| FSC Manual 12/01/03
12/01/98
|
14000 Summary
Issuance
of food stamp benefits in the State of Arkansas operates in the
following sequence:
-
The
county office authorizes issuance of food stamp benefits.
-
Benefits
for initial applicants are authorized on a daily basis.
Monthly benefits for currently certified cases are
authorized at the end of each calendar month for the following
calendar month.
-
Benefits
are issued through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system
utilizing a device similar to a debit card.
-
When
a household applies for the first time or when an applicant needs
a new EBT card, the card is mailed to the household.
After the EBT card is received, the food stamp household
must contact the Customer Service Help Desk at 1-800-997-9999 to
select the personal identification number (PIN) that must be used
with the EBT card.
-
To
purchase food with the EBT card, the food stamp household takes
the card to any grocery store authorized by the Department of
Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to accept food stamp
benefits. At the
grocery store, the EBT card is swiped through a point of sale
(POS) device.
-
When
the card is swiped, the EBT contractor electronically credits to
the merchant's bank account an amount equivalent to the food stamp
purchase, and the household's food stamp EBT account is
electronically debited for the amount of the purchase.
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14100 Types of
Issuance On each monthly and daily County/Name Listing
(FS-147) a three digit code, representing the transaction type, appears in the first
column. The same transaction types appear on the History Screen (WFTD). The following
chart lists each transaction type and briefly describes the transaction.
TRANSACTION
TYPE |
DESCRIPTION |
000 |
A regular
monthly or daily extract which may include:
• Prorated benefits ([ FSC 14122])
• Restorations and retroactive benefits ([FSC
14110])
• Recoupments ([FSC
14110])
• Aggregate benefits ([FSC
14120]) |
001 |
Second
authorization of benefits for individual residing in a battered women’s shelter ([ FSC 14134]) |
002 |
Retroactive
only benefits ([ FSC 14121]) |
200 |
Reissue of
current month’s benefits (Code not presently in use) |
300 |
Supplemental
benefits (FSC 14133]) |
400 |
Replacement
of food purchased with food stamp benefits and then later lost in a disaster ([ FSC 14132]) |
500 |
Special
situations ([ FSC 14135]) |
600 |
Restored
benefits ([ FSC 14133.2]) |
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14110 Monthly
Extract Food stamp benefits are
authorized on a monthly basis for all households currently participating in the Food
Stamp Program. When monthly benefits are authorized, food stamp benefits may be withheld (recouped) as a
result of an overpayment claim against the household. Recoupments are identified on the
Food Stamp History Inquiry Screen (WFTD) by the appearance of a code C in the TSCF column.
See [ FSC 15531]
for additional information. When monthly benefits are authorized, restored benefits may be issued to the
household. Restorations are identified on the Food Stamp History Inquiry Screen (WFTD) by
the appearance of a code S in the TSCF column.
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14120 Daily
Issuance Extract Food
stamp benefits are authorized on daily issuance when an initial
application is approved, when a food stamp case is reintstated, or
when an adjustment is keyed to the Food Stamp Automated 248 Screen (WFMO).
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14121 Retroactive
Benefits Retroactive food stamp benefits are
authorized via
daily issuance at the time of application approval if:
- The household's application was filed in a month prior to the month of application
approval; and
- The household was eligible for benefits during the retroactive month or months; and
- The county office was at fault for the delay in processing the application.
Under
certain conditions, retroactive benefits are authorized for a
household that is not currently eligible for food stamp benefits.
The Daily Report of Messages (PO-0792) will list retroactive benefits
that extract on daily issuance. Retroactive
benefits will be identified on the Food Stamp History Inquiry Screen (WFTD)
by the appearance of a code T in the TSCF column.
See
[FSC 8650]
for additional information about retroactive benefits.
See [FSC
8520] for
instructions on determining fault when an application is delayed. |
| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14122 Prorated
Benefits Benefits for households that file an initial
application for food stamp benefits as defined in [ FSC 8100] are prorated to the date of application and
authorized via daily issuance. [FSC 8610]-8612 contains
additional instructions about prorated benefits.
