Policy                                                                       Issuance Number: FSC 08-03

Food Stamp Certification Manual                     Issuance Date:   5/06/08

From: Joni Jones, Director                                Expiration Date: Until Superseded

Subj: Social Security Enumeration Requirement

     Pages to be Deleted                 Dated             Pages to be Added            Dated

     FSC 2100 – 2700                        08/01/05         FSC 2100 – 2700                 5/1/08                                                                                                                                                  8/1/05

Summary of Changes

The TEA, Medicaid and Food Stamp program policies have been updated to incorporate the current policy and procedures for meeting the SSN Enumeration requirement and resolving mismatches.  There are no significant changes in the policy relating to an individual meeting the enumeration requirement.  Please note that Social Security policy regarding the age at which an individual who is applying for an SSN must apply in person has been reduced from age 18 to age 12. 

The procedures for resolving mismatches have been updated to reflect ANSWER processes, the new mismatch reports through ANSWER, and the current monitoring procedures.  There are specific situations described within these procedures that the worker should request assistance from ANSWER System Support to resolve a mismatch.  These situations are limited at this time to those in which SSA information is different from ours and the worker has been unable to resolve the mismatch.  It does not include situations involving non-qualified or undocumented aliens. 

Specific procedures have been added regarding undocumented aliens.  In cases in which an undocumented alien must be added to the system, a pseudo SSN will always be assigned even if the alien reports having an SSN.  SSA does not issue SSNs to undocumented aliens.  Therefore, whenever it is established that an alien is undocumented and is entered to ANSWER as such, a pseudo number will be assigned.   If an undocumented alien currently has an SSN keyed to the Profile Tab, the worker will assign a pseudo number when processing the mismatch reports.  The procedures outlined in the ANSWER Desk Guide for changing an SSN to a pseudo will be followed.  Since these will continue to mismatch as pseudo numbers, we are in the process of developing a separate mismatch report listing these individuals. In addition to having a pseudo number, it will be based on the alien status shown in ANSWER.  Therefore, it is important that the status is shown correctly.  

Inquiries to:     Larry Crutchfield, Food Stamp Section, (501) 682-8283

                        Larry.Crutchfield@arkansas.gov

                        Yolanda Geary, Food Stamp Section, (501) 682-8284

                        Yolanda.Geary@arkansas.gov