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\par Department of Human Services
\par
\par Division of Economic and Medical Services
\par
\par Food Stamp Certification Manual
\par
\par Introduction
\par
\par
\par{\ul Audience}
\par
\par The Food Stamp Certification Manual (FSC Manual) will be used by employees of the Division of Economic and Medical Services (DEMS) in the administration of the Food Stamp Program.
\par
\par{\ul Purpose}
\par
\par The FSC Manual sets forth the policies and procedures used to:
\par
\par 1.Determine the eligibility of applicant households for the program;
\par
\par 2.Determine the ongoing eligibility of households participating in the program;
\par
\par 3.Establish any overissuance of benefits and collect this overissuance;
\par
\par 4.Arbitrate disputes through the hearing process;
\par
\par 5.Report claims of discrimination in the program; and
\par
\par 6.Administer emergency Food Stamp Assistance Programs when authorized.
\par
\par{\ul Preparation of the Manual}
\par
\par The format and numbering system used in the FSC Manual are the responsibility of the Division of Economic and Medical Services.
\par
\par Policy and procedure to be included in the FSC manual may originate with any DEMS employee.  Policy and procedure must first be prepared in draft form.  The developer must have the draft approved by the Manager of the Food Stamp Program, Administrator, Program Development and Support, Administrator, Field Operations, and the Assistant Deputy Director, Economic Services.
\par
\par Following internal approval, draft material to be included in the manual will be sent to the Division of Management Services, Unit of Administrative Services.  Administrative Services will obtain Legislative approval of the draft material and will then print and distribute the material.  Changed sections of policy will be indicated with an asterisk.
\par
\par In order to insure correct distribution, Administrative Services maintains a master distribution list for the FSC Manual.
\par\page 2
\par
\par
\par Changes in distribution (i.e. - address changes, additions to the list, deletions from the list, or changes in the number of copies) should be requested via memo to Administrative Services.
\par
\par{\ul Inserting New Material in the Manual}
\par
\par Material issued for inclusion in any DEMS Manual is accompanied by a Manual Transmittal.
\par
\par In the upper left hand corner of the transmittal, the type of material (policy, form or executive directive) is identified.  The manual to which the material should be added to is also identified.
\par
\par In the upper right hand corner, the issuance number, the issuance date and the expiration date appear.  The issuance number identifies the Food Stamp Certification manual by the letters "FSC".  The year is indicated next.  The number of the issuance is indicated in consecutive order.  For example, the first issuance of 1987 will be numbered FSC 87-1.  The issuance date is the date that the material is effective.  (The effective date will also appear at the top of each page of policy.)
\par
\par The number in the upper right hand corner preceded by a "CN" is an internal control number used by Administrative Services.
\par
\par On the lower part of the page beneath the double lines, two headers appear.  The first header, "Pages to be Deleted, Dated", indicates the policy to be removed.  The second header, "Pages to be Added, Dated", indicates the policy to be inserted in the manual.  Specific instructions for removing and adding the policy are contained under these headers.
\par
\par The "{\ul Summary} {\ul of} {\ul Changes"} appears below these instructions.  A brief explanation of each change will appear in this section.
\par
\par The last section on the transmittal is an inquiry line.  The person named on this line should be contacted if there are questions about the material contained in the transmittal.
\par
\par Transmittals are to be filed at the front of the manual in numerical order with the most recent memo filed at the front.  At least twice a year, a checklist will be issued by Administrative Services containing a list of material which should be included in the manual in the order in which it should be filed.  The purpose of the checklist is to enable each manual holder to insure that the material in his manual is complete and up-to-date.
\par
\par After the checklist has been cleared, transmittals dated prior to the Checklist may be discarded.
\par
\par{\ul Using the FSC Manual}
\par
\par To assist in finding information in this manual, a general table of contents appears at the front.  It contains a list of major topics in the manual and a list of the appendices.
\par\page 3
\par
\par
\par At the front of each major topic a specific table of contents appears.  The specific table of contents contains a list of each section of policy.
\par
\par In addition, at the top of each page the policy numbers for the policy included on that page and a subject line appear.
\par
\par{\ul Responsibility for Maintenance of the Manual}
\par
\par Each new worker who will be involved with the Food Stamp Program will be issued an FSC manual.  It will be the worker's responsibility to insure that the manual contains complete, up-to-date material at all times.  When the worker leaves the agency or transfers to a position outside the office or where he will no longer be involved with the Food Stamp Program, the manual must be returned to the worker's immediate supervisor.
\par
\par{\ul Requests for Manuals}
\par
\par All requests for manuals or for material to be included in the manual will be directed to Administrative Services.
\par}