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Certification Period

Revised February 29, 2008

How are certification dates determined? What are the certification period defaults? When can a certification period be shortened or extended? Are cash review periods and Basic Food certifications matched up? Where do I find additional information on certification periods? Certification Defaults and Allowable Adjustments Extensions Chart

How are certification dates determined? Policy defines how long a case should be certified based on program code, type code, and household situation. See EAZ Manual for WAC 388-416-0005 and WAC 388-434-0010. A certification period starts on the effective date of eligibility. ACES uses program and type code to set a default review end date (end of the certification period) on the CAFI, MAFI, and/or FSFI screen. What are the certification period defaults ? Certification period end dates are set to default based on the assistance units circumstances and the other programs the client is receiving benefits from.  See Certification Defaults and Allowable Adjustments Chart. When can a certification period be shortened or extended? Certification period end dates can be modified for certain cash and Basic Food assistance AU’s. See Certification Defaults and Allowable Adjustments Chart. Certification end dates can only be changed in the ongoing month during: Option Q – Finalize Application Review Process Option R – Interim/Hist Change when there is a change in the certification period set by the system. The system will default to the current certification periods but the user can shorten the certification periods on the following programs: AF (TANF-Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) GA (General Assistance) GI (Institution for the Mentally Diseased) BF (Basic Food) – minimum of 6 months All ABAWDS and Homeless AU’s (BF and Cash) continue to be adjusted to a minimum if 4 or 5 months. The following programs will allow a longer certification period than the system default: BF (Basic Food) – All elderly or disabled – maximum allowable 24 months. GI (Institution for the Mentally Diseased) – maximum allowable 12 months. Certification periods for the following programs cannot be adjusted at any time: WASHCAP food benefits – these FS AU’s will remain a 24 month certification period. Transitional Food Assistance (TFA) - will remain a 5 month certification period. Refugee Assistance (RF) – will remain an 8 month certification period. ADATSA (GW) – will remain a 6 month certification period. CEAP (EA) – will remain a 1 month certification period. Diversion Cash Assistance (DA) – will remain a 12 month certification period. SP – will remain an open ended certification period. ACES will automatically extend the certification period for one or two months when an application is finalized or when a review is initiated but there is not enough time for the next review to be auto-scheduled. When ACES extends the review date Edit Message 1887 - REVIEW END DATE AUTO EXTENDED TO INSURE NEXT REVIEW IS AUTO SCHEDULED - displays at the bottom of CAFI, MAFI, and/or FSFI screen. In this situation, the review end date can be shortened but the user must be aware that if they do shorten it, the next review will not be auto-scheduled. If a worker attempts to make an invalid adjustment to a certification period, one of the following edit messages will display on the CAFI, MAFI, and/or FSFI  screen: Edit 2135 – CERTIFICATION PERIOD CANNOT BE ADJUSTED Edit 2137 – AU CAN ONLY BE ADJUSTED TO A 4 OR 5 MONTH CERT Edit 2139 – REVIEW CANNOT BE EXTENDED, SCHEDULE MANUALLY 2180 – CANNOT SHORTEN THE CERT PERIOD TO LESS THAN 6 MONTHS Edit 1890 – CERTIFICATION PERIOD EXTENSION EXCEEDS ALLOWABLE LIMIT Edit 1834 - CANNOT SHORTEN THE REVIEW PERIOD TO LESS THAN THE ONGOING MONTH Are cash review periods and Basic Food certifications matched up? For new applications processed in the same month, ACES will set the review period and certification period for the same number of months. When cash, TANF related medical or Basic Food is approved in different months and there is at least six months left in the Basic Food certification period, the eligibility end dates for a new cash/TANF related medical AU will be set to match the certification end date for the Basic Food AU. If there is less than six months left in the Basic Food certification period, ACES will not change the certification period end date for Basic Food. ACES will set a 12 month review period for the new cash/TANF related medical AU. Users have the option of initiating a review for Basic Food which will then match up the review period and certification end dates for the new cash/TANF related medical. At review or recertification, when the worker initiates a review for cash, Basic Food, or medical, ACES will initiate a review for the other program. Where do I find additional information on certification periods? For Basic Food Certification Periods, see WAC 388-416-0005. For Cash Assistance Certification Periods, see WAC 388-434-0005. For Medical Assistance Certification Periods see: WAC 388-416-0010 WAC 388-416-0015 WAC 388-416-0020 WAC 388-416-0035

Certification Defaults and Allowable Adjustments Program Type / AU Circumstances Certification / Review Period Default Allowable  Adjustments General Assistance (GA) 12 months Can be shortened ** Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Up to 8 months None TANF/SFA 12 months Can be shortened ** TANF/SFA or GA – AU is Homeless 6 months Can be shortened to 4 or 5 months TANF/SFA - Migrant/Seasonal Farm Worker 6 months None ADATSA 6 months None C99, L99, and MN with Spend-down 6 months Can be shortened to 3 months Medical – All other Medical not associated with a cash grant 12 months None Basic Food (BF) – ABAWDS 6 months Can be shortened to 4 or 5 months Basic Food (BF) – Homeless 6 months Can be shortened to 4 or 5 months Basic Food (BF) – Migrant/Seasonal Farm Worker 6 months None Basic Food (BF) – All adult members are *elderly/disabled – no earned income or cash assistance 12 months Can be extended to a maximum of 24 months Basic Food (BF) – Associated with ADATSA 6 None Basic Food (BF) – WASHCAP 24 None Basic Food (BF) – All other (including non-participating ABAWDS or ABAWDS in exempt areas) 12 Can be shortened to a minimum of 6 months Transitional Food Assistance 5 N/A  *Elderly means a person 60 years of age or older for Basic Food  **Minimum certification to remain in AUTO ER Schedule Cycle

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Modification Date: February 29, 2008

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