section-21 GLOSSARY

Section 21: Glossary - A – ABEL BUDGET - Temporary assistance or food stamp budget which has been calculated by the Automated Budgeting and Eligibility Logic subsystem of WMS after input of basic data regarding case category, household composition, needs, and income. ABLE BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS (ABAWD) - Certain SNAP recipients who are work registrants without children, subject to additional work requirements, in order to maintain eligibility for continued receipt of benefits. ACTION TAKEN NOTICE - a notice from a local district advising an applicant for SNAP benefits or a recipient of SNAP benefits at recertification, of the local district's determination to accept or deny SNAP benefits, or a recipient of SNAP benefits, of an increase in benefits. ADEQUATE NOTICE - A written notice sent to the client at the time a case action is taken which specifies all of the following: 1. The action being taken by the agency. 2. The reason(s) for the action. 3. An explanation of the client’s right to request a conference and/or a fair hearing if he/she thinks the action should not be taken. Adequate notice must be sent to the client no later than the date of the action to be taken. ADMINISTRATIVE DISQUALIFICATION HEARING (ADH) - Administrative disqualification hearing means a hearing scheduled by the Department, at the request of a local district, upon the submission by the local district of sufficient documentary evidence to establish that an individual has committed one or more acts in violation of program standards described as a Food Stamp intentional program violation. ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR - an over issuance caused by a local district action or local district failure to take action. Administrative errors are now referred to as “Agency Errors”. An incorrect action including a delayed action or no action taken on a case resulting in an overpayment or an underpayment. Administrative errors may be due to the Inaccurate use of information, misapplication of policy, an underpayment, oversight or negligence on the part of staff, or computer or other machine errors. The failure of a provider for a client to follow proper procedures is not an administrative error. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE – see Hearing Officer ADVANCE NOTICE - A notice which allows at least 10 days before the action to reduce or discontinue the grant of assistance is effective. The action is pending to provide the client time to react to the proposed case action. ADVERSE ACTION NOTICE - a notice from a local district advising a recipient of SNAP benefits of its determination to discontinue, reduce, or suspend such recipient's SNAP benefits, within the SNAP certification period. AFFIDAVIT - a written statement by an individual made under oath before a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths. AGENCY CONFERENCE - an informal meeting at which an applicant or recipient may have any decision of a local district concerning the applicant's or recipient's, SNAP benefits, reviewed or may have any other aspect of the applicant's or recipient's case reviewed by an employee of that local district who has the authority to change the decision with which the applicant or recipient disagrees. AGENCY ERROR - An Agency Error (AE) occurs when a local district action or failure to take action causes an overpayment. Formerly referred to as an “Administrative Error”. AID CONTINUING - the right to have SNAP benefit continued unchanged until the fair hearing decision is issued. Sometimes also referred to as “aid to continue” ALIENS - those persons that are eligible to participate in the Food Stamp Program are those individuals who are residents of the United States and who meet the applicable requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act. See “NON-CITIZEN”, which should be used in place of “Alien”. ALCOHOLIC TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FACILITY - See Drug Addiction Facility ALLOTMENT - the total value of SNAP benefits a household is authorized to receive during each month or other time period. APPEAL – Request for a hearing on an action proposed or taken by the Department or on the Department’s failure to act. This can include Fair Hearings, Administrative Hearings or Supervisory Conferences. APPELLANT - the party for or whom the fair hearing is requested. APPLICANT - a person who has applied for SNAP benefits. Person who has expressed on a state-prescribed form (paper or electronic) directly, or by a representative to a social services official, a desire to receive SNAP benefits and to have his eligibility considered. APPLICATION - Action by which a person indicates on a state-prescribed form (paper or electronic) his desire to receive SNAP benefits and to have his eligibility considered by a social services official. APPLICATION FOR RECERTIFICATION - upon expiration of the certification period, household entitlement to SNAP benefits ends. Further entitlement to SNAP benefits cannot be established without another application, which should be made prior to the end of the current certification period to avoid a lapse in benefits. APPLICATION REGISTRY- The process by which essential case data (i.e., name, date of birth, social security number) is entered into the WMS Data Base by a data entry operator at the time of initial application. A Registry number is automatically assigned to that application by the computer after it has been successfully entered. This number can be found on the Application Register/Clearance Report. ASSESSMENT - adjunct to the SNAP Employment program components in which the employment worker gathers information on each recipient's needs, interests, skills, work experiences, and abilities. ASSETS (RESOURCES) – Assets are objects of value, not defined as income, such as personal property, real state, automobiles, life insurance, cash and bank deposits, securities, and certain other items. ASSISTANCE- for federal purposes consists of any payment or benefit designed to meet ongoing basic needs - food, clothing, shelter, utilities, household goods, personal care items, general incidental expenses. Assistance also includes supportive services such as transportation or child care provided to unemployed recipients. Assistance paid to a TA or Non- Cash SNA/FP recipient is counted towards the 60- month TANF time limit. Assistance counts towards the support offset. Payment types defined as assistance, when paid to a tractable person in a tractable case type (TA, Cash SNA, Non-Cash SNA /FP) will trigger time limit counts, be reported to DHHS as assistance, and be counted towards the support offset. AUTHORIZATION PERIOD - the period for which SNAP benefits are authorized following a certification. AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE - an individual who is: • Chosen by the head of household, spouse or other responsible household member to represent the household in applying for, obtaining and/or using SNAP; • An employee designated by a publicly operated community mental health center or a private, non-profit drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation facility, group living arrangement and/or shelter for battered women and children who will represent residents at such centers in applying for and obtaining SNAP; or • The only household adult available to be the authorized representative for the household children, even though classified as a non-household member. - B - BASIC CERTIFICATION SERVICES - distributing and accepting applications, interviewing applicants, and accepting notices of changes in household circumstances. BEGINNING MONTH PERIOD - normally the first two months within a household's initial certification period. Households jointly applying for TA and SNAP which are certified for SNAP in the month preceding the month in which they are certified for TA shall be assigned a SNAP beginning month period of three months. An ongoing certified household whose case is closed shall not be assigned a beginning month period upon reapplication unless the case remained closed for at least one full month. All SNAP cases are budgeted prospectively during the beginning month period. BENEFICIARY DATA EXCHANGE (BENDEX) - A system through which the Social Security Administration provides the Department with information on client receipt of Social Security benefits and Medicare coverage. BENEFIT QUARTER - the three-month period after the process month. BEST ESTIMATE - process that is used to determine one of two methods to project average monthly earnings. Districts do not have a choice as to which of the two methods must be used. The circumstances of each case determine which method must be used. (See 93 ADM- 9 and 95 INF-19). BOARDERS - individuals who reside with others and pay reasonable compensation for lodging and meals. Boarder