MEMORANDUM

DISCUSSION:

On June 2, 2017, President Trump declared 27 counties in Missouri including: Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Howell, Jasper, Jefferson, Madison, Maries, McDonald, , Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Louis, Shannon, Stone, Taney, and Texas, to be major disaster areas due to the severe flooding. Missouri has been given approval to run a Disaster Food Assistance program in those 27 counties in Missouri

This memorandum addresses:

• Disaster Food Assistance applications;
• Eligibility criteria;
• Verification ;
• Processing Disaster Food Assistance applications;
• Replacement of Food Stamp benefits request;
• Supplemental Food Stamp benefits request;
• National Voter Registration Act requirements.

DISASTER FOOD ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS

To apply for the Disaster Food Assistance program, households must complete a Disaster application.  This is a separate application from the regular Food Stamp Program.  These applications are available at the local FSD Resource Centers located in the 27 declared counties, or by contacting the Food Stamp Program and Policy Unit at 573-751-3178.

Benefit Period/Disaster Period

The benefit period is the period of time a benefit is intended to cover.  The benefit period for the Flood disaster is May 1, 2017 – May 30, 2017.  For purposes of this memorandum, the benefit period is also called the disaster period.

Application period

The application period is the periods of time applications for Disaster Food Assistance are accepted.  The application period for the Flood disaster is June 12, 2017 – June 16, 2017.  Applications will be accepted from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. 

Applications for Disaster Food Assistance must be processed and the benefits available in 3 calendar days.

Disaster Area

The disaster area is the area in which the disaster occurred and Disaster Food Assistance was declared.  The declared disaster areas are Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Howell, Jasper, Jefferson, Madison, Maries, McDonald, , Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Louis, Shannon, Stone, Taney, and Texas.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Eligibility for Disaster Food Assistance is determined by:

• whether the household meets the disaster criteria, and
• using the household's net (take-home) pay, available liquid resources, pre-disaster household composition, and disaster related expenses during the disaster period (May 1, 2017 – May 30, 2017).

NOTE: Verification of identity is mandatory.  A Disaster Food Assistance application cannot be approved until identity is verified. 

No other eligibility criteria apply to the Disaster Food Assistance Program, such as student criteria, work requirements, sanctions or disqualifications, noncitizen status, etc.

Disaster Criteria

To be eligible for Disaster Food Assistance, a household must meet one of the following criteria:

• The household lived in the disaster area and
  • Had damage to home or self-employment property, or
  • Disaster-related expenses that will not be reimbursed in the 30 day disaster time period, or
  • Loss or reduction of income

Net (take-home) Pay

The actual net income received during the Disaster period is counted.  Do not use gross income, but ask the amount of income they actually brought home during the Disaster period, May 1, 2017 – May 30, 2017. 

Accessible Liquid Resources

Only liquid resources that are readily accessible are counted.  This includes cash on hand, and funds in accessible checking and saving accounts. Do not count savings bonds, stocks, or CDs, installment or sales contracts, or notes receivables/deeds that are not readily accessible.  Exclude from resources disaster insurance payments, or disaster assistance received or expected to be received during the benefit period, and payments from Federal, state or county/local government agencies or disaster assistance organizations. 

Household Composition

A household consists of persons living and eating together prior to the Flood on May 1, 2017.  The household does not include individuals with whom the applicants are temporarily staying during the disaster.

Using Disaster Standard Expense Deduction for Disaster Related Expenses

Disaster related expenses are expenses that the household has paid out-of-pocket or incurred during the disaster period.  If the household has received a reimbursement for these expenses during the disaster period, only the net expense is counted.

EXAMPLE: A household has an expense of $1000 but is going to be reimbursed $750 within the 30 day period.  The net $250 expense qualifies as a disaster related expense and would be eligible for the Disaster Standard Expense Deduction based on the EU size.  

Disaster related expenses include:

• Home or business repairs
• Temporary shelter expenses
• Evacuation expenses
• Home/business protection
• Disaster related personal injury expenses
• Disaster related funeral expenses
• Disaster related pet boarding fees
• Expenses related to replacing necessary personal and household items, such as clothing, appliances, tools, and education materials
• Fuel for primary heating source
• Clean-up items expense
• Disaster damaged vehicle expenses
• Disaster related moving and storage expenses

Disaster related expenses are not the same as a household's total loss. 