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| FSC Manual
12/01/98
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14123 Aggregate
Benefits Aggregate benefits are benefits for the month of
application and the following month. Aggregate benefits are automatically extracted and
authorized via daily issuance when an initial application is filed after the 15th day of
the month and is approved on or before the last day of the same month. Aggregate benefits
will be identified on the Food Stamp History Inquiry Screen (WFTD) by the appearance of a
code F in the TSCF column. See [ FSC 8651] for additional
information.
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
10/01/04
|
14130 Benefits
Authorized Via WFMO The following benefits must be
authorized via daily issuance using the WFMO screen. (1) Replacement of food purchased with food stamp benefits and lost in a disaster;
(3) Reissue of benefits to residents of shelters for battered women;
(4) Supplemental
issuances;
(5) Restored benefits issued to households currently participating in the
Food Stamp Program; and (6)
Reissue of current month's benefits. (Normally, used to correct
systems problems)
|
| FSC Manual
07/01/03 10/01/04 |
14132
Replacement of Food Lost in a Household Misfortune
Households may request a full or partial replacement of food purchased
with food stamp benefits and subsequently destroyed in a household misfortune such as, but
not limited to, a fire, flood or tornado. When a household indicates part or all of the
food the household purchased with food stamp benefits was destroyed in a misfortune, the
county office must take the following steps:
Step 1 Determine if the misfortune was reported within 10 days of the
date of the occurrence. If yes, go to Step 2. If not, deny the household's claim and
provide the household with the form Notice of Action (DCO-1) explaining the reason
for the denial.
Step 2 Interview a responsible
member of the household or the authorized representative (AR) by
telephone or in person to determine the exact amount of food lost in
the misfortune. During the interview, have the household member
complete a Declaration of Food Loss (DCO-238). If the
household member cannot complete the DCO-238, complete the form and
have the household member sign the form. Consider both the date the
household last purchased food and the amount of benefits still
available to the household. THE AMOUNT AUTHORIZED MAY NOT EXCEED
THE CURRENT MONTH'S FOOD STAMP BENEFIT AMOUNT. (If current month’s
benefits are not yet available, the amount authorized may not exceed
last month’s benefits.) Go to Step 3.
Step 3 Ask the household via DCO-1 to provide verification of the
misfortune. Examples of acceptable verification include, but are not limited to, copies of
police or fire department reports. Allow the household 10 days to provide the requested
verification. If verification is provided, go to Step 4. If not, deny the household's
claim. Provide the household with a DCO-1 explaining the reason for the denial of the
claim.
Step 4 Complete a Food
Stamp Adjustment (DCO-248) using the serial number of the
month's benefits used to purchase the food being replaced, the
amount of the replacement and the transaction type 451. Go to Step
5.
Step 5 Issue to the household a DCO-1 specifying the amount of the
replacement and the approximate date the benefits will be available.
|
| FSC Manual 12/01/98
|
14133 Supplemental
Benefits / Restored Benefits Supplemental benefits or
restored benefits are issued by the agency to correct an error made by the agency. This
includes, but is not limited to, case processing errors, system errors, and contractor
errors. The distinction between a supplemental benefit and a restored benefit depends on
the month of issuance. Supplemental benefits are authorized in the same month as the
incorrect benefits while restored benefits are issued in a month after the incorrect
benefits were issued.
This section provides only instructions on authorizing issuance of
supplemental and restored benefits. See [FSC 13100] for instructions on determining the
correct amount of supplemental or restored benefits to be authorized.
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14133.1 Authorization of
Supplemental Benefits
Supplemental benefits have
authorized in the same as the benefits that are being corrected unless
these benefits were issued as aggregate benefits as
instructed in [ FSC
8651]. Aggregate benefits must have been issued in the month before the current month.
