UPSTATE ONLY MESSAGE      
TO:  Commissioners; IM Directors; WMS Coordinators; FS Directors           
                                                                           
FROM:  Patricia A. Stevens, Deputy Commissioner                            
       Division of Temporary Assistance                                    
SUBJECT:  Quarterly Reporting Mailers                                      

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Immediately                                               
CONTACT PERSON:  Systems Questions:  Tully Lenihan @ (518) 474-8749        
                 TA Policy Questions:  TA Policy Team @ (518) 474-9344     
                 FS Policy Questions:  Dale Van Buren @ (518) 474-9327     
                                                                           
	A problem occurred with the generation of July's Quarterly Mailers for the Upstate reporting population.  The mailers sent on the fourth weekend of July were sent to the correct recipients, but all dates printed on the mailers were off by one month.  There are three sets of dates involved.  Mailers have a field stating "This is your Report For:"  with the months 'APR MAY JUN'.  This should have read 'MAY JUN JUL'.  The second dates follow the text:  "We must receive your completed report by due date:" printed '07 10 01' but should have read '08 10 01'.  Finally, the text states "Do Not Sign Before: 06 30 01".  This should have read '07 31 01'.

	Districts must follow the instructions, below, for processing returned/non-returned mailers:

TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE

	Non-Compliance with TA Quarterly Reporting Requirements

		Districts must not take any negative action for failure to return or for returning an incomplete quarterly report due this process month (August).

	Rebudgeting of TA QRS Cases

		If the quarterly report is returned with paystubs, districts must estimate the income to be budgeted for September 1st using normal prospective budgeting procedures.  However, instead of relying on wage information from July, the district must rely on wage information from June.

		If the quarterly report is not returned, districts must simply extend the current budget (August) for the upcoming payment quarter of September through November.

		If there has been a recent change in earnings of which districts have been made aware, districts must adjust the TA grant immediately for any decreases in earnings or after the elapse of the administrative processing period for timely reported increased earnings.

		Districts must note that timely notice must be provided for any grant change for September based on this rebudgeting that does not result from information provided on a returned completed quarterly report.

		Child Assistance Program (CAP) cases impacted by this change will be discussed with CAP Coordinators on Wednesday, August 8, 2001 at the CAP Coordinator's meeting in Herkimer.  A "Dear CAP Coordinator' letter addressing CAP implications will be issued immediately following that meeting.

	Food Stamp Implications:
		Districts must NOT discontinue Food Stamp benefits for any Upstate TA/FS, Non-TA/FS or FS-Mixed for failure to return a July periodic report in August 2001.  If, however, a social services district does acquire information from a completed mailer which would affect food stamp eligibility and the information is processed for TA or is verified upon receipt, the district must act upon the information.

		Districts are reminded that, per 01 ADM-9, a TA/Food Stamp case that fails to return a completed quarterly report for TA must have its FS continued for the duration of its original certification period if otherwise eligible.  Any food stamp household subject to six month reporting rules which has a certification period of seven full months or greater normally must return a periodic report (LDSS-4310 "quarterly report")for processing in the sixth month of the certification period.