If a household has net disaster related expenses greater than $100.00, allow the disaster expense standard.  If the EU claims less than $100.00 in unreimbursed disaster expense, use the actual amount of expense claimed by EU. The standards are included in the Disaster Expense Standard May 2017 chart.  The disaster standard for the EU size or actual expenses (if below $100.00) is entered in the Total Disaster Expense field in the Disaster WIBCA.

Calculation

The calculation for Disaster Food Assistance is as follows:

The net income received, plus accessible liquid resources, minus disaster related expense standard or actual expense.  If the net amount is under the disaster gross income limit, the household is eligible for the maximum allotment for that household size.

EXAMPLE: A household of 5 has $2000 in net income for the disaster period, $250 in liquid resources, and disaster expenses over $100.00, which allows using the disaster expense standard of $1622, based on EU size in disaster related expenses.

$2000 + $250 = $2250 - $1622 = $628.00

The disaster gross income limit for a household of 5 is $2787, so this household qualifies for a disaster benefit of $771.

VERIFICATION

Identity

Verification of identity is mandatory.  A Disaster Food Assistance application cannot be approved until identity is verified.  Identity may be verified through one of the following sources:

• Photo ID; or
• Two documents that verify identity and residency, such as a utility bill, bank statement, pay stubs, etc.; or
• A signed affidavit from a collateral contact attesting to the identity of the applicant.

A collateral contact statement will be provided to households who have no other sources of identification.

Other Verification

When possible, verify residency in the disaster area.  If it is not possible to verify, do not hold the Disaster Food Assistance application.

Verify household composition only if questionable.

A blank IM-31A form is being provided for staff to write in the information that the household needs to provide so staff can complete the Disaster Food Assistance application.

PROCESSING DISASTER FOOD ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS

A paper Disaster Food Assistance Application is completed by the household.  If the household is not active and not in application status, enter the information in FAMIS on the Supercase Member Clearance (FM0E), Application Request (FM0G), and Application Detail (FM0E) screens the same as any application for Food Stamp benefits.

Flow forward to the EU Member Role (FM3Z) screen and confirm the household members if all verification requested is received. If verification is still needed, do not confirm the household members.

During the period of time Disaster Food Assistance benefits can be authorized, the F15=DISWIBCA prompt appears at the bottom of the Select Worker Initiated Budget Calculation Area (FMXH) screen.

NOTE:  If the household is also applying for regular Food Stamp benefits, go to the Select Worker Initiated Budget Calculation Area (FMXH) screen anytime during the controlled flow.

From any screen in FAMIS, type SELWIBCA or FMXH on the command line and press enter.

• Press F15=DISWIBCA to create a disaster FS WIBCA.
• The Disaster FS Worker Initiated Budget Calculation Area (FMH8) screen appears.
• Complete the following fields:
  • Budget Month – 052017;
  • Budget Type – DSI (Disaster Food Stamp initial benefit);

    Application Request Date – type the month, day, and year (MMDDYYYY) the application is received;

  • Live or Work in Disaster Area (Y/N)? – enter the appropriate response;

    Note: This is how the screen will display asking about work location. However, the criteria for this flooding disaster did not include work location as part of the disaster benefit eligibility.  Only those applicants that were living in the disaster area during the disaster time period are eligible.

  • Eld/Dis – type Y (yes) or N (no) to indicate whether or not the household is an elderly or disabled household; and
  • Total Disaster Expense – enter the disaster expense standard from the Disaster Expense Standard chart or actual if claiming less than $100 in disaster related expenses.

The Disaster FS Worker Initiated Budget Calculation Area (FMH8) screen lists all household members with a Y (included in assistance group) or N (received disaster benefits in another household) in the include field.

If a household member who is listed on the screen is not currently a member of the household, tab to the Include (Y/N) field and type E (Exclude) over the Y to exclude that person from the disaster benefit budget calculation.

NOTE: The N in the Include field cannot be changed unless the individual is excluded (E) in the other household on the same day as they are authorized.  Once excluded in the original household, type Y over the N to include that individual in the household.

• Type U on the command line and tab to each household member's field. 
• Select each household member who has income or resources that must be included in the budget.
• Complete the following applicable fields for each household member.
  • Earned Income – enter net earned income expected to be received during the benefit period for each household member;
  • Unearned Income – enter net unearned income expected to be received during the benefit period for each household member; and
  • Liquid Resource – enter the total accessible liquid resource amount for each household member.
• Press enter.  The Disaster FS WIBCA is created.
• Press F14=BUDGET.  The Disaster FS WIBCA Budget (FMH9) screen appears and shows if the household passed or failed the eligibility test along with the benefit amount. 
• Press F23=AUTH to authorize the action.