The following instructions must be followed to authorize supplemental
benefits:
Step 1 Complete a Food Stamp Automated Adjustment (DCO-248). Use
the serial number of the benefits to be supplemented. For aggregate benefits, use the
serial number of the benefits identified with a code F in the TSCF column of the Food
Stamp History Screen (WFTD). Use one of the following transaction types:
321 Arithmetic error
324 Incorrect calculation of income
325 Incorrect calculation of deduction
327 Incorrect household size
328 Input not correct or not processed correctly after entry
329 Failed to process change timely
333 Failed to increase benefits as a result of an increase in household
size or decrease in income of $50 or more
334 Other or combination of two or more listed above
Enter the number of new household members. If there are no new
household members, enter zero. Enter the amount of the supplement. Go to Step 2.
Step 2 Enter the information from the DCO-248 via the Food Stamp
Screen (WFMO).
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14133.2 Authorization of
Restored Benefits
Restored benefits may be authorized
with a household's regular monthly benefits or as a separate
issuance. Restorations will be authorized via the Food Stamp
Automated 248 (WFMO) Screen when the household's monthly benefits have
already authorized and issuance the
restoration should not be delayed until the household's next regular issuance.
Restorations will be authorized with an ANSWER transaction when the food stamp case is closed or has expired
or when the restoration may be issued with the next month's regular benefits.
To authorize restored benefits via WFSM, the worker must key an RO
transaction. Refer to FACTS Minimum Record Requirements Appendix for an explanation
of the minimum requirements for an RO transaction. If an RO transaction is entered for a
case already on the Food Stamp Master File, restored benefits will extract on the next
daily issuance. If an RO transaction is entered for a case not currently on the Food Stamp
Master File, restored benefits will extract at the next monthly extract.
The following instructions must be followed to authorize restored
benefits via WFMO:
Step 1 Complete a Food Stamp Automated Adjustment
(DCO-248). Use the serial number of the benefits that have already extracted in the
current month. (Call the Food Stamp Section for assistance if authorizing restored
benefits when aggregate benefits were issued.) Use one of the following transaction types:
601 Arithmetic error
602 Failure to give retroactive benefits
603 County decision reversed by administrative hearing
604 Incorrect calculation of income
605 Incorrect calculation of deduction
606 Incorrect calculation of resource
607 Incorrect household size
608 Input not keyed or not keyed timely
609 Failed to process change timely
610 Failed to increase benefits as a result of an increase in household size or decrease
in income of $50 or more
611 Case closed, denied, or benefits reduced due to other misapplication
614 Other or combination of the above
650 Aggregate
benefits were cancelled and then re-mailed in the month after
extract
Enter the amount to be restored. Go to Step 2.
Step 2 Enter the information from the DCO-248 via the Food Stamp
Automated 248 Screen (WFMO).
The Daily Report of Messages (PO-0792) contains a listing
of restored benefits that extract on daily issuance.
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14134 Issuance to
Residents of Battered Women's Shelters Individuals who enter
a shelter for battered women and children, as defined in [ FSC 1840], may
be entitled to receive an additional issuance of benefits if this individual is currently
included in an active food stamp case with the person who abused them.
An additional issuance of benefits will not be authorized if the
abused individual is the case head. If the case head does not have the EBT card in their
possession, the original card will be deactivated and replaced as instructed in [ FSC 14400].
If the abused individual is not the case head, a food stamp application
will be processed with the abused individual as the case head. See [ FSC 1841]. Benefits
will be prorated to the date of application. See [FSC 8610] for information about proration.
To authorize an additional issuance of benefits to a resident of a
battered women's shelter, the county office will:
Step 1 Complete the form Food Stamp Automated Adjustment
(DCO-248). Use the serial number of the benefits to be supplemented. For aggregate
benefits, use the serial number of the benefits identified with a code F in the TSCF
column of the Food Stamp History Screen (WFTD). Use transaction code 001. Enter the number
of household members residing in the shelter. Enter the benefit amount after proration. Go
to Step 2.
