Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 20 - Division of County Operations › Rule 016.20.98-032 - FSC 98-18: Food Stamp Certification Manual - Instructions for Handling Special TEA Payments in the Food Stamp Program.

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
This directive provides instructions for handling TEA Diversion
				Payments, Employment Bonuses and Extended Support Services Transportation
				Benefit payments in the Food Stamp Program.
DIVERSION ASSISTANCE
-- Diversion Assistance is a
				one-time payment to or on behalf of the family that will resolve a financial
				problem so that the adult can maintain and/or obtain employment. Diversion
				Assistance is available to an adult only once during his or her lifetime. See
				TEA 2010 for additional information.
In the Food Stamp Program, Diversion
				Assistance payments will be excluded as a nonrecurring lump sum payment. See
				FSC 4950 for instructions on handling lump sum
				payments.
EMPLOYMENT BONUS
-- An Employment Bonus cash
				payment will be made to any family who becomes ineligible for TEA cash
				assistance due to employment or who requests the TEA case be closed due to
				employment, unless the family has already received an Employment Bonus within
				the preceding twelve months. The amount of the bonus payment will be equal to
				the amount of the last regular TEA cash payment. See TEA 5130 for additional
				information.
In both the regular Food Stamp Prosram and
				the Simplified Food Stamp Program. Employment Bonuses payments will be counted
				as unearned income in the food stamp budget in the month
				received.
EXTENDED SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION PAYMENTS
- When a
				TEA case closes due to employment, the family is automatically eligible to
				receive two months of Extended Support , Transportation payments in the amount
				of $200 each month. These payments are intended to help the family meet
				transportation costs in the first two months following termination of TEA cash
				assistance. See TEA 5140 for additional information.
In both the regular Food Stamp Program and
				the Simplified Food Stamp Program. Extended Support Transportation benefit
				payments will be excluded as a reimbursement for a job-related expense to the
				extent that these payments do not exceed actual job-related expenses for
				transportation costs.
Example A household member receives an Extended Support
				Transportation payment in the amount of $200. The member's transportation
				expenses total SI50. $50 will be shown as unearned income in the food stamp
				budget.
Transportation costs may include the expenses of
				purchasing, repairing or maintaining a car. Transportation costs may also
				include payments made for public or private transportation to the employment
				site. Transportation costs will be verified to the extent that it is practical
				to do so. For example, a household may be able to verify the costs of repairing
				a car or purchasing tires. However, they may not be able to furnish receipts
				for gas. In that case, the county office worker may use the current State
				reimbursement rate of $.28 per mile times the round trip mileage to the work
				site to determine the cost of transportation to work
Inquiries to Betty Helmbeck, Food Stamp Section, (501)
				682-8284
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