PDF On Target September 2019

On Target

September 2019

ERDC Error Rate ? TANF Cases Transitioning to ERDC

The ERDC program continues to have a high error rate. Program error rates are reported to the federal government and can impact program funding. Long term high error rates could result in reduced funding which in turn may impact the number of families able to be served by ERDC. One of the main error reasons has been missing or insufficient verification. Many of these cases are TANF cases transitioning to ERDC.

Although a paper application is not required when an ERDC request is made prior to TANF closing, as eligibility for a new program (ERDC) is being determined, eligibility still MUST be met by verifying and narrating all ERDC eligibility requirements:

SEPTEMBER 2019 CONTRIBUTORS

Catherine McDonald Jeff Hodges

TANF Policy Analysts TA-DVS Policy Analysts Child Care Policy Analysts

SNAP Policy Analysts Quality Assurance Quality Control

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Interview

Residency

ERDC Error Rate

Citizen/Non-citizen status of the child

Age of child(ren)/SNR Eligibility

TANF Cases

1

Transitioning to ERDC

Child care need

Parent/Caretaker (relation not required)

Copay met Financial eligibility (initial limit)

Immunizations Work schedule Information (narrated)

Be sure these items are met & narrated clearly.

Continued... ERDC Error Rate 2

TANF Cases Transitioning to ERDC

Helpful Hints:

ERDC Preventative Tips 2

? Verification of hours and income are required when TANF participants transition to ERDC using a month's worth of verification. We cannot accept a participant's statement of their earnings, even if this can be used to close the TANF case. The participant has 45 days from their date of request to meet verification requirements.

ERDC QC Error Trends 2

TANF Housing Support Service Examples

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? For ERDC, child care hours are calculated based on the highest verified work hours. This will likely be different from child care paid through TANF in a WO step or the hours calculated for JPI. ERDC child care hours are never averaged.

? New employment verification may include a first paycheck from a new job (if representative of future) or an employer statement or phone call to the employer may be used. Narrate both the calculation and how it was verified.

Continued on next page.....

Important Hearing Request Reminders

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TANF QC Error Data and Analysis

5

SNAP Quality Control Error Trends

5

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Continued from page 1... ERDC Error Rate - TANF Cases Transitioning to ERDC

? Families transitioning from TANF to ERDC must meet the initial income limit (185% FPL) to be eligible. You must manually check to make sure the income is below 185% as the system will not check this income limit for you. After they are eligible, they can have income up to the ongoing exit limits.

? Remember to update the income type coding on UCMS for child support from CSP/PSP to SUP when transitioning a family from TANF to ERDC. The system will not count child support on the ERDC (M5) case if this is not updated correctly.

Child Care Policy

The September ERDC Analyst Hour, Coffee Chat with Child Care, will focus on TANF to ERDC transition cases.

Please join us tomorrow 9/24/19 at 8:30.

Ask your local leadership for the skype option that is sent to them through outlook.

ERDC Preventative Tips

? When determining child care hours (CC WRK HRS), always use the highest verified hours from the same income verification that was used to calculate income.

? Do not average child care hours. Example: Received Bi-monthly income verification; 9/5 64.50 hours and 9/20 56 hours, used the highest verified hours. 64.50 x 2 = code 129 CC WRK HRS.

? Always ROUND UP Child Care hours (CC WRK HRS) to the next whole number. Example: Child care hours (CC WRK HRS) resulting in 10.1 or 10.9 would both round up to the next whole number which is 11.

? Prevent errors cited for Missing Verification by scanning documents timely into EDMS. ? When transitioning from TANF to ERDC, income verification is needed. ? When a job loss with good cause has no return to work date, the AWS (Authorized Work Search) work search period

is set for three full months but cannot go three-months beyond the APR date. Example: Janis has open ERDC APR 09/30/2019, lost her job August 29th, with good cause, and no return to work date. AWS is effective September 1st and coding is N/R AWS 11/2019.

Quality Control

Reviews of Active ERDC Determinations Statewide and Top Error Trends

Sample Case Month

Oct 2018 May 2019

Completed 224

Payment Errors

60

Technical Errors

Dollars Reviewed

Dollar amount in

Error

% of Dollar Error

Case error Rate

33

$127,610.40 $19,508.65 15.29% 41.52%

Top Error Reasons

Missing verification

SMUX income not counted

Insufficient verification Incorrect anticipated income

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TANF Housing Support Service Examples

Example 1: Jamie comes into the office on December 31st and requests help to pay rent and utilities. She owes $900.00 for December and $900.00 for January. Payment is due to her landlord by January 3rd. She has a shut off notice from the gas company, her current bill is $450.00 for the last two months. Jamie was previously receiving assistance from relatives to pay her rent and utilities; the relatives are no longer able to continue to pay her bills. Jamie has connected with her local housing resources and put her name on waiting lists for various income-based apartments and vouchers. Jamie is currently engaged in a JO step and actively looking for work. She is hoping that she will be able to secure employment soon, so she is able to pay her ongoing rent.