Step 2 Enter the information from the DCO-248 via the Food Stamp
Automated 248 Screen (WFMO).
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14135 Code 500 -
Special Transactions The 500 transaction is used when the
county cannot authorize food stamp benefits due the household through a normal transaction. No 500 transaction can be keyed unless the transaction has been
authorized by the Central Office Food Stamp Section at 682-8190.
|
| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
|
14200 Failure to
Extract on Daily Issuance At times, food stamp benefits
authorized via daily issuance will fail to extract. Benefits that fail to extract are
listed on the Daily Report of Messages (PO-0792). A message on the report indicates
the reason for failure to extract. The following chart provides a
listing of the error messages, the reason for the error, and the
action required, if any.
|
ERROR
MESSAGE
|
EXPLANATION
|
ACTION
REQUIRED
|
|
PRORATE
FIGURED LESS THAN 10 DOLLARS
|
Initial
months benefits prorated to less than $10.
|
None.
Initial month's benefits that prorate to less than $10
are not issued to the household.
(NOTE:
If benefits should not have prorated to less than $10, approve
another application with the correct information.)
|
|
BEG-CRT
HAS FUTURE DATE
or
START
MO IS PAST DATE
|
The
beginning month of certification is later than the month in
which the application was approved.
|
None,
if the household is not eligible for food stamp benefits in the
month of application approval.
If
the certification period does not include the current month but
the benefits are for a prior month, a restoration will be
authorized.
If
the certification period should include the current month, the
certification period must be corrected by approving another
application with the correct certification period.
When the application is approved, the benefits for the
current month will extract.
|
|
DUPLICATE
EXTRACT DELETED
|
The
case has more than one transaction keyed, but a duplicate
extract was prevented.
|
No
action is required.
|
|
RETRO
OR RESTORATION > 0
|
The
household will receive retroactive or restored benefits when
their regular monthly benefits are authorized.
|
No
action is required.
|
|
CASE
NOT OPEN - 600 TRANSACTION
|
The
food stamp case is in closed status and a 600 transaction was
keyed to the WFMO screen. The
restored benefits cannot be authorized via WFMO.
|
Contact
ANSWER System Support.
|
|
CASE
OPEN & THIS WFMO REC
|
The
food stamp case is in open status with a certification period
that does not include the current month and 600 transaction was
keyed to the WFMO screen. The
restored benefits cannot be authorized via WFMO.
|
Contact
ANSWER System Support.
|
|
CASE
CLOSED & THIS WFMO REC
|
The
food stamp case is in closed status and a 650 transaction was
keyed to the WFMO screen. The
benefits cannot be authorized via WFMO.
|
Contact
ANSWER System Support.
|
|
ISSUED
BENEFIT GREATER THAN MAX
|
The
amount of benefits on the food stamp case was greater than the
maximum benefit amount of $1,800.
|
Contact
ANSWER System Support.
|
|
CANNOT
EXTRACT RETRO
|
The
beginning month of the certification period is not a month
earlier than the current month or the case was closed before the
retro benefits extracted.
|
Contact
ANSWER System Support.
|
|
ISSUED
VALUE EQUAL ZERO
|
The
current month's benefits prorated to zero.
or
The
certification period does not include the current month.
|
If
prorated retroactive benefits are less than $10.00, this message
will appear. No
action is required.
If
the certification period does not include the current month but
the benefits are for a prior month, a restoration will be
authorized. If not,
the certification period must be corrected to reflect the
current month by approving another application with the correct
certification period. When
the application is approved, the benefits for the current month
will extract.
|
|
| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14300 Electronic
Benefits Transfer (EBT) Food stamp benefits are issued via
the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system through the use of a magnetic stripe plastic
card at a point of sale (POS) device in a grocery store or other outlet. All locations
that accept food stamp benefits are authorized by the Department of Agriculture, Food and
Nutrition Service (FNS) to do so. Each EBT card contains the cardholder's name and a
Primary Account Number (PAN) which is unique to the card.
