16 Del. Admin. Code § 2000-2009

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 7, January 1, 2025

Section 2000-2009 - Holding Checks and Food Stamp Benefits

1. Checks and/or Food Stamp benefits may be held at DMS after the DCIS processing deadline for the following reasons:

a. A change in circumstance in a cash assistance case is reported or discovered after the 20th of the month that will result in a reduction or termination of benefits.

If DSS has information confirming a circumstance that requires only adequate notice such as when a recipient has been committed to an institution, or when a child has been removed from the home as the result of a court action, the worker will reduce or terminate the benefit and send notice to the client. (See DSSM 5201). In these situations,10-day advance notice is not required. If any other circumstance is reported that will result in a reduction or termination of benefits, the check may be held and canceled only if the client signs a written statement indicating that he/she understands that benefits will be reduced as a result of the information that was reported. If a statement is not signed by the client, the benefit cannot be reduced. Cash assistance clients must be informed that failure to sign such a statement could result in an overpayment.

NOTE: Changes in Food Stamp cases reported after the 20th of the month that result in a reduction or termination of benefits are always reflected in the Food Stamp budget the month following the next issuance. For example, a change reported on June 28th is reflected in August's issuance. In addition, the July benefit is not recoverable as a Food Stamp claim even if the change results in termination of the benefit. For this reason, benefits are not held when such changes are reported.

b. A change of address is reported after the processing deadline (cash assistance only). The worker will notify DMS to release the benefit to the new address. In addition, the worker will notify the client via Form 145 that the benefit was mailed to the new address and will request that the client provide verification of the address change and the new living arrangements within ten (10) days. In these cases, it is not necessary to hold the check until verification is received. However the case must be closed for the following month if the client does not provide verification as requested.

2. Procedures for holding checks and Food Stamp benefits

a. DMS will inform local offices of the hold deadline date at the beginning of each month.

b. Requests to hold checks or Food Stamp benefits will be sent to DMS via messages on the DCIS system. Messages are sent after 3:00 p.m. every day listing all benefits to be held that day.

Separate messages are sent for Food Stamp benefits and checks. The messages must include the case name, DCIS ID number, and case suffix of each benefit to be held. In addition, the Zip Code for each check that is held and the complete address for each Food Stamp benefit that is held must be included in the message.

Sample Message Format

From: Pool 460

To: DMS

Please hold the following checks:

1) John Smith 032121 G1 19901

2) Bill Jones 031561 A1 19943

3. DMS will also be notified of the disposition of held benefits via messages on the DCIS system. Messages are sent after 3:00 p.m. every day listing all dispositions made that day. Separate messages are sent for Food Stamp benefits and checks. The case name, DCIS ID number, case suffix, and disposition must be included in the message.

Sample format:

From: Pool 460

To: DMS

Please make the following dispositions on held Food Stamp benefits.

1) Bob Jones 234161 F1 cancel

2) Sheila Brown 191000 Fl mail to current address

3) Susan Green 192013 F1 mail to 22 Black St., Dover, DE 19901

4) If the printer at DMS is not functioning, a message will be sent to all local offices the next day to request that the list of the previous days' holds and dispositions be sent again.

5) DMS will send a list of the checks and Food Stamp benefits still on hold after the first of the month to each local office. Disposition must be made on all benefits by the 15th of the month.

On the 15th of the month DMS will send to the attention of the Operations Administrators a list of benefits still on hold. It is the responsibility of Operations Administrators to ensure that disposition is made on all benefits by the DCIS processing deadline. If disposition is not made, the next month's benefit will also be held.

16 Del. Admin. Code § 2000-2009