status shall not be extended to: • Those individuals or groups of individuals described in SNAPSB Section 5, including children or siblings residing with elderly or disabled parents or siblings. • Individuals paying less than a reasonable monthly payment for meals. These persons will be counted as members of the household which provides the lodging and meals. BOARDING HOUSE - an establishment which is licensed or viewed by the community as a commercial enterprise, offering meals and lodging for one or more persons for compensation, with the intention of making a profit. BUDGET DEFICIT –occurs when income is insufficient to meet the budgeted needs of a categorically eligible household. BUDGET SURPLUS –occurs when available income meets or exceeds the budgeted needs of a categorically eligible household. - C - CAPITAL GAINS - the proceeds from the sale of capital goods or equipment shall be calculated in the same manner as a capital gain for Federal income tax purposes. Even if only 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale of capital goods or equipment is taxed for Federal income tax purposes, the State agency shall count the full amount of the capital gain as income for SNAP purposes. CASH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CAMS) – Subset of WMS. Allows LDSS to record and track debts/claims owed and/or paid by those recipients and former recipients that owe money back to the agency. CASH SURRENDER VALUE - In life insurance, this is the amount which the insurer will pay upon cancellation of the policy before death or maturity. The value usually increases with the age of the policy. CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY – Households that have a gross income at or below 130% of the federal poverty limit, or households that incur Dependent Care Costs at or below 200% federal poverty limit, or households with an elderly or disabled member at or below 200% of the federal poverty limit, that receive a TANF/MOE-funded service, except for those households having a member who is either disqualified from the Food Stamp Program due to an IPV or a sanction, are considered “Categorically Eligible”. Note: Income eligible households, with no disqualified member, resources are not considered for determining eligibility. CERTIFICATION - the decision by the local district that a household is eligible to participate in the program. A specific period of time that a household may participate is assigned, based on stability of income, expenses and household composition. CERTIFIED CLAIM - Claims defined as meeting collection standards and subject to intercept under the Treasury Offset Program. CLAIM DETERMINATION - a decision regarding the basis, amount and liability for the over issuance of SNAP benefits. CLAIMS AGAINST HOUSEHOLDS (DSS-3214) - This report summarizes the type of food stamp claims according to the following breakdown: collected, the amounts collected during the month, and the form in which the collection was made. CLEAN COPY AUTHORIZATION A clean copy authorization is a resource document used to determine which applicants, if any, have a current or prior record of applying for or receiving assistance or care. (See also “Dirty Copy Authorization.”) CLEARANCE REPORT – matches information about each individual applying for assistance with all case and application data currently in the system. The resulting printout is a report listing the names and identifying data of any individual who appears to be the same or very similar to the applicant according to such characteristics as social security number, name, sex, date of birth and client identification number (CIN) . The clearance report is obtained through the process of Application Registry. CLIENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (CIN) – a unique alpha-numeric number assigned to a SNAP client. COLLATERAL INFORMATION - the collection of additional information through contacts with secondary sources such a relatives, employers, banks, insurance companies, school personnel, social agencies, and other appropriate individuals and organizations. COMMON BENEFIT IDENTIFICATION CARD (CBIC) - a standard plastic debit/credit card used by recipients to obtain SNAP, TA , MA, and in some cases, HEAP benefits. COMMERCIAL BOARDING HOUSE - See Boarding House. COMPLAINT - Any written or oral communication made to a local district or the Department by or on behalf of an applicant, other than a complaint for which there is a right to a fair hearing, or a communication from any other source directed or referred to the local district or OTDA, directly or indirectly alleging dissatisfaction with a local district action. COMPROMISED CLAIM - Discretionary collection tool for local districts to compromise (reduce) claim amounts on closed/inactive cases including AE’s IHE’s and IPV’s in order to maximize and expedite client payments. Provides accommodation to clients with outstanding debts, thereby encouraging payment directly to the district, and speeding receipt of payments at that level. CONCILIATION PROCESS - A procedure for resolving participant grievances and issues related to participant’s failure to comply with employment requirements. The process may establish whether or not a participant’s failure to comply with employment requirements was willful and without good cause. CONGREGATE CARE FACILITIES - Congregate Care Facilities are non-medical residential facilities that provide care to individuals who are unable to live independently but do not need the type and degree of care provided in nursing homes or other comparable residential medical facilities. CONSOLIDATED HEARING - a single group hearing conducted by the local district in response to a series of individual requests for hearings where related issues of State and/or Federal law, regulation or policy are the sole issues being raised. Where factual issues arise from the same or related circumstances, a consolidated administrative disqualification hearing will be held for an SNAP- IPV and an TANF- IPV or SN-IPV. All evidence, testimony and proof relating to the consolidated cases will be presented together, but separate findings will be made with respect to each separately alleged IPV. CONVERSION - The exchange of one property for another property item. For example, an item of property is sold and cash received from the sale is deposited into a savings account. COUNTABLE INCOME - Countable income is net income which can be used in determining eligibility or degree of need for temporary assistance. CURRENT MARKET VALUE - The price that the owner can reasonably expect to receive for property (or an interest in property) in the particular geographic area involved if the property (or interest in it) is sold on short notice. - D - DATE OF APPLICATION –the date a signed application for assistance is received by the district. This is especially important for SNAP in order to ensure accrual of benefits. DEFERRED ADJUDICATION - When a case is accepted for prosecution, the appropriate prosecutor may choose to settle the case or a court of appropriate jurisdiction hearing the case may issue an order, such as an order adjourning the case in contemplation of dismissal provided that restitution is made. In such cases, the local district may use a Disqualification Consent Agreement (DCA) as described below. DELETED CLAIM- Removed from collectible status and the debt is written off as in claims established in error or subject to court action. DENIAL –disapproval of the client’s application based on a determination that one or more of the eligibility requirements is not met. DEPARTMENT - The New York State Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance. DEPENDENT CARE DEDUCTION - payments for the actual costs for the care of a child or other dependents (including an incapacitated adult) when necessary for a household member to accept or continue employment, seek employment in compliance with the job search criteria (or an equivalent effort by those not subject to job search), or attend training or pursue education which is preparatory to employment. DESTITUTE HOUSEHOLDS - those households whose only income for the month of application: • Was received prior to application and was from a source which has been terminated, or • Is from a new source and no more than $25 gross income from the new source will be received within ten calendar days of the application date. DIRTY COPY AUTHORIZATION - The Authorization Change Form with the handwritten changes is considered “dirty”. (See also “Clean Copy Authorization.”) DISABILITY- physical or mental illness or injury which limits a person’s ability to work. See SNAPSB Section 5 DISQUALIFICATION CONSENT AGREEMENT (DCA) - a document signed by an accused individual in which an individual or any caretaker relative or head of household admits to committing an IPV and consents to the imposition of