Generally, only one card will be issued to each household. The
head of the food stamp budget unit (self, head or household) will be the
primary cardholder.
A household may name up to two alternate payees. An alternate
payee has a
separate EBT card with his or her name on the card, a separate card number and
personal identification number (PIN) and has access to all the benefits in the food stamp
account. An alternate payee may or may not be a household member, but
all EBT cards will be mailed to the food stamp household's mailing
address. An alternate payee who is not a household member must be designated
by the household as an authorized representative. See [ FSC
14330] and [FSC
900-983.1] for additional information.
Households receiving both Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) and
food stamp benefits will use the same EBT card to access both accounts if the primary
payee is the same for both cases. If not, two cards will be issued--one to be used for the
food stamp account and one to be used for the TEA account. (Two cards are also issued when
there is a difference in the SSN's or dates of birth in the Food Stamp
and TEA cases.)
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14310 Issuance of
Cards EBT cards are issued
through the mail by a contractor. EBT cards are mailed by the first work day
following the day an application is approved or a replacement card is requested.
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
07/01/03
|
14320 Personal
Identification Number A
four-digit personal identification
number (PIN) must be used with the EBT card to access benefits.
The household must call the Customer Service Help Desk at
1-200-997-9999 to select their PIN. The PIN will not change unless the household requests a change.
NOTE: Even if a new EBT card is requested, the PIN will remain
the same unless the household requests a new PIN. It is
important that the household not share the PIN with anyone or write the PIN anywhere that
an unauthorized person could see it.
If a cardholder forgets their PIN or believes an unauthorized
individual has learned their PIN, a new PIN must be assigned. The cardholder must call the Customer Service Help Desk at 1-800-997-9999 to report
problems with the PIN or to request a new PIN. After the Help Desk verifies the customer's identity,
the client will select a new PIN and the old PIN can no longer be
used.
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| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
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14330 Authorized
Representative A food stamp household may name an authorized
representative to make application for food stamp benefits and may name
the same authorized representative to access food stamp benefits on behalf of the household. See [ FSC 900]-983.1 for additional
information.
An authorized representative may or may not serve as an alternate
payee. (The distinction between an alternate payee and an authorized representative is that
the alternate payee has a separate EBT card, card number and PIN. The authorized
representative does not.) The food stamp case head should be aware that an alternate payee
has access to all the benefits in the food stamp account. See [ FSC 14300] for additional information.
|
| FSC Manual
01/01/07 |
14340 Availability
of Benefits
Food stamp benefits are available
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Monthly food stamp benefits
are credited to the recipient's account at 12:01 a.m. CST on the
calendar dates shown below.
|
LAST DIGIT OF
RECIPIENT'S SSN |
AVAILABILITY DATE |
|
0-1 |
4th calendar
day of the month |
|
2-3 |
5th calendar
day of the month |
|
4 |
8th calendar
day of the month |
|
5 |
9th calendar
day of the month |
|
6 |
10th calendar
day of the month |
|
7 |
11th calendar
day of the month |
|
8 |
12th calendar
day of the month |
|
9 |
13th calendar
day of the month |
When benefits are authorized on daily issuance, the benefits extract
that night. However, there is a delay between the extract and the
availability date. This allows the State to examine the daily issuance
report for problem cases. (See FSC 14350.) If
problem cases are found, the benefits will be cancelled as specified in
FSC 14350 below and must be reissued correctly.
Unless the benefits extract on a Friday night or the night before a
holiday, the delay will be 24 hours. If the benefits extract on a
Friday night or the night before a holiday, the delay will be extended
to allow the State 24 hours to examine the daily issuance extract for
problem cases. On the availability date, benefits extracted on daily
issuance become available at 12:01 a.m. CST.
|
| FSC Manual
01/01/07 |
14350 Cancellation
of Benefits
No benefits will be held at any
time.
