1423 Reinstatement of Assistance - In the following situations only, cash (including the Work Incentive payment), food assistance and child care programs can be reinstated in the month following the month of closure or suspension if the information/cooperation is provided by the end of the month following the effective date of closure/suspension and all other eligibility requirements are met.

 

  1. When a food assistance case has been closed for failure to provide an interim report form;

  2. When the case has been closed/suspended for failure to provide information necessary to determine eligibility; and

  3. When the cash, food assistance or child care case has been closed for failure to cooperate with Quality Assurance per 2123


For all programs a new application is not required for reinstatement purposes unless the current review period has expired. However, if the review form is returned in the month following the end of the review period it can be used to re-determine eligibility. Benefits shall not be prorated for all programs except food assistance. For food assistance, proration is applicable and expedited service must be determined when a Food Assistance household returns the review in the month following the end of their review period. All food assistance households who return the review in the month following the end of their review period must be screened for expedited service.

However, if the parent is eligible to have TANF Child Care reinstated and an Income Eligible Child Care plan has already been established on the system, the Income Eligible Child Care plan will be terminated the last day of the current month and TANF Child Care will be reinstated effective the first day of the following month. The family share deducted for the current month shall not be adjusted.

NOTE: All other case closures require a new application. A new application is required any time after the date of agency action to close a case.

 

Exceptions:

 

  1. If an ABAWD reports a change and can verify meeting an exemption for work requirements by the end of the month of closure, the food assistance case can be reopened. For ABAWDs, if a change is reported in any month following the month of closure, a new application is required.

  2. If a foster family’s child care case is currently closed but has had a social service child care case open for one or more foster children within the last 12 months and that family reports, via an ES-1512FC change form or an ES-3100FC application, email or phone call, caring for a new child in foster care who needs child care, the child care case may be reopened without requiring a new application. A new 12 month eligibility period may be established for these cases.

 

1424 Termination of Assistance - When recipient no longer meets the eligibility requirements for TANF or Food Assistance, action to terminate assistance, including termination of the child care plan/benefits will be taken as quickly as possible, taking into account timely and adequate notice in 1431 and 1432, notification requirements related to information obtained through federal computer match in 1434 and fiscal processing deadlines. For child care, assistance may only be terminated prior to the end of a 12-month eligibility period when one or more of the conditions of 7640 is met. Cash, food assistance, medical and child care case closures will always be effective the last day of a given month.