an appropriate disqualification penalty, without a trial. DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE - written confirmation of a household's circumstances, e.g., wage stubs, rent receipts, utility bills. It is used as the primary source of verification. DRUG ADDICTION OR ALCOHOLIC TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FACILITY - a facility operated by a private, non-profit organization or is a publicly operated community mental health center. Any drug addiction or alcoholic treatment facility must either be authorized as a retailer by the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA) or be eligible to receive funds under Part B of Title XIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x et seq.) even if it does not actually receive such funding. Private, non- profit facilities must also be certified by the New York State Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse or the New York State Division of Substance Abuse Services. - E – EARNED INCOME- all monies received from wages, salaries, tips, payment for services, Room and Board, net proceeds from self-employment, sick leave pay (when source of income is employer), income earned by maintaining rental property at least 20 hrs. weekly or more. EARNED INCOME OF CHILDREN - earned income for children who are members of the household, are students at least half- time, and are less than 18 years old. EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) - refundable credit to which families with dependent children and limited incomes may be entitled. The credit is based on the family's earned income and is to be applied first against their tax liability. If the amount of credit is greater than the family's tax liability, the excess is treated as an over payment of taxes and refunded to the family. The EITC may be included in regular pay checks based on estimated credits or as a lump sum payment at the end of the tax year. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES - Include but are not limited to secondary and post-secondary level activities, defined as follows: 1. Secondary Level - • High school - A public or private educational facility providing a standard high school curriculum offered by or approved by the local school district. • General education development (GED) - An education program that prepares an individual to obtain a New York State high school equivalency diploma. • Basic/remedial education - Education in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics and oral communications for individuals functioning below the eighth grade level in those areas. • Literacy training - Education designed to help individuals improve their ability to read and write. • English as a second language (ESL) - An instructional program designed to develop skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing the English language for individuals whose native or primary language is other than English. 2. Post-secondary education - A two year full-time degree granting program at a community college, at a two year college or at a four year college which offers two year degree programs. EDUCATIONAL INCOME - income or loans on which payment is deferred, grants, scholarships, fellowships, veteran's educational benefits, and the like to the extent that they are used for tuition and mandatory school fees at an institution of higher education, including correspondence schools at that level, or a school at any level for the physically or mentally handicapped. Mandatory fees are those charged to all students or those charged to all students within a certain curriculum. ELECTRONIC BENEFITS TRANSFER (EBT) - the debit card method whereby a recipient can access SNAP benefits, Family Assistance, Safety Net Assistance cash benefits and other benefits. ELDERLY MEMBER - a member of the household who is 60 years of age or older. ELDERLY SIMPLIFIED APPLICATION PROJECT (ESAP) – a program for households in which: • all adult members are seniors (age 60 or older) and/or disabled and are not otherwise eligible to participate in the New York State Combined Application Project or NYSCAP (formerly known as the New York State Nutrition Improvement Project or NYSNIP); and, • no household members have any earned income. For the purposes of ESAP, the following definitions apply: • “Adult” is an individual age 18 or older. • “Senior/aged/elderly” is an individual age 60 or older. • “Disabled” is defined using the same criteria used to assign the aged/disabled (A/D) indicator of “X” for the household. To be considered disabled, an individual must be in receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits or receiving other federal or state administered disability or blindness benefits considered permanent under the Social Security Act or other standard, provided that the eligibility to receive these benefits is based upon disability criteria which are at least as stringent as those used under Title XVI of the Social Security Act. Additionally, single individuals in receipt of SSI who are eligible for both ESAP and NYSCAP (formerly NYSNIP) are required to be enrolled in NYSCAP. ESAP-eligible households may have certification periods of up to 36 months. Current systems edits limiting certification periods for the ESAP target population to a maximum of 24 months have been modified to permit maximum certification periods of 36 months. ELIGIBILITY - Determination as to whether an individual meets defined criteria which entitles them to assistance under a specific program. In most assistance programs, there are two types of eligibility standards - financial eligibility and non-financial eligibility standards. An applicant must meet both sets of eligibility criteria before being granted assistance. ELIGIBILITY PROCESS – those activities which are required in all cases as part of the basic eligibility provision of benefits. These activities begin with the application for assistance, include redeterminations of eligibility and case maintenance activities, and end with notification and appeal provisions. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR ADULTS (EAA) – a temporary assistance program that provides financial assistance to meet emergency needs of adults who are eligible for SSI. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES (EAF) - (Case Type 19). Assistance for families with children to deal with crisis situations threatening a family, and meet emergent needs resulting from a sudden occurrence or set of circumstances demanding immediate attention. EMPLOYABLE PERSONS - all SNAP applicants/recipients between the ages of 16 and 60, including persons unemployed because of a strike or lockout at their usual place of employment. EQUITY VALUE - the fair market value of the resource less encumbrances. ESAP – the Elderly Simplified Application Project (see above) ESAP ‘Leaver’ – ESAP ‘Leavers’ are households that are determined to no longer meet the criteria for the program (for example, an adult in the household begins receiving earned income) and should be transitioned to regular SNAP, if eligible, but would retain the balance of their original ESAP certification period. In other words, certification periods for households leaving ESAP during the certification period may not be shortened. At the household’s next recertification, it would receive a new certification period appropriate to its circumstances at that time. ESSENTIAL PERSON - an individual who qualifies for FA because they are essential for the well-being of case members. It is also a term used to indicate an SSI essential per- son. ESTIMATED DATE OF CONFINEMENT (EDC) - date on which pregnant woman is expected to give birth as verified by her doctor. EXEMPTION – The amount of income or resources that is disregarded when computing income and/or resource eligibility. EXPEDITED APPLICATION PROCESSING SERVICE - the following households are qualified for Expedited Service: • Households with less than $150 in monthly gross income provided their liquid resources (i.e., checking or savings accounts, savings certificates, and lump sum payments) do not exceed $100 in the month of application. • Migrant and/ or seasonal farm worker households who are destitute, provided their liquid resources do not exceed $100. • Eligible households in which all members are homeless. • Eligible households whose combined monthly gross income and liquid resources are less than the household's rent/mortgage plus heating/utilities. o The Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) may be used to determine this amount. o If the applicant is able to document heating/utilities amounts in excess of the SUAs, the documented amount is used in the determination. • All households qualified for expedited service must receive benefits within the designated timeframes. EXPIRATION NOTICE - a notice sent by a local district which advises a household