Each day, the Food Stamp Section
reviews the daily issuance extract for the preceding work night and will
cancel benefits on the extract during the 24-hour period prior to
availability if:
-
An incorrect amount extracted; or
-
The authorized amount is excessive for the
household size; or
-
The transaction will otherwise cause an imbalance
in the accounting process.
Counties are notified of the
cancellation via the Daily Cancellation Report (PO-783).
Monthly Extract - Under
certain specific conditions, the Food Stamp Section will cancel food
stamp benefits after extract for issuance on the monthly extract and
before the benefits become available to the household.
The Food Stamp Section will
approve a DHHS county office request to cancel food stamp benefits after
monthly extract and before the availability date if the county office
has reliable information that the household has moved from the State or
that all household members are deceased. In other situations, the
household would be entitled to a notice of adverse action prior to case
closure or a reduction in benefits. (Benefits
will not be cancelled if an advance notice of adverse action expires
after extract but before the availability date.) Benefits may also be
cancelled prior to the date of availability to prevent an overpayment
IF the DHHS county office is at fault for the over-issuance
and the household has been properly notified of the benefit change as
described above. See the chart at the end of this section for
instructions or re-authorizing cancelled benefits.
Daily Extract - The Food
Stamp Section will approve a DHHS county office request to cancel food
stamp benefits during the 24 hour period after extract and before
availability to prevent an overpayment IF the DHHS county
office is at fault for the over-issuance and the DHHS county office
worker insures the household is properly notified. (It may be
necessary to issue a corrected notice).
All cancellation requests must
be submitted by e-mail to the Food Stamp Section. (If necessary,
contact the PSS for the current contact person in the Food Stamp
Section.) The e-mail should provide the name and SSN of the food stamp
case head and must be accompanied by a clear explanation of the reason
for the cancellation request and the date by which the cancellation must
be completed. (This will create an audit trail for the cancellation.)
The ES Supervisor or a designee
should approve and/or submit all requests for cancellation.
The Food Stamp Section will
review the request, take the appropriate action either to cancel the
benefits or to deny the request, and notify the county office via email
of the decision. It may be necessary to contact the individual to
request additional information about the situation. If so, the request
will be sent by e-mail.
The DHHS County Office will be
responsible for issuing corrected notices (if needed) and for
re-authorizing cancelled benefits if appropriate. See the chart at the
end of this section for instructions or re-authorizing cancelled
benefits.
Tips for Requesting a
Cancellation
-
Client-caused overpayments
of food stamp benefits will not be cancelled after extract.
You must notify the household before you take an action to correct
the food stamp case.
-
Food stamp benefits
cannot be cancelled after they become available to the
household. If the household is over-issued, an overpayment must be
prepared.
-
Food stamp benefits will
not be cancelled after monthly extract if the household’s
advance notice of adverse action ends after extract but before the
food stamps become available.
-
The Food Stamp Section
cannot cancel benefits before they extract. If you realize on
the day of application approval that you have improperly
approved a food stamp case, you should attempt to correct the case.
To correct the case, you can key a new
approval using the same application date but changing the
certification date to a previous period (ex. 12/01/05-12/05). The
benefits will not extract. If the household is entitled to benefits
for the current month, you will have to contact ANSWER System
Support to get benefits extracted. Always check the next day to
make sure that the correction worked.
-
If your county had a problem
that caused a number of cases to extract in error, please notify the
Food Stamp Section of the problem and send a list of the requested
cancellations rather than sending each request individually.
To reauthorize cancelled benefits,
the worker must follow the instructions provided in the chart below.
|
Type
of Cancelled transaction: |
Action to take to Reauthorize |
|
Monthly benefits cancelled
to prevent an overpayment |
Obtain authorization and
then enter a correct 500 transaction. |
|
Battered Women Reissue
001 transactions
|
Enter a correct 001
transaction. |
|
Supplements
300 series transactions |
Enter a correct 300
transaction. |
|
Replacement of Food Lost in
Disaster
451 transaction |
Enter a correct 451
transaction. |
|
Special Situations
500 transactions |
Obtain authorization and
then enter a correct 500 transaction. |
|
Restorations
600 series transactions |
Enter a correct 600
transaction. |
|
Aggregate Benefits
650 transaction |
- If aggregate benefits
are to be reissued in the same month as the original issuance, enter a 200
transaction (reissue of current month's benefits).
