Food and Nutrition Services - Admin. Letters

THIS LETTER APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ONLY:

Alamance	Bladen	Buncombe	Burke
Cabarrus	Catawba	Columbus	Cumberland
Durham	Edgecombe	Forsyth	Franklin
Gaston	Granville	Guilford	Haywood
Henderson	Johnston	Lee	Lincoln
Macon	McDowell	New Hanover	Pasquotank
Pitt	Richmond	Robeson	Rockingham
Rowan	Rutherford	Scotland	Union
Wake	Wayne	Wilson

DSS ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER NO. ECONOMIC AND FAMILY SERVICES 5-2009, Ending Mandatory Referral of Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Recipients to the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Employment and Training (E&T) Program (May 22, 2009)

(Food and Nutrition Services)

TO:	County Directors of Social Services
ATTENTION:	Food and Nutrition Services Managers and Supervisors
DATE:	May 22, 2009
SUBJECT:	Ending Mandatory Referral of Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Recipients to the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Employment and Training (E&T) Program
EFFECTIVE:	Immediately

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

On May 22, 2009, it is no longer mandatory that ABAWD recipients be required to participate in the E&T Program in the identified counties. Food and Nutrition Services recipients may continue to volunteer for referral to the E&T Program.

The purpose of this letter is to outline the procedures for implementing this change.

II. POLICY PROCEDURES

Individuals subject to work requirements are not exempt from work registration. Work registration for both non-ABAWDs and ABAWDs will be accomplished by entering the appropriate work registration code in field 80 E of the DSS-8590, Client Record. Enter code Z in field 80-K to track the ABAWD.

Mandatory work registrants continue to be subject to voluntary reduction in hours, voluntary quit and the ABAWD provisions found in Section 243 and Section 245 of the Food Stamp Certification Manual. Due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, all counties are under an ABAWD waiver through September 30, 2010.

III. CLOSE OUT DEADLINES AND PROCEDURES

Close-out deadlines and procedures have been developed and must be used when referring E&T participants to the Employment Security Commission (ESC). Coordinate these dates and procedures with your partners to effect a smooth and efficient transition.

1. May 22nd is the last day for DSS to send to ESC

• A DSS-2624 to refer a mandatory ABAWD

2. After May 22, 2009, send to ESC

• A DSS-2624 to refer a volunteer

• A NCSES/CS-2625 to request a cure due to E&T or Career Start (CS) non-compliance

• A NCSES/CS-2625 to request a rescheduled appointment due to missing an E&T activity with good cause

3. ESC notifies DSS if an individual who cures a non-compliance wishes to volunteer for E&T.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION INSTRUCTIONS

This change is effective with each application, change in situation, or recertification taken or processed after May 22, 2009, in the above listed counties. This includes actions pending in June that will be effective July 1.

If you have any questions, please contact your Food and Nutrition Services & Energy Programs Representative.

Sincerely,



Dean Simpson, Chief

Economic and Family Services

DS/tb