in receipt of SNAP benefits that its certification period is due to expire. EXTENDED FILING PERIOD - the additional period of time of at least ten days from the date the Department (or local district) mails a second Monthly Report form during which the local district must allow a household to submit a completed Monthly Report form following the expiration of the household's initial filing period. - F - FAIR HEARING - The right of an applicant/recipient for a review by the State Department of Social Services of a decision made by a local social services district. The fair hearing reviews the basis of the request for the fair hearing, and the decision of the local district in light of the Social Services Law and Department Regulations. A decision rendered as a result of the hearing is binding on the local social services district and on the applicant/recipient. If an applicant/recipient or a local social services district does not agree with the fair hearing decision, relief may be sought through the judicial process. FAMILY ASSISTANCE - cash assistance to eligible needy families that include a minor child living with a parent(s) or caretaker relative. It is operated under the federal TANF rules and is funded with federal/State/local money. Under FA, eligible adults are limited to receiving benefits for a total of 60 months in a lifetime, including months of TANF- funded assistance granted in other states. Once this limit is reached the adult and all members of his or her household are ineligible to receive any more FA benefits. FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR (FFY) - a period of 12 calendar months beginning with each October 1 and ending with September 30 of the following calendar year. FLEEING FELON - Recipients who are felons fleeing from prosecution; also includes violators of probation and parole. FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE (FNS) - The branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) responsible under federal law for administration of the Food Stamp (SNAP) Program. The mission of FNS is to provide children and needy families better access to food and a more healthful diet through its food assistance programs and comprehensive nutrition education efforts. See also, USDA. FOOD STAMP (FS) PROGRAM - Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the New York State Food Stamp (FS) Program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), reduces hunger and malnutrition by supplementing the food purchasing power of eligible low income individuals. Eligibility and benefit levels are based on household size, income, assets and other factors. FOOD STAMP EMPLOYMENT RELATED TRAINING - See Job Readiness Training FOOD STAMP INDEPENDENT JOB SEARCH - See Job Search FOOD STAMP JOB CLUB - a directed, full-time workshop that teaches recipients the techniques of how to seek employment by themselves. FOOD STAMP VOCATIONAL TRAINING - See Job Skills Training FOOD UNIT - when determining household composition, a food unit is the number of individuals customarily purchasing food and preparing meals together for home consumption. FOSTER CARE FOR ADULTS – a living arrangement for persons who do not need institutional or nursing care, but may need some type of help in daily living. FOSTER CARE FOR CHILDREN –a provision for care which is not otherwise given by the parents and provided either on a temporary or permanent basis. FRAUD CLAIM - See Intentional Program Violation Claim FUEL ALLOWANCE - standard of assistance, established from each county, to cover the cost of fuel for heat, if such cost is not included in the household’s rent. - G - GARNISHED WAGES - Income from work activity that has been attached through legal action to guarantee payment of a debt. The amount withheld usually represents a percentage of salary or wages. GENERAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS) MESSAGES - These messages, in memo form, are issued by OTDA, OCFS and DOH to the local districts and provide guidance or information on state and local district issues. GOOD CAUSE - is defined, for food stamp purposes, as those circumstances beyond the household member 's control, such as but not limited to: illness, illness of another household member requiring the person's presence, a household emergency, unavailability of transportation, or lack of adequate child care for children who have reached age six but are under age 12. GRANT –the total amount of financial assistance the client is eligible to receive. In SNAP cases, benefits are accessed by CBIC cards (or temporary vault cards in some situations), and used via the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) process to purchase approved food items. Grants of Assistance to Guide Dogs (GAGD) - A program for blind, unemployed SSI recipients who maintain guide dogs. The program provides a monthly cash grant for the maintenance of these guide dogs. GROUP LIVING ARRANGEMENT - means a public or private nonprofit residential setting that serves no more than sixteen residents and that is certified by the appropriate agency or agencies of the State under regulations issued under section 1616(e) of the Social Security Act or under standards determined by the Secretary to be comparable to standards implemented by appropriate state agencies under section 1616(e) of the Social Security Act. To be eligible for SNAP benefits, a resident of such a group living arrangement must receive SSI (i.e. meet the definition of “…disabled household member”). - H - HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD - is the member of the applicant household designated by the household to represent the household in all matter s pertaining to its eligibility for and receipt of SNAP. The head of household classification must not be used to impose special requirements on the household, such as requiring that the head of household, rather than another responsible member of the household, appear at the certification office to apply for benefits. HEALTH INSURANCE - An insurance policy that pays money because the insured person has a medical expense. It does not matter if the money will be paid to the insured person or the provider of the medical services. An insurance policy which pays because of injury (i.e., loss of an eye, a limb, etc.) is not health insurance. HEARING OFFICER - is an attorney who is employed by the Department and designated and authorized by the Commissioner to preside at hearings, also referred to as an Administrative Law Judge. HOME ENERGY ALLOWANCE (HEA) - An additional allowance added to the statewide Standard of Need intended to meet the energy needs of recipients of temporary assistance living in their own homes. HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS (HEAP) –payments or allowances made under any Federal, State or local laws for the purpose of energy assistance. These payments must be clearly identified as energy assistance by the legislative body authorizing the program or providing the funds. HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL - is 1. An individual who lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence, including, but not limited to, an individual who will imminently lose their nighttime residence; or 2. An individual whose primary nighttime residence is: • A supervised shelter designed to provide temporary accommodations (such as a welfare hotel or congregate shelter); • A halfway house or similar institution that provides temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; • A temporary accommodation for not more than 90 days in the residence of another individual; or • A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (a hallway, a bus station, a lobby or similar places). HOMELESS MEAL PROVIDER - is a public or private nonprofit establishment (e.g. soup kitchen, temporary shelter), approved by an appropriate State or local agency, that feeds homeless persons. Homeless Meal Providers that accept SNAP benefits must be authorized by FNS. HOMELESS SHELTERS - public or private facilities which provide temporary living accommodations for undomiciled persons. HOUSEHOLD - a term relating to any of the following: • An individual living alone; • An individual living with others, but customarily purchasing food and preparing meals for home consumption separate and apart from others; • A group of individuals, a food unit, who live together and customarily purchase food and prepare meals together for home consumption; • An individual who is 60 years of age or older living with others (and the spouse of such individual) who is unable to purchase and prepare meals because he/she suffers from a disability considered permanent under the Social Security Act or suffers from a non disease- related, severe, permanent disability. However, the income of the others with whom the individual resides (excluding the income of the individual