- If aggregate benefits
are reissued in the month after the benefits were originally issued, enter a 650
transaction.
- If the benefits are to
be reissued in any subsequent month, enter a 612 transaction (restoration).
|
|
| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
|
14360 Account
Balances
An
EBT food stamp benefit account does not close when a food stamp case
closes. The
former recipient remains entitled to the account balance.
As long as benefits remain in the EBT food stamp account, the
former recipient may still have cards issued or reissued and select or
change PINs.
Benefits
remain available to the household for 12 months from the date of
availability.
After six months with no activity, the EBT account is in a
dormant status.
Even if the account is in a dormant status, the household may
continue to access their benefits for up to 12 months from the date of
availability.
After 12 months, the benefits are expunged from the account.
The household may no longer access these benefits; however,
they may be applied to an overpayment.
See FSC
15800. |
| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
06/01/04
|
14400 Replacing
Lost, Stolen or Damaged Cards
It is important
that food stamp households understand they must report lost or
stolen food stamp EBT cards immediately because food stamp benefits
stolen from EBT accounts cannot be replaced
Food
stamp households must call the Arkansas EBT Help Desk at
1-800-997-9999 to report lost, stolen or damaged cards.
There is no charge to the cardholder for replacement of lost,
stolen or damaged cards.
If
a member of a food stamp household calls the DHS county office to
report a lost or stolen card, the county office worker must advise the
household to contact the EBT Help Desk at 1-800-997-9999.
If the household reports in person, the county office worker
will help the household call the customer service number and report
the card was lost or stolen. If
the county office worker does not advise the household of the correct
procedure and the EBT card is not deactivated as a result, the
household may be entitled to a restoration of those benefits spent after
the day of the reported loss. (The
Food Stamp and EBT Unit must authorize all such restorations.)
The Telephone Report
(DCO-271) instructs county office workers to refer reports of lost
cards to the EBT Help Desk. Replacement
cards will be issued through the mail.
Whenever
an EBT Help Desk customer service representative receives a call from
an Arkansas food stamp benefit recipient, he or she first verifies the
name and address of the cardholder.
If either is incorrect, no action will be taken to replace a
card. The caller will be
told that the name/address information must be updated before a
replacement card can be mailed. In most cases, if there is a discrepancy in the name/address
information, the customer service representative will immediately
"status" the EBT card.
(This means the card is placed in an inactive status.) The client must contact the DHS county office and request
correction of the discrepant information.
When the DHS county office has made the necessary corrections,
the client must once again call the EBT Help Desk at 1-800-997-9999
and request replacement of the lost or stolen card. |
| FSC Manual
12/01/03
4/1/00
3/1/00
12/01/98
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14500 Treatment
Centers
Narcotic addicts or alcoholics who reside at a
facility, treatment center or certain mental health centers for the
purpose of regular participation in a drug addiction or alcoholism
treatment and/or rehabilitation program must be certified using an
authorized representative (AR) who is an employee of the center.
The AR is the only person who can access a client's
benefits while he or she is a resident of the treatment center. An
EBT card will be issued to the resident at the center's address. See FSC 981.3
for instructions. Once the client leaves the facility, the county
office must be so notified immediately. The county office must then
take action to remove the center employee as the client's authorized
representative, and the center must give the EBT card to the
resident at the time the resident leaves the facility. The
resident will be instructed to call 1-800-997-9999 to request a new
personal identification number (PIN) upon departure. If the
center cannot give the EBT care to the resident when they depart, the
card must be destroyed.
The center may install a point of sale (POS) device
to allow the AR to access the EBT benefits. Before a point of sale
device may be installed, the facility must be approved by the USDA,
Food and Nutrition Service. See FSC 980.
