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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 18

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 6 Chapter 18 WV WORKS Activities/Requirements

the Block Grant. Many states converted to the new program early. Therefore, the Case Manager must contact the other state to determine when the benefits were received and for how many months. These months must be documented in case comments and in the case management system. Case Managers must fax the DFA-WVW-Verif-1, TANF verification – months used form to the other state to obtain written verification of the TANF months received in that state. Agency printouts or other written verification obtained from the state are also acceptable. That verification must be placed in the case record. If months prior to July 1997 are involved, the Case Manager must also determine how many months of benefits the participant received under the Block Grant program. See Chapter 1, Appendix C for a list of states and their effective dates of conversion to TANF. The calculation of the number of months of TANF benefits received must be completed at the time of application. At that time, the number of months listed in the case management system should be adjusted and case comments should document why the adjustment was made.

There are provisions which may allow a family to receive benefits for more than 60 months. The federal government imposes a limit on the percentage of the state’s TANF caseload that is allowed to be exempt from the 60-month requirement. • The limit is 20% of the average monthly number of WV WORKS AGs, minus the average monthly number of child-only AGs. This number is only valid on a statewide basis. Therefore, the percentage of extensions may vary greatly from county to county. The Case Manager must not inform the participant that he is, or may be, exempt from the time limit during the 60-month eligibility period, unless written notice of approval has already been received from the 60-Month Extension Committee. Once an extension is approved, the participant must continue to meet the criteria on which the extension was based each month of the extension period. In addition, the individual must be actively engaged in an activity or process designed to further the AG’s goal of self-sufficiency, such as pursuing other resources. The Case Manager may close the case at any time during the extension period when the participant fails to follow through on requirements established for receipt of the additional months of WV WORKS. The Case Manager must continue to monitor the case each month to determine if the participant continues to meet the extension criteria identified at the time of the Committee’s extension approval. Once the case is closed and the extension ends for failing to meet these requirements, the household is no longer eligible for the extension. The Case Manager must document the closure and notify the DFA Family Support Policy Unit.