and spouse) cannot exceed 165% of the poverty level. HOMESTEAD - Any shelter owned by the client which has an address and is occupied by the client as a permanent, primary residence. Any adjoining vacant land is included as part of the homestead. - I - IDENTIFIABLE APPLICATION - an application which contains the applicant's name and address (if they have one) and is signed by a responsible member of the household or the household's authorized representative. IN-KIND INCOME - Income received in goods or services rather than in money. This can either be earned or unearned. INADVERTENT HOUSEHOLD ERROR (IHE) - an over issuance caused by misunderstanding or unintended error on the part of the applicant or recipient. INCOME - all monies received or expected to be received each month by all household members from whatever source unless specifically excluded. INELIGIBLE NON-CITIZENS - individuals who do not meet citizenship or prescribed non-citizen status requirements. INFREQUENT OR IRREGULAR INCOME - any income in the certification period which is received too infrequently or irregularly to be reasonable anticipated, but not in excess of $30 in a quarter. INITIAL APPLICATION –households must fill out an application and have an interview with an eligibility worker. If the household is not on SNAP at the time, this is an initial application. INITIAL DETERMINATION: An action based upon the local district’s review of the facts concerning an application for temporary assistance or care in which a determination of eligibility or no eligibility for temporary assistance or care is made. Regulations require that a determination to accept or deny the application be made as soon as the facts to support it have been established by investigation, but not later than 30 days from the date the application is filed, for FA, MA and SNAP, and no sooner than 45 days for SNA. INITIAL MONTH - the first month for which the household is certified for participation in SNAP following any period during which the household was not certified for participation. INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION - any institution which normally requires a high school diploma or equivalency certificate for enrollment including, but not limited to, colleges, universities, and vocational or technical schools at the post high school level. INTAKE: Unit in some agencies responsible for initial screening and/or determination of eligibility of applications for assistance. INTENTIONAL PROGRAM VIOLATION (IPV) - in the SNAP program means the commission of one or more acts in violation of the standards for the SNAP program. A SNAP-IPV occurs when an individual has intentionally: • Made a false or misleading statement, or misrepresented, concealed or withheld facts concerning the individual's eligibility for SNAP. • Committed any act constituting a violation of the requirements of the SNAP program, including but not limited to acts constituting a fraudulent use, presentation, transfer, acquisition, receipt of SNAP benefits, CBICs, BINS or any other evidence of the individual's eligibility for SNAP. INTENTIONAL PROGRAM VIOLATION CLAIM - a claim against a household only when an administrative disqualification hearing or a court has found that a household member committed an Intentional Program Violation. INTERCEPTED CLAIM- Automated involuntary collection of a SNAP debt from federal sources. IRREGULAR INCOME – see “Infrequent or Irregular Income”. ISSUANCE MONTH –the month for which the SNAP benefits are issued. The payment month and issuance months are identical. - J - JOB READINESS TRAINING - a program component of the SNAP Employment and Training Program (SNAP E&T) in which group classroom training teaches participants how to successfully approach an independent job search. JOB SEARCH - a program component of the SNAP E&T Program which consists of a specially structured job search for TA and NPA SNAP recipients. Participants are required to contact 24 prospective employers during a maximum eight week job search period. In addition, participants must report twice to the local district employment unit or job search contractor during the job search period for a review of their progress. JOB SKILLS TRAINING - instruction in either a specific skill or occupation or in a program with a specific vocational objective. JOINTLY- OWNED RESOURCES - resources owned jointly by separate households. They shall be considered available in their entirety to each household, unless it can be demonstrated by the applicant household that such resources are inaccessible to the household. - L – LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT (LPR) - A non-citizen who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law. LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE RELATIVE - A relative who, by law is responsible for the support and care of another person such as a spouse, parent or step-parent. Parents (including adoptive parents) and step-parents are responsible for the support of their children and/or step-children only under the age of 22. LIQUID ASSETS – property which is in cash or payable in cash on demand. Liquid assets also include financial instruments which can be converted into cash. The most common types of liquid assets are cash on hand, saving accounts, checking accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, promissory notes, loans, mortgages, and land contracts. LIVE-IN ATTENDANTS - individuals who reside with a household member to provide medical, housekeeping, child care or other similar personal services. LOCAL DISTRICT - local department of social service which has the responsibility for the administration of Public Assistance and SNAP Programs within the State. LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD - a household whose annual income does not exceed thresholds set for in the federal poverty guidelines. LUMP SUM INCOME - Lump sum income is the receipt of any substantial, non-recurring amount of money, such as inheritance, gift, accident settlement, etc. - M - Maintenance Of Effort (MOE) - The federally mandated level of spending that states are required to continue to provide to qualify for the receipt of federal funds. In New York State, this spending mandate is met through a combination of state and locally funded expenditures. MASS CHANGE - changes initiated by the Federal government or the Department which affect all SNAP households or a significant portion of all SNAP households. Mass changes may include, but are not limited to, adjustments to income eligibility standards, shelter and dependent care deductions; the thrifty food plan and the standard deduction; annual and seasonal adjustments to Social Security, Supplemental Security Income and other Federal benefits. MASS REAUTHORIZATION - Mass reauthorization is an automated function of ABEL which is activated when a common factor of the eligibility process impacts the eligibility or benefit level of cases in several districts. MEDICAL DEDUCTIONS - that portion of medical expenses, excluding special diets, which is in excess of $35 per month and incurred by a household member who meets the definition of elderly or disabled. MERIT PERSONNEL - employees used in the certification process who are employed in accordance with current standards under the New York State Merit System. MIGRANT WORKER - a seasonal farm worker (individual) who has left home temporarily for the purpose of performing agricultural field or processing work with the expectation of eventually returning home. MIXED HOUSEHOLD - a household in which some people receive public assistance (SNA , FA , etc.) and others do not. MyBenefits - Provides a single Internet portal (www.myBenefits.ny.gov) for NYS families to apply for or recertify for benefits, services and work support. It allows individuals and families to learn about, prescreen for, and apply for an array of benefit programs, customized to fit their circumstances, by answering a set of online questions. MyWorkspace - an electronic tool designed to help workers determine eligibility, authorize case actions in WMS, and manage worker caseloads. myWorkspace is pre- filled with information submitted online for recording both household information, from the eligibility interview, and verification documents. myWorkspace links into WMS, serves as a data entry tool, and may also be used for paper applications. Workers may post and view case comments and allow images to be viewed from districts participating in the State-wide Imaging/Enterprise Document Repository (I/EDR) project. - N - NEGATIVE CASE ACTION - An action taken by the departments to deny an application, cancel assistance, or reduce assistance. NET WAGES -Total earned income less allowable deductions, such as taxes and health insurance. NEW YORK STATE COMBINED APPLICATION PROJECT (NYSCAP) – a program for individuals living alone and in