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401.1 TANF MANUAL 5/17 Page 4

H. Effective Date - Effective date means the date that benefits begin or change or are no longer issued. When action is taken to approve a case, the term “effective date” is the same date as the BDOA. When action is taken that results in a change in benefit level, “effective date” means the first day of the month the new benefit amount is issued. When the change involves the suspension or termination of benefits, the effective date of the change is the first day of the month that benefits are no longer issued.

(Note: So that the client understands that no benefits will be issued in the month following a suspension or termination, the language on the ANPA references the last month and day for which assistance is received rather than the month for which benefits will not be issued. The ANPA statement reads, for example: Your benefits will be terminated effective January 31, 2017. VaCMS is programmed so that it will count the last day of the month in computing the time available for the 10-day notice for the change that is effective on the first day of the following month, in this case, February 1, 2017. In the case of a manual ANPA completed by the EW, the effective date will also be the last month and day for which assistance is received.)

I. BDOA - When eligibility for financial assistance is determined within 30 days following the date of application, eligibility shall begin effective the date of application. The date of application is the date the signed application was received by the local agency. No payment shall be made for a period prior to the date of application.

If eligibility is not determined within 30 days following the date the application was received due to a client delay, the BDOA will be the first of the next month (month following the month in which the application is received, provided eligibility is determined to exist). If eligibility is not determined within 30 days following the date the application was received due to an agency delay, the BDOA will be the date the signed application was received by the local agency.

Eligibility must be determined for each month of the application period. Applicants may be ineligible for the month of application and the month of processing; however, if eligibility exists for the future month, approve the application. In VaCMS, certify and authorize the denied benefits VaCMS for the month of application and the next month, and the approved benefit for the future month.

Refer to Section 401.2.B.2.c. and d. for adding persons to an existing case.

TANF Transmittal 61