authorized if the recipient fails to meet the oldhourly requirement (20 hours).

Q. If my TAFDC recipient isunable to arrange foradditional hours at hercurrent ESP activity orjob, she must look for adifferent placement oradditional employment.However, what happens ifshe does not do this?

A. If your recipient does notarrange to comply with hernew hourly work programrequirement or if she isunable to arrange for theadditional hours of partici-pation, ask her if there areways in which you canassist her in referrals for aplacement or additionalESP support services.

From the Forms FileRevised Forms

18-083-0705-05LL/VER (Rev. 7/2005)Landlord Verification

This form has been revised toaccurately capture the rent thatthe tenant is obligated to pay.To accomplish this, changeshave been to Part IV B, theRental Information section ofthe form.

09-250-0705-0509-251-0705-05(S)RR-FSP-1BRights, Responsibilities andFood Stamp Penalty Warning

This form has been revised toinclude a place for applicants

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Page 5 July 2005

TAFDC - 12-Month Limiton Education or TrainingActivity Meeting the WorkProgram Requirement

TAFDCField Operations Memo2005-23A

This Field Operations Memoissued a correction to informa-tion given in Field OperationsMemo 2005-23. Due to aBEACON design change, thenotice telling the recipient thatat least nine of 12 months havebeen used in an education ortraining activity will now bemailed in a batch job processedon the 1st business day of thefollowing month, not on the25th of each month as stated inField Operations Memo 2005-23.

Housing AssistanceProgram (HAP) Referralsand the Toolbox

EAField Operations Memo2005-24

This Field Operations Memoinformed TAO staff about newprocedures for providingtoolbox money to EA-eligiblefamilies.

Local Housing Authority Transitional Housing ProgramII: Renewal and Expansion of LHATHP

EAField Operations Memo2005-25

This Field Operations Memo informed TAO staff that DTA andthe Department of Housing and Community Development haverenewed and expanded the Local Housing Authority PlacementProgram under the name Local Housing Authority TransitionalHousing Program II (LHATHP II) to include LHAs in Brookline,Fitchburg, Springfield, Weymouth, Attleboro, Worcester,Taunton, Woburn and Lowell. The memo also:

• defines criteria for participation in LHATHP II;

• describes procedures for referring families to the program;and

• instructs TAO staff on procedures relating to EA countableasset limit that does not apply to families in LHATHP.

TAFDC: Structured Job Search (SJS) Meeting the WorkProgram Requirement

TAFDCField Operations Memo 2005-26State Letter 1298

The Field Operations Memo informs TAO staff that StructuredJob Search (SJS) may be used to meet the work program require-ment at any time within the 24 months of time-limited benefits;introduces the process for prioritizing referrals to SJS; and

• TAO staff will make a preliminary determination of financialeligibility before referring a family for HAP services.

• If the HAP determines that the family could benefit fromaccess to the toolbox, the family will be referred to the TAOto complete an EA application on BEACON.

• Toolbox money will continue to be available to families inshelter without any additional steps being taken by TAO staff.

• Field Operations Memo 2005-5 is obsolete.

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to print their name. Thischange will ensure that theform is connected to the cor-rect AU record and will pre-vent AUs from being errone-ously denied.

July 2005 Page 6

TAFDC - Distance Learning Sites

TAFDCField Operations Memo 2005-28

This Field Operations Memo informs TAO staff about DistanceLearning. Distance Learning refers to a video-and computer-basededucational activity available on the Internet. The Department hasidentified six Distance Learning sites funded by the MassachusettsDepartment of Education (DOE) that help recipients get their GED

FYI

BEACON Help Revisions

The following is a list of Helpwindows that have been up-dated. The list reflects updatesmade to both the primary andsecondary windows.

• Eligibility ExplorerSummary Tab

- People Tab- Program Tab- Q & A Tab- Activity Tab

• Eligibility ExplorerVerifications Tab

- Fields & Buttons

• Eligibility ExplorerResults Tab

- Fields & Buttons- Selection Tab- AU Members Tab- Financial Tab- Updates Tab- Authorization Tab

• Eligibility Explorer Docu-ment History Tab

- Fields & Buttons- Document Preview

Window

Bay State CAP Outreach Plan

FSField Operations Memo 2005-27

The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) implementedthe Bay State CAP project on February 1, 2005. As part of theinitial implementation, DTA converted existing eligible FoodStamp Assistance Units (AUs) to Bay State CAP. There are ap-proximately 60,000 recipients of SSI who are eligible for, but notreceiving, Food Stamp benefits. In the waiver with the U.S. De-partment of Agriculture (USDA), DTA agreed to outreach to theseindividuals.

DTA will outreach to SSI recipients who appear to be eligible forBay State CAP in two phases.

Phase One will target 30,000 Bay State CAP eligible individualswho are coded for SSI purposes in State Living Arrangement A(living alone) and will be implemented through automatic enroll-ment. Phase One will take place between June 30 and August 12,2005.

Phase Two will target SSI recipients who are coded for SSI pur-pose in State Living Arrangement B (sharing expenses). DTAmust explore the “purchase and prepare” arrangement for thesehouseholds. Phase Two is slated to happen during the fall this year.

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or high school equivalencydiploma and that meet the workprogram requirement througheducation for up to 20 hoursper week. It includes the siteaddresses, e-mails and contactpersons’ names.

provides procedures for creating a referral to SJS.

The State Letter also transmits a change to the TAFDC Programregarding applicants and recipients who can meet the work pro-gram requirement with Structured Job Search as determined appro-

priate by the Department.

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Page 7 July 2005

FYIMBHP Assessments and EA Shelter Families

On October 20, 2004, a New Initiative memo entitled “MBHPAssessments and EA Shelter Families” was sent out. This memoannounced that the Department and the Massachusetts BehavioralHealth Partnership would work together to make referrals formental health assessments for families in shelter. This partnershiphas now been expanded to include the Malden TAO.

FYIPolicy Online Changes

This month you will see the following changes to Policy Online.

Reference Documentation

The following SSI Area Offices have closed; North Adams, Re-vere and Worcester. All SSI offices have merged into one central-ized office in Malden, which is now called the Malden CentralizedSSI Office.

The following options listed on the Reference Documentationwindow have been updated to reflect this change:

SSI Area Office Listing – City/TownSSI Area Office Listing; andTAO Information Listing.

BB Options

The following option has been revised:

• Financial History Report CodesThe format of this option has been revised and now includesthe TAO Requestor ID (TAO Number).

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• Eligibility Explorer Warn-ings, Edits and Messages

• Interview Wrapup EBCResults

- Fields & Buttons- Warnings, Edits and

Messages- Updates Tab- Updates Tab Fields &

Buttons- AU Members Tab- Financial Tab

• Interview WrapupSelection

• SDX CAP Inquiry- Warnings, Edits and

Messages

“We could learn a lot fromcrayons. Some are sharp,some are pretty, some aredull, some have weird names,and all are different colors.But, they all fit nicely intothe same box.”

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