receipt of SSI income only. NYSCAP enables automatic case opening, and households must access benefits within 4 months to remain active. NYSCAP replaces NYSNIP, and uses standard SNAP budgeting methodology. As such, unlike NYSNIP, individuals eligible for NYSCAP must participate in NYSCAP. In addition, individuals who would be eligible for either NYSCAP or the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) must participate in NYSCAP. NON-CITIZEN - an individual who is not a citizen of the United States. This is the preferred terminology for such individuals and replaces the term “Alien”. NON-COMPLIANCE - Failure of a recipient or applicant who is not exempt to comply with one or more of the requirements such as work requirements, IV-D cooperation or eligibility requirements. NON-FRAUD - See Inadvertent Household Error and Agency (Administrative) Error. NON-LEGAL UNION - Refers to an unmarried couple living together with or without children. NON-PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (NPA) - a household in which no one receives Public Assistance. NORMAL PROCESSING STANDARD - local districts shall provide eligible households that complete the initial application process an opportunity to participate as soon as possible, but not later than 30 calendar days after the application is filed. NOTIFICATION – A required action by which the applicant/recipient is advised, in writing, of any changes made which affect the grant, continued eligibility, or a determination of the application. - O - Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is responsible for coordinating services for New Yorkers with developmental and intellectual disabilities, through a network of local and state service providers. Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) –the state agency which supervises the administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in NYS, along with administering other assistance programs such as Public (cash) Assistance, Family Assistance and SNA; HEAP; child support services; housing and support services; shelter oversight; Refugee Services, and SSI/SSD disability determinations. ON-THE-JOB TRAINING (OJT) - An activity which participants are trained at worksites for particular jobs. The training is mostly active learning-by-doing and participants immediately apply the skills they learn. Participants are employed by private sector employers and, while engaged in productive work, receive training that provides the skills and knowledge essential to the full and adequate performance of the jobs. OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE - consists of providing households with a CBIC, PIN, and SNAP benefits which have been entered on the system which enables the household to obtain its SNAP within the 30-day processing standard. OTHER INCOME - Any sum of money which comes into a household by any means other than wages, salaries or commissions. OVER ISSUANCE - the amount by which the SNAP benefits issued to a household exceeds the amount the household was eligible to receive. - P - PARENT - an individual who is a father or mother of a natural, adopted or step- child. PARENT (MINOR) - Parent under age 18. PARTICIPATING IN A STRIKE - concerted cooperation and support for a strike action which results in a reduction of income, but does not include in its meaning concurrent work stoppage due to illness, approved vacation, firing, lock-out, lay-off related to the strike, intimidation or threats by strikers, acceptance of other full time employment or any other reason consistent with OTDA Regulations. PARTIES TO A FAIR HEARING - the persons for whom a fair hearing is requested and the local district or agencies whose decision, action or failure to act is subject to review at the fair hearing. PASS TROUGH PAYMENT - the maximum amount of up to the first $100 or $200, depending on the temporary assistance household composition, of (court ordered or voluntary) child support collected each month which must be disbursed to FA clients and SNA recipients. (Formerly referred to as Disregard Payment.) PAYMENT MONTH - The month for which the SNAP benefit is issued. PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN) - a personal access number, selected by the client or designated authorized representative to access benefits using the EBT card. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT (PRWORA) - the federal legislation established in 1996 that replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with the federal TANF program funded through the TANF Block Grant, and made other changes to federal assistance programs. POVERTY LEVEL GUIDELINES - simplified version of the Federal Government’s statistical poverty threshold used by the Bureau of the Census to prepare its statistical estimates of the number of persons and families in poverty. The poverty guidelines are used for administrative purposes such as in determining whether a person or family is financially eligible for assistance under a particular Federal program. The poverty level guideline is calculated and released annually. PRIMARY SOURCE - any form of original or copied/faxed documentation that the applicant/recipient or member of the household provides to the agency or worker to support proof of their circumstances. Examples: Birth Certificates, Social Security Card, last 4 pay stubs, bank statement with account number and name. This also includes previously verified sources that have not changed that are already at the agency’s disposal, e.g., from another case file., as well as documents that the agency orders and pays for. PROGRAM - the Food Stamp Program conducted under the Food Stamp Act and Regulations. Now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). PRORATION - 1. Process of calculating a food stamp amount for the specified number of days which are fewer or more than the regular period for which the need was established. 2. Arithmetic process whereby the needs and/or income of a household are divided by the number of people in the household to determine each individual member's share of those needs and/or income. PROSPECTIVE BUDGETING - the amount of the allotment based on an estimate of actual monthly income and/or circumstances which will exist in the month for which the allotment is given. PRUDENT PERSON CONCEPT - refers to the reasonableness of judgments made by an eligibility worker based on available facts pertinent to a given situation. PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PA) – also referred to as Temporary Assistance (TA) includes Family Assistance, Safety Net Assistance, Emergency Assistance to Aged, Blind or Disabled persons, and Emergency Assistance to needy Families including special grants and benefits available pursuant to state Department Regulation 352. Refer to Temporary Assistance, the revised public assistance program based upon the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). PUBLIC ASSISTANCE HOUSEHOLD (PA) - See Temporary Assistance "PURE" SSI HOUSEHOLD - all household members are SSI applicants or recipients. - Q – QUALIFIED NON-CITIZEN - A qualified non-citizen is a person who: • has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA); • has been granted asylum under Section 208 of the INA; • has been admitted to the United States as a refugee under Section 207 of the INA; • has been admitted to the United States as an Amerasian immigrant as described in Section 402(a)(2)(A)(i)(V) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996; • has been paroled into the United States under Section 212(d)(5) of the INA for a period of at least one year; • has had deportation withheld under Section 243(h) or 241 (b)(3) of the INA; • is a Cuban or Haitian entrant (as defined in Section 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980); • has been granted conditional entry pursuant to Section 203(a)(7) of the INA; or • Is a battered spouse (including dependent children) meeting the criteria of section 431(c) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. QUESTIONABLE INFORMATION - information on the application which is inconsistent with statements made by the applicant, with other information on the application or previous applications or inconsistent with information received by the local district. - R – RECERTIFICATION - the process by which continuing eligibility for SNAP benefits is established at specified intervals and which shall include reevaluation and reconsideration of all factors of eligibility and a decision made to continue, modify or discontinue the food stamp benefits. RECIPIENT - Person who has submitted an application and who has been determined by the local district to be eligible for a specific program. Also includes those eligible individuals on whose behalf an application was submitted by another person. RECOUPMENT - for active cases, the method of recovering overpayments