If the household is not applying for regular Food Stamp benefits, complete the following.

• Enter SELAUTH or FM3G on the command line to arrive at the Select Authorization screen.
• Prompt for the Head of EU and EU.
• Press F20=REJECTEU.
• Reject application for this Eligibility Unit/Person? – answer Y or N.  If answer N (No) the message "Eligibility Unit Rejection Successful – Authorize Action" appears.
• Press F14=AUTH.  The Action Authorization (FM3H) appears.
• Enter U on the command line and tab to the Reason field.  Change or prompt out for reason DSB.
• Press enter and complete this step for each month.
• Press F23=AUTH to authorize the action.

If the household wants to continue the application for regular Food Stamp benefits, complete the application as set forth in Food Stamp Policy.

REPLACEMENT OF FOOD STAMP BENEFITS REQUEST

The time frame for replacement benefits for the flood event has expired as of May 31, 2017.

SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD STAMP BENEFITS REQUEST

Active households receiving Food Stamp benefits in 27 counties declared in the disaster area may receive supplemental Food Stamp benefits if they had any disaster related expenses.  A household does not have to request a replacement of their May benefits to receive a supplemental benefit.  The supplemental benefit is the difference of what the household received in May 2017 and the maximum allotment for its household size. On the Affidavit of Disaster Loss, the client attests to disaster related expenses that they will pay or have paid in the disaster period that has not been reimbursed.  Supplemental requests do not require an interview and can be mailed or faxed.  The mailing address and fax instructions are at the bottom of the affidavit.   The affidavit will be processed if received or postmarked by June 16th, 2017. 

EXAMPLE: A family of four, residing in the affected area, sustained damage to their home and have disaster related expenses.  They received $367 in Food Stamp benefits in May 2017 and are requesting supplemental benefits.  The supplemental benefit would be $282 (the difference between $649 and $367).

To issue Supplemental Food Stamp benefits take the following actions.

From any screen in FAMIS, type SELWIBCA or FMXH on the command line and press enter.

• Press F15=DISWIBCA to create a disaster FS WIBCA.
• The Disaster FS Worker Initiated Budget Calculation Area (FMH8) screen appears.
• Complete the following fields:
  • Budget Month – 052017;
  • Budget Type – DSU Supplemental Disaster Food Stamps;
  • Application Request Date – type the month, day, and year (MMDDYYYY) the request for supplemental benefits is received;
  • Live or Work in Disaster Area (Y/N)? – enter the appropriate response;

    Note: This is how the screen will display asking about work location. However, the criteria for this flooding disaster did not include work location as part of the disaster benefit eligibility.  Only those applicants that were living in the disaster area during the disaster time period are eligible.

  • Eld/Dis – type Y (yes) or N (no) to indicate whether or not the household is an elderly or Disabled household; and
  • Total Disaster Expense – enter the disaster expense from the Disaster Expense Standard chart or actual if claiming less than $100 in disaster related expenses.

The Disaster FS Worker Initiated Budget Calculation Area (FMH8) screen lists all household members with a Y (included in assistance group) or N (received disaster benefits in another household) in the include field.

If a household member who is listed on the screen is not currently a member of the household, tab to the Include (Y/N) field and type E (Exclude) over the Y to exclude that person from the disaster benefit budget calculation.

NOTE: The N in the Include field cannot be changed unless the individual is excluded (E) in the other household on the same day as they are authorized.  Once excluded in the original household, type Y over the N to include that individual in the household.

• Press enter.  The Disaster FS WIBCA is created.
• Press F14=BUDGET.  The Disaster FS WIBCA Budget (FMH9) screen appears and shows the supplemental benefit the household will receive and the regular Food Stamp benefit received for the disaster period.
• Press F23=AUTH to authorize the action.

NOTE: If the household received the maximum regular Food Stamp benefit for the household's size, no supplemental benefit will be issued.

NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT REQUIREMENTS

Effective June 12, 2017, to June 16, 2017, NVRA requirements are waived for the 27 declared disaster counties FSD only (all programs) and the Disaster Food Assistance program.  The NVRA coordinator for these counties will continue to report the information up to June 09, 2017 as usual in the appropriate timeframes.  No report will be completed for June 12-16, 2017.  The NVRA coordinator will report information for June 19, 2017 and after in the appropriate timeframes.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

PL//gb/cs