Revised 6-1-09
1. At the interview, the worker must give each household Form 08FB038E, Changes in Household Circumstances. A change is considered reported the date the human services center (HSC) receives Form 08FB038E or is notified of the change by telephone or personal contact. In order to provide easier access, each HSC must have a telephone number where collect calls are accepted. The phone number is:
(A) provided on all notices such as those for certification, denial, and adverse action; and
(B) shown on Form 08FB038E.
2. Resources are not verified for households considered categorically eligible to receive food benefits per OAC 340:50-11-111.
3. When a change is reported, the worker determines if the change affects the household's eligibility or the food benefit. The worker must document all reported changes in Family Assistance/Client Services (FACS) Case Notes. If the change was reported on Form 08FB038E, the household must be provided with another Form 08FB038E.
4. When a change is reported:
(1) the the change is made effective no later than the first issuance to be delivered ten calendar days after the date the change was reported or verified, whichever is later;
(2) the worker issues a supplement when a change that increases benefits is reported too late to verify and make the change by regular roll deadlines;
(3) if verification is provided timely, the supplement is issued by the tenth calendar day following the date the change was reported, or the date the regular roll benefit is to be received, whichever is later; and
(4) if the required verification is not provided within ten calendar days but is provided at a later date, the supplement is issued within ten calendar days of the date verification was provided, rather than from the date the change was reported.
5. When a change is reported ten calendar days or more before the advance notice deadline, Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Appendix B-2, Deadlines for Case Actions, the action is taken in the same month the change is reported.
6. A notice of adverse action is computer-generated except when the reason for the change is death, code 01, or other, code 69. When code 69 is used, Form 08MP038E, Notice to Client, is hand issued by the worker.
7. The worker is responsible for determining which households are identified as annual reporters. The worker uses normal certification procedures. The computer recognizes the annual report status, automatically assigns a 24‑month certification period, and identifies the household as an annual reporter by entering A in the reporter status field.
8. (a) Verified upon receipt means that information is not questionable, and the provider is the primary source of the information. Action must be taken by the next effective date using normal adverse action processes. Types of information considered verified upon receipt include, but are not limited to:
(1) Beneficiary and Earnings Data Exchange System (BENDEX), from the Social Security Administration (SSA). For example, a BENDEX data exchange message is received during a non-report month indicating a household member is approved for Social Security benefits. This income would result in a decrease in food benefits and the information is considered verified upon receipt;
(2) Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/State Data Exchange System (SDX), from the SSA;
(3) Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE), from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS);
(4) Unemployment Insurance Benefits (UIB), from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC);
(5) workers' compensation documents from Workers' Compensation Court;
(6) information from the household itself, when it reports changes in household composition. For example, the client reports a person has left the household which will result in a decrease in food benefits. This information is considered verified upon receipt; and
(7) actions processed for food benefits or other OKDHS programs, that affect food benefit expenses such as:
(A) a decrease in child care family share co-payment, which would result in a smaller dependent care deduction; or
(B) the determination of an intentional program violation.
(b) Examples of information that is NOT verified upon receipt are:
(1) Oklahoma Wage Link (OWC and OWL), quarterly wage match data;
(2) any wage data obtained from BENDEX; and
(3) New Hire List (NHL) matches. For example, an NHL data exchange message is received during a non-report month indicating a household member has started to work. This income would decrease the food benefit; however, the information is NOT considered verified upon receipt. The action to decrease food benefits is not taken as it is a non‑report month.
9. Food benefit cases in reporter status are displayed on CWA Report 17, for tracking purposes, the month after Form 08MP004E, Benefit Review Report, is sent to the client. Food benefit cases are no longer displayed on CWA Report 17 when the benefit report action field is updated with C for complete. If the benefit report action field remains blank or is updated to I for incomplete, the case remains on the CWA Report 17 until the benefits close at negative action deadline.
10. When Form 08MP004E is returned to the HSC, the worker determines if the form is complete and all required verification is received.
(1) If complete, the worker processes all changes, updates the benefit report action field with C, and enters the date the action is shown as complete.
