Policy Directive                                                      Issuance Number: FSC 02-02

Food Stamp Certification Manual                     Issuance Date: 02-01-02

From: Joni Jones, Director                                Expiration Date: Until Superseded

Subj: Food Stamp Employment and Training (E&T) Program

I. Introduction

Under a plan approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) has contracted with the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education (DWE) to administer a Food Stamp E&T Program in three counties: Mississippi, St. Francis, and Union.

II. Program Description

The Department of Human Services, the agency responsible for administration of the Food Stamp Program, has contracted with the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education (DWE) to operate the Food Stamp E&T program in Mississippi, St. Francis and Union counties through local adult education centers and vocational-technical schools.

Participation in the Food Stamp E&T Program is voluntary. No individual will be penalized for failure or refusal to participate in the Food Stamp E&T Program.

III. County Office Responsibilities

A. Make Referrals

In Mississippi, St. Francis and Union counties, county office workers will refer to the local DWE office all food stamp recipients who are subject to the Requirement to Work (RTW). This includes all able-bodied, non-exempt individuals between the ages of 18 and 49. The following individuals are exempt from the RTW:

1. Anyone age 17 or younger.
2. Anyone age 50 or older.
3. Anyone medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment. This includes any individual who:

• Meets the definition of disabled as provided in the [Glossary], definition of Aged/Disabled.

• Receives services through Arkansas Rehabilitative Services.

• Receives Worker's Compensation or sick pay benefits.

• Receives a decision of disability from the Medical Review Team.
• Provides a statement from a physician or licensed, certified psychologist indicating the cause of the disability and anticipated duration of the disability.

1. Any natural, adoptive or step-parent of a minor dependent child age 17 or younger so long as the dependent child lives with the parent. If both parents are in the home, then both parents are exempt under this provision. This provision also applies to individuals who are exercising parental control over a child age 17 or younger in the absence of a parent. If a couple (e.g., grandmother and grandfather) both exercise parental control, both individuals are exempt under this provision.
2. Any pregnant woman - This exemption covers all trimesters of pregnancy. If the pregnancy is not obvious, verification may be requested from a medical professional such as a physician, a certified nurse midwife or an employee of the Health Department.
3. - This includes:

• Anyone who is responsible for the care of a dependent child under the age of 6 or an incapacitated person of any age.

• Anyone who is receiving TEA cash assistance.

• Anyone who is currently receiving unemployment benefits or anyone who has applied for unemployment benefits but is not yet receiving them;

• Anyone who is participating in a drug addiction or alcoholism treatment and rehabilitation program on either an inpatient or outpatient basis;

• Anyone who is employed and either working a minimum of 30 hours weekly or receiving weekly earnings equivalent to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 30; and

• Any student age 18 or older who is attending a high school or an institution of post secondary education on at least a half-time basis or attending an institution of higher education on any basis.

B. Mailing Referrals

A Food Stamp E&T Program Referral (DCO-205) will be completed on each individual subject to the RTW and mailed to the Department of Workforce Education at the address shown below:

Mississippi County                           Ms. Elizabeth Thompson

                    Cotton Boll Technical Institute

Adult Education Program

P.O. Box 36

Burdette, AR 72321

St. Francis County                            Mr. Walter Meals, III

                                                            Crowley’s Ridge Technical Institute

                                                            Adult Education Program

                                                            P.O. Box 925

                                                            Forrest City, AR 72336-0925

Union County                                     Ms. Patricia Bates

                                                            South Arkansas Community College

                                                            Adult Education Program

                                                            P.O. Box 7010

                                                            El Dorado, AR 71731-7010

3. Continued Food Stamp Program Participation

After Food Stamp E&T Program participants become employed, DCO will attempt to assure that eligible households continue to receive food stamp benefits.

D. Authorizing Reimbursements

The only Food Stamp Program E&T expenditure that may be reimbursed directly to program participants is transportation. Each E&T participant will be eligible to receive reimbursement up to a maximum of $25 per calendar month for transportation necessary to enable the individual to comply with required component activities.

Reimbursement for transportation will be based on actual expenses of $.20 per mile or the actual costs (e.g., for bus service or transportation provider) up to a maximum of $25 reimbursement per calendar month per participant (NOTE: This reimbursement will not be counted as income in the food stamp budget. See [FSC 5411].)

Reimbursements will be authorized by the DHS county office worker through the WISE system based on reports provided by DWE. Each time a reimbursement is to be authorized, the worker must check the client's mailing address displayed on WISE to be sure it is the current/correct one. The WISE mailing address can be corrected from INPS if necessary but this needs to be done before a reimbursement check is authorized.

To key transportation for an E&T case, the county office worker must go to RSRP, key the SSN of the individual to receive the reimbursement and <Enter>. This should bring in the Participant Name, County, and Category.

After that the worker must complete the following steps:

• Tab to Reason field and key T1.
• Tab to Mnth-Yr and key a numeric entry. (Example – Key January 2002 as 01-02.
• Tab to Reim Amount and key 2500. (This equals $25.00).
• Tab to COMP and key NCA.
• Tab to WA Cat and key FS.
• Tab to Provider # and key the letter C.
• <Enter>.

After the first enter, the message "Press Enter To Update Screen" will appear. <Enter> again to process the payment. If everything processes OK, the message "Update Complete" will appear.

IV. Contractor Responsibilities

The Department of Workforce Education (DWE) operates Arkansas’ system of adult education centers, vocational schools and community colleges. Adult education centers, vocational schools and community colleges are partners in the state’s 10 full-service one stops.

DWE will report to the Division of County Operations (DCO) on a monthly basis about slots offered, slots filled, attendance, completion, job placement, etc. The original report will be forwarded to the Manager, Food Stamp Program, Slot S335. A copy of the report will be maintained in the county office files in chronological order – by year and month.

Inquiries to: Betty Helmbeck, Food Stamp Section, (501) 682-8284 (betty.helmbeck@mail.state.ar.us)