The Family Coach reviews the housing and utility support service criteria, contacts the landlord and gas company to verify amounts owed and approves the following payments:

$1800 rent + $450 gas bill = $2250 total On February 1st Jamie comes back in and reports that she is not able to pay for all her rent and utility bills with her TANF grant. Jamie states that she has had a few interviews and feeling hopeful. She has the following bills due this month:

Rent $900

Electric $450

Garbage $150

Gas $100

The Family Coach reviews the housing and utility support service criteria, payments are made for up to two months' rent and utilities and cannot exceed $3,000 within a three-month period. The department has already paid for two months of rent and gas. The department has not made payment towards the electric or garbage within the last three months. The Family Coach and Jamie talk about her February bills, she states that she has reached out to her church and they have agreed to pay February rent for her, Jamie also has $300 available to put towards bills. Jamie is able to pay her gas and garbage bills and $50 towards the electric, she is requesting payment of $400 for the remaining electric bill.

The Family Coach contact the electric company to verify the amount owed and approves the payment request. On April 2nd Jamie contacts her Family Coach to report that she was offered a job and found an affordable apartment. She can move into her new apartment in a couple weeks and requesting help for move in costs. She will not get her first paycheck until May. Jamie states that the total move in costs is $800.

The Family Coach reviews the housing and utility support service criteria, the three-month payment period started over effective April 1st. Jamie provides a copy of the rental agreement showing a breakdown of the move in cots. The Family Coach approves payment for move in costs of $800.

Example 2: Mateo comes into the office on August 5th and asks for assistance to pay a portion of his rent and utilities for this month. Mateo reports that he had a roommate who was paying half of the rent and utilities, his roommate moved out and his current income will not cover all the bills. Mateo is not able to work currently due to an injury, he is in a ME step to capture his multiple medical appointments.

The Family Coach asks Mateo what his plan is to pay rent and utilities ongoing and if he has reached out to the local housing agency. Mateo states he has reached out to the housing agency and has an appointment scheduled for next week. He states he would like to find another roommate if he is not able to get a section 8 voucher, but it will take some time as the roommate has to be approved through the landlord first.

Mateo is requesting the following:

Rent $850

Electric $130

The Family Coach reviews the housing and utility support service criteria, contacts the landlord and electric company to verify amounts owed and approves the payments. The Family Coach and Mateo also adjust his current plan to include an SL step to support him working with the housing agency.

TANF Policy

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Important Hearing Request Reminders

The hearing request process ensures a participant's right to due process is protected. Hearing requests don't come in very frequently, so it's very understandable at times, important pieces of this process are forgotten. Here are some important reminders: ALL hearing requests must be documented and sent to CAF Hearings timely (same/next day) even if they are handled by a lead worker and the participant changes their mind/withdraws before the hearing request is ever sent to CAF Hearings. For something to be considered a "hearing request" the client or their representative must: ? For SNAP and Medical-Verbally state they want a hearing (nothing more!).

SNAP and Medical program hearing requests are established the very moment a participant says the words that inform DHS they want a hearing. When this happens the Department must immediately fill out form MSC 443 to the best of their ability and send the hearing request to CAF Hearings with the cover sheet in a timely manner.

No signature is collected from the client when the Department completes the MSC 443. Even if the participant is in the office when they request a hearing, the Department

cannot require them to fill out an MSC 443 for SNAP and Medical programs. A copy of the MSC 443 is mailed or otherwise provided to the participant. ? For all other programs - Complete and submit the hearing request form (MSC 443). All other program hearing requests are established when the Department receives a completed and signed form 443. If you are receiving a hearing request from a participant, please take a moment to make sure it is signed to prevent any delays. Thank you for helping the Hearings Team protect due process! Oregon Administrative Rules about hearing requests can be found here. Questions regarding the above? Please contact Meorah Solar, Self-Sufficiency and APD Medical Hearings and Rules Coordinator.

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TANF QC Error Data and Analysis Reviews of Active TANF Determinations Statewide

Review Month

Oct 2018 ? April 2019

Completed 196

Errors

Dollars Reviewed

Error Dollars

% of Dollar Error

85

$67,585.00 $20,357.00 30.12%

Case Error Rate 43.37%

Top Payment Error Causes Non-pursuit of UC Job separation

Did not complete employability screening Countable income excluded Unreported income

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