(2) If incomplete or lacking all required verification, the worker updates the benefit report action field with I indicating an incomplete form, and enters the date Form 08MP004E was received in the HSC.
(3) If Form 08MP004E is not returned to the HSC, the benefit report action field remains blank. When this field remains blank or shows an I at negative action deadline, the food benefits are automatically closed the next effective date with reason code 36S.
(4) During the period between negative action deadline and the last day of the 12th month, the worker may reopen closed food benefits when the completed Form 08MP004E and/or required verifications are received. Any required changes are processed along with the action to reopen food benefits using R in the action taken field and 18O in the reason code field. It is also necessary to update the F24/F25 fields for those persons included in the benefit household.
(5) In the event the completed Form 08MP004E and/or required verifications are received in the 13th month or later, the household must re-apply.
(6) If the worker fails to take action in a timely manner and food benefits subsequently close, normal reopening processes using reason code 18A are used.
11. The worker follows normal certification procedures. The computer recognizes the semi-annual status, automatically assigns a 12‑month certification period, and identifies the household as a semi-annual reporter by entering S in the reporter status field.
12. (a) The worker is responsible for determining which households are identified as semi-annual reporters.
(1) The worker:
(A) informs the client of his or her responsibility to report when the household's gross countable income is over 130 percent of the monthly poverty income guideline as shown in Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Appendix C-3, Maximum Food Benefit Allotments and Standards for Income and Deductions; and
(B) instructs the client to calculate monthly gross income by totaling actual income received in each calendar month. Actual income is the income before any deductions are applied.
(2) At the time a calendar month's total gross income exceeds 130 percent of the monthly poverty income guideline, the household is required to report this change in ten calendar days.
(3) The worker uses normal adverse action processes to close the food benefits.
(b) The worker informs able bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) who are meeting the work rule at the time of certification to report if their work hours decrease below 20 hours per week, averaged to 80 hours per month. They are required to report this change within ten calendar days of the date of the change. See OAC 340:50-5-64 for information on ABAWD work requirements.
(1) When the client reports changes timely or untimely, the worker must review the client's prior ABAWD status to accurately determine if all food benefits for which the client is eligible have been received. This includes the initial first three 'free' months. If the worker determines the client is eligible for the initial three 'free' months, then food benefits continue. The worker completes a desk review during the third month prior to advance notice deadline to again review the client's ABAWD status.
(2) When the worker determines the client has received all food benefits for which he or she is eligible, the client is removed from the food benefit the next effective date. If the client is the only person in the food benefit household, the worker closes the benefits the next effective date.
13. (a) When Form 08MP004E is returned to the HSC, the worker determines if the form is complete and has all required verification, including verification of all income received in the month specified on Form 08MP004E.
(1) If complete, the worker processes all changes, updates the benefit report action field with C, and enters the date action shown as complete.
(2) If incomplete or lacking all required verification, the worker updates the benefit report action field with I indicating an incomplete form, and enters the date action is taken.
(3) If Form 08MP004E is not returned to the HSC, the benefit report action field remains blank. When this field remains blank or shows I at negative action deadline, the case automatically closes the next effective date with reason code 36S.
(b) During the period between negative action deadline and the last day of the sixth month, the worker may reopen closed food benefits when the completed Form 08MP004E and/or required verifications are received. Any required changes are processed along with the action to reopen food benefits using R in the action taken field and 18O in the reason code field. It is also necessary to update the F24/F25 fields for those persons included in the benefit household.
(c) In the event the completed Form 08MP004E and/or required verifications are received in the seventh month or later, the household must re‑apply.
(d) If the worker fails to take action in a timely manner and food benefits subsequently close, normal reopening processes using reason code 18A are used.
14. Examples of mass changes include changes in:
(1) the maximum income limitation or basis of issuance tables;
(2) Social Security or SSI benefits; and
(3) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or State Supplemental Payments.
15. The Family Support Services Division may also make announcements through the news media so the general public as well as food benefit recipients are notified of changes which are being made.