made to SNAP households by reducing the amount of their ongoing monthly SNAP benefit amount by: • 10% for Inadvertent Household Error (IHE) or Agency Error (AE) claims, or $10, whichever is greater, or • 20 % for an Intentional Program Violation (IPV) claims, or $20, whichever is greater, until the overpayment is paid back. One- and two-person households receiving the minimum benefit may have their SNAP benefits reduced to zero due to SNAP recoupment. REFUGEES - non-citizen who is outside any country of their nationality and who is unable or unwilling to return, and is unable to avail themselves of the protection of that country because of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, or is an individual designated a refugee by the President. REFUNDED OR REBATED CLAIM - Amounts repaid by local district due to Treasury Offset Program intercept will be fully reimbursed as a bottom-line adjustment on the federal settlement notice. Further information can be found in the CAMS Manual (Chapter 7). REPAYMENT - money repaid to the local social services district or collected by the dis- trict that is related to a specific client or case, usually to satisfy an overpayment claim. REQUEST FOR CONTACT (RFC) - letter from worker or agency requesting applicant/recipient to physically appear, telephone, or to provide specific information/verification via hard copy or fax within a specified period of time, detailing specific local district possible actions if they do not do so. (LDSS- 4753) RESERVED - provisions which will be set forth at a later date. RESIDENCY - geographic local district in which the household lives and the SNAP application has been filed. RESIDENTS OF INSTITUTIONS - those individuals who are provided the majority of their meals (over 50% of three meals daily) as part of the institution's normal service but the institution is NOT authorized to accept SNAP. RESOURCES - both liquid and non- liquid assets which include cash, bank accounts, stocks/bonds, real estate, licensed and unlicensed vehicles. The limit on resources is subject to adjustment for inflation and released annually as part of the SNAP standards. RESTORATION OF LOST BENEFITS - when the local district or a Fair Hearing decision rules, or a fraud disqualification is reversed so that a household's benefits were lost and the loss was not caused by the household, the local district shall restore such benefits to the household in an amount equal to the amount of benefits lost. RSDI (Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) - The official name of benefits issued under Title II of the Social Security Act. These benefits are frequently referred to simply as "Social Security", and are also known as OASDI (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance). RETROACTIVE BENEFITS - if an application of an eligible household is delayed through fault of the local district, the household shall be entitled to benefits retroactive to the month of application. RETROACTIVE LUMP SUM - Back payment in one check for the past period of time during which the person was eligible for, but did not receive, benefits or assistance. ROOMER - a person who pays a household for lodging but NOT for food. - S – SAFETY NET CASH ASSISTANCE (SN-CSH) - a state and locally funded program that provides cash assistance to eligible individuals, couples and families that are not eligible for family assistance. SAFETY NET NON-CASH ASSISTANCE (SN-FNP) - a single individual or former TANF family that had received the maximum 60 months of TANF, neither receiving any cash and being ineligible for any federal funding. SANCTION - The action of disqualifying a person from a program because that person has refused to meet certain requirement(s). The sanction may be imposed for a specific period of time and/or until compliance depending on the program requirement. SEASONAL FARMWORKER - a person who is employed in agriculture seasonally or of other temporary nature and is not required to be absent over night from his permanent place of residence when • employed on a farm or ranch performing field work related to planting, cultivating, or harvesting operations or • employed in canning, packing, ginning, seed conditioning or related research or processing operations, and transported or caused to be transported, to or from the place of employment by means of a day-haul operation. SECONDARY EVIDENCE - secondary or collateral sources of information or relatives outside the immediate family group and other persons, agencies, or resources. (See Collateral Information) SELF-EMPLOYMENT INCOME – Income that results from work activity on the part of the Applicant/Recipient which is self- directing and yields compensation directly from the customer. After business expenses have been deducted, the remainder is included in gross personal earned income. SHELTER ALLOWANCE – Standard of assistance, established for each county, intended to cover the cost of sheltering the household, by providing the amount actually paid by the household, but not in excess of the standard. SHELTER DEDUCTION - a deduction for shelter costs in excess of 50% of the household's income up to the established maximum after all other income exclusions and deductions are allowed. Households with an aged or disabled member are not subject to the maximum. SHELTERS – see “Homeless Shelters”, and “Shelters for Victims of Domestic Violence”. SHELTERS FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - public or private nonprofit residential facilities that serve victims of domestic violence. If such facilities serve other individuals, a portion of the facility must be set aside on a long-term basis to serve only victims of domestic violence. SIBLING - an individual who has a natural, adopted, half or step-brother or sister. SINGLE LANGUAGE MINORITY - individuals who speak the same non-English language. SPONSOR OF NON-CITIZEN - any person or public or private agency that executed an Affidavit(s) of Support (I-864) or similar legally binding agreement on behalf of a non- citizen who is not the child of the sponsor or the sponsor's spouse as a condition of the non-citizen's entry into the U.S. SPOUSE - refers to either of two individuals who would be defined as married under applicable State law, as opposed to those who are living together and are holding themselves out to the community as husband and wife, something referred to as ‘common law’ marriage. New York State does not recognize common law marriage. STAGGERED ISSUANCE - the process by which the clients regular recurring electronic benefits will be available. The benefit pick up day will depend on the last digit of the client's case number. STANDARD DEDUCTION - a dollar amount, determined by USDA which is applied against the gross income of every household. STANDARD TILITY ALLOWANCES ( SUA ) allowances that encompass costs for heating/cooling, electricity, cooking fuel, trash collection, sewage, water fees and heating hot water. STATE-PRESCRIBED FORM - A form which must be used for a specified purpose and without alteration by local districts and/or applicants/ recipients. For example, the application form is a State-prescribed form and must be used by anyone seeking SNAP. STUDENT - as defined for SNAP purposes, is any person 18 thorough 49 years of age; physically and mentally fit; enrolled at least half time in an institution of higher education excluding high school and on the job training programs, and complies with the eligibility criteria stated in SNAPSB Section 5. SUPPLEMENTAL HOME ENERGY ALLOWANCE (SPMNT or SHEA): Supplemental allowance established to assist clients to meet energy needs (see Home Energy Allowance). SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) - As of October 1, 2008, SNAP is the name for the federal Food Stamp Program. SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI) - monthly cash payments under the authority of Title XVI of the Social Security Act, as amended, to the aged, blind and disabled, or Federally administered mandatory supplemental payments. Provided through a program administered by the Social Security Administration for individuals who are 65 or over, blind or disabled, and are in need as determined by the regulations of the Social Security Administration. SSI is designed to bring all eligible individuals up to specified minimum income levels which vary according to the recipient’s living situation. (New York State adds to the amount of the federal SSI benefit to increase the income levels for recipients in this state) Because SSI is a “flat grant” in that it does not vary according to need or specific circumstances affecting the recipient(s), New York State established the Emergency Assistance to Adults program to meet specified emergency needs of SSI recipients. (see EAA) SUPPLEMENTATION - the process by which an additional or supplemental grant is issued