When a client leaves a treatment center that
utilizes a POS device and is entitled to part of their benefits as
explained in FSC 981.5,
the facility will do a food stamp purchase refund. This will debit the
center's daily transactions and credit the client's food stamp benefit
account.
Another way for the facility to access the food
stamp benefits is to determine a prorated daily amount based on that
individual's food stamp benefit amount. The facility will then swipe
the card each week or every other week based on the cost of the
client's meals for that period.
Centers not approved by Food and Nutrition Service
must shop with the individual cards. In these centers, the ARs must
carefully monitor the use of the cards to insure that one-half of the
regular monthly benefits are left in the client's account until the
16th of the month.
|
| FSC
Manual 03/01/00
12/01/98
|
14600 Group Living
Arrangements Eligible
food stamp clients residing in a group living arrangement are
certified as a one person household. In these facilities the customer
may or may not be certified through an authorized representative (AR)
who is an employee of the group living arrangement. (See [FSC 982].)
In order to avoid duplicate entries on the ANSWER System, the AR will
not be classified as an alternate payee or the primary payee. Instead,
the authorized representative will maintain physical control over the
EBT card and PIN. These decisions will be made by the group living
arrangement on a case by case basis. |
| FSC Manual
12/01/03
12/01/98
|
14700 Homeless
Households
A
homeless household's EBT card will be mailed to the household if the
household has an address considered deliverable by the U.S. Postal
Service. For example, the
EBT card could be mailed to a general delivery address or sent to a
homeless shelter.
If
the household does not have an address, the EBT card may be sent to
the county office. Any
time the county office's address is used by a homeless household to
receive an EBT card, the receipt of the EBT card must be recorded in
the County EBT Card Log.
A sample of this log is provided in The
Arkansas Benefits Transfer Handbook.
Any
EBT card received in a county office must be held in a safe or in a
locked file cabinet in a secure location within the office.
County office staff must not have routine access to the safe or
file cabinet where EBT cards are held.
If
an envelope containing an EBT card is opened before the envelope is
delivered to the household, a supervisor or designee must destroy the
EBT card. The destruction
of the EBT card will be recorded on the Affidavit
of Destruction for EBT Card and PIN Log.
A sample of this log is provided in The
Arkansas Benefits Transfer Handbook.
The household must call the Help Desk at 1-800-997-9999 to
request another EBT card and PIN.
If
a homeless household fails to pick up the EBT card within 90 days, the
EBT card must be destroyed. All
destroyed EBT cards must be recorded on the Affidavit
of Destruction for EBT Card Log.
The destruction of the EBT card must also be recorded in the
food stamp case record. Any
household that appears in the county office after the destruction will
be instructed to call the Help Desk at 1-800-997-9999 to request a new
EBT card. |
FSC
Manual
06/01/02
|
14900
Food Stamp EBT Adjustments
An EBT adjustment occurs when benefits are
returned to a household’s account after they were deducted in error.
Example A household member uses an EBT
card to purchase groceries. Due to a system error, food stamp
benefits are debited from the household’s EBT account twice
for the same transaction.
The household has 90 days from the date of the
problem transaction to contact the Arkansas EBT Help Desk at
1-800-997-9999 and inform the customer service representative that a
problem has occurred. The household will need to tell the customer
service representative the date, time and location of the transaction
and the amount of food stamp benefits that were debited in error.
If this is found to be a legitimate request, the
funds should be returned to the household’s EBT account within 10
business days from the date the household filed the report with the
Arkansas EBT Help desk. A business day is any calendar day other than
a Saturday, a Sunday or a federal holiday.
If the household’s request for a credit
adjustment is denied, the household may request an administrative
hearing. See FSC 14922. The EBT Unit will provide documentation to the
county office for the hearing. No action will be taken to credit the
household’s EBT account to correct the alleged system error unless
the hearing decision is in the household’s favor.
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