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MISSISSIPPI [NON-FINANCIAL CRITERIA: TIME LIMITS]

Revised 09-01-17

24-MONTH CLOSE OUT FOR CASH ASSISTANCE

The caseworker should not begin the conciliation process for a nonexempt recipient whose family has received TANF benefits for 24 months or more and the individual fails to comply with TANF work requirements. The worker must send notice A453, TANF Closure - 24-Month Time Limit, and allow the TANF case to close. Workers should be aware that the TANF time limit counters displaying on the MAVERICS CAP2 screen are not current. Refer to the TANF High Counters Report earlier in this chapter for additional and more detailed information. Prior to closing a TANF case when the family receives assistance for 24 months, the case must be reviewed at 23 months by the county and regional director via the High Counter Action Plan process utilizing the MDHS-EA-313 and MDHS-EA-313A forms. The MDHS-EA-313 must be completed as part of the face-to-face interview when the counter displays 19 months (21 actual months). The MDHS-EA-313A must be completed as part of a desk review at 21 months (23 actual months). This will ensure proper handling and allow the case to be removed from the tickler, if necessary. If the family does not qualify for a work exemption, the worker will: 1. send the A453, TANF Closure - 24-Month Time Limit, notice to close the TANF case effective for the month following the 24th month; or 2. assign the nonexempt adult to an allowable work activity to stop the 24-month counter. If noncompliance with the TWP occurs, the worker must send the A453 notice and allow the TANF case to close for the next available month. (Do not conciliate the client if the 24-month counter is equal to or greater than 23 months.) SPECIAL HANDLING AT 57 MONTHS - EXEMPT INDIVIDUALS TANF recipients who are exempt from work requirements will be given the opportunity to take advantage of services available through the TANF Work Program (TWP) or the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) during the last three months of TANF eligibility. A recipient who qualifies for the JB, JC or JF exemption will not be referred to the TANF Work Program if the household’s income is less than the Basic 100% Requirements for the TANF Program. These individuals will continue to receive TANF under the 60-month time limit extension provision as long as they qualify for an allowable work exemption (JB, JC or JF) and their household gross income remains less than the Basic 100% Requirements for the TANF Program. A face-to-face high counter case review must be scheduled during the 57th month (56 months on the high counter report) for TANF recipients who are exempt from work requirements to discuss the eligibility criteria for receiving a 60-month time limit extension and referral to the TWP or Volume III | Chapter 3 3052