to a recipient in situations when the recipient's actual income received plus the TA grant for any payment month are less than the appropriate standard of need for that month. - T - TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) – See Public Assistance”. TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE HOUSEHOLD (TA) - household in which all members are applying for or receiving some form of Public Assistance. TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) - commonly used in reference to the federal assistance program of which a state operates. It is the Block Grant which was established under the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) which states receive in order to operate a federally funded program to assist families with children. TANF funds are used for supportive services and federal benefits. TENANT OF RECORD - The person who has or persons who have primary responsibility for payment of the monthly rent or mortgage for their dwelling unit. Individuals who contribute a portion of the monthly rent/mortgage to a person responsible for payment of the monthly rent/mortgage for their dwelling unit are not considered a tenant of record. To have primary responsibility for the payment of residential heating costs, the applicant recipient must be the customer of record with a home energy vendor. TERMINATED CLAIM- An action that removes the claim from collectible debt status at the state or local level and leaves the claim information on CAMS. Terminated claims are not reported as district debt to USDA. THIRD -PARTY BENEFICIARY - monies received and used for the care and maintenance of a third-party beneficiary not a household member. THRIFTY FOOD PLAN - the diet required to feed a family of four persons consisting of a man and a woman 20-54, a child 6- 8, and a child 9- 11 years of age, determined in accordance with the Secretary of Agriculture's calculations. The cost of this diet is the basis for uniform allotments for all households regardless of their actual composition, except that the Secretary of Agriculture shall make household size adjustments in the Thrifty Food Plan taking into account economics of scale. TIMELY NOTICE - a notice which is mailed at least 10 days before the date upon which the proposed action is to become effective. TRANSITIONAL BENEFIT ALTERNATIVE (TBA)- is a five-month transitional period for all qualifying households leaving TANF funded programs including Family Assistance (FA), (Case Type 11), including CAP recipients, Safety Net Assistance Federally Participating (SNA-FP), (Case Type 12), Safety Net Cash and Safety Net Federally Non- Participating Assistance (Case Type 16 and 17) that include a child under 18 years of age or a child under 22 years age living with a parent(s). The TBA benefit amount is calculated using the household income level prior to the TA case closing budget and does not include any TA income amounts. TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM (TEAP) TEAP refers to an activity in which employment skills training is provided in an actual work setting wherein work performance in a given occupation is done under the guidance and supervision of a trained worker or instructor, and employer expenses for training are reimbursed through grant diversion. (Formerly Training And Employment Assistance Program.) TRANSITIONAL HOUSING - a living accommodation which is intended to provide shelter to homeless households for a short period of time until permanent regular housing, such as an apartment or house, can be obtained by the household. Such living accommodations may contain cooking and/or refrigeration facilities. TREASURY OFFSET PROGRAM (TOP) - used to collect delinquent SNAP overpayment claims. Under TOP, there are more than seventy federal payment sources under which an ex-client’s debt can be collected. Sources include IRS Tax Refunds, Railroad Retirement Payments, and Federal Salary. TRUST FUNDS - Trust funds are accumulations of money for the benefit of a person or group of persons. These funds are not owned by the beneficiary, but are usually under the control of a trustee who must carry out the stipulated conditions for payments specified in the trust. - U – UNCAPPED - To remove the ceiling, without limit. UNEARNED INCOME - Income from government or private sources which is paid because of a legal or moral obligation rather than for work activity performed. This includes pensions, unemployment benefits, dividends, interest, insurance compensation and other types of payments. UNDOCUMENTED NON-CITIZEN Undocumented non-citizens are non-citizens who entered the U.S. by avoiding inspection at the border, without being admitted or paroled by a USCIS officer, or temporary visitors who overstay their nonimmigrant visa. UNEMPLOYABLE - Unable to participate in any type of employment or work-related activities either full or part-time, for reasons such as physical or mental illness, which must be medically documented. UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICE (USCIS) - under the US Department of Justice, is a bureau of the United States Department of Homeland Security . It performs many administrative functions formerly carried out by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which was part of the Department of Justice. The stated priorities of the USCIS are to promote national security, to eliminate immigration case backlogs, and to improve customer services. USCIS was formerly and briefly named the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Immigration Services, before becoming USCIS. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) – Federal department which administers the SNAP Program. See Also, “FNS”. - V - VERIFICATION - providing/securing of information which establishes the accuracy of information provided by the applicant/recipient on the form prescribed by the Department. VERIFIED EMPLOYMENT DATA (VED)- Computer matches of TANF adult recipients against a national file of W-4 New Hires information found in upstate Welfare Management System (WMS) Resource File Integration (RFI) subsystem which are considered verified upon receipt. VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION - The process of restoring to an impaired person the ability to be employable or be more likely to be employable. This process may include such things as education, vocational training, treatment, etc. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANTS –SNAP recipients who are exempt from SNAP work registration but volunteer for SNAP employment and training activities. All of the definitions and reporting instructions that pertain to mandatory work registrants also apply to volunteers. However, volunteers may not be sanctioned for failure to comply with SNAP E&T requirements. VOUCHER - A voucher is an agency form authorizing a vendor payment. - W – WAIVER OF ADMINISTRATIVE DISQUALIFICATION HEARING - an election of an individual to accept the imposition of an appropriate penalty without a hearing. WELFARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (WMS) – a statewide computerized data system that receives, maintains, and processes information for the management and control of social service programs. It is an eligibility file of all persons who have applied for, or are receiving services. The WMS Unit coordinates local support to DSS program staff for all of the components of the WMS system. WMS also oversees data entry operations. WORKING FAMILIES FOOD STAMP INITIATIVE (WFFSI) – pertains to any Non- Temporary Assistance Food Stamp (NTA-SNAP) Program applicant or recipient household that: Has at least one adult member who is either: • Working 30 hrs. per week or more; or • Earns an average weekly income equal to or greater than the Federal Minimum Wage (FMW) times 30 hrs. per week OR Has at least two adult members each who is: • Either working 20 hrs. per week or more; or • Earning an average weekly income equal to or greater than the Federal Minimum Wage (FMW) times 20 hrs. per week. WFFSI was subsequently re-named WFSNAPI, but is no longer a consideration, as all households are now eligible to complete necessary interviews by telephone. Note: The only provision of WFFSI/WFSNAPI that would now potentially be taken into consideration for an eligible household would be the potential elimination of any outstanding overpayment claim previously established against the household if it were determined that the claim would not be repaid within three years based on the standard recoupment amount applicable to the household at that time. However, this information can be determined retroactively for a household, if need be, as there will no longer be any screening for WFFSI/WFSNAPI at application or recertification. WORK REGISTRATION - all able-bodied household members, unless specifically exempted, must register for and accept suitable employment.