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NAPIPM Food Stamp TAG contact: Brenda Holzworth
Whats's New
2006 FSP Bonus Payments
-- Transcript of remarks by acting agriculture secretary chuck conner at the food stamp 30th anniversary event, Washington D.C.
-- USDA Awards $18 Million To States For Exceptional Customer Service in Food Stamp Program
-- USDA awards nearly $5 million in grants to increase access and participation in food stamp program
February 28, 2006:
FNS publishes request for comments regarding Food Stamp QC negative review activity. Comments are due by May 1,2006.
February 27, 2006:
FNS releases initial error rate report for 2006. See Error Rates page for more details.
February 7, 2006:
FNS releases error rate report for 2005. See Error Rates page for more details.
January 31, 2006:
FNS releases QC Policy Memo 06-30 dated January 20, 2006. (.pdf) - Note, the date of implementation have been changed since this memo has been released. Please check with your FNS regional office for the latest information.
January 24, 2006 :
FNS releases memo regarding 120 variance exclusion for implementing changes to Medicare Prescription Drug Plans - Part D. (.pdf)
January 19, 2006:
FNS releases FY 2004 Annual QC report. (.pdf)
December 6, 2005:
FNS releases State options report that profiles State Food Stamp Policy choices as of August 2005 (.pdf)
October 18, 2005
FNS releases Quality Control Procedures for Katrina Disaster Benefits, October 11, 2005. (.pdf)
October 4, 2005
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA announces FY 2004 performance bonuses for Program Access Index and Application Timeliness Processing. (.pdf)
September 23, 2005
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA publishes proposed rule: "Discretionary Quality Control Provisions of Title IV of Public Law 107-171" (.pdf)
August 1, 2005
Dear Member of PAQC: Today we have posted a new QC Policy Memo on the Hot Topics Page of the PAQC Partner Web Community. The memo is also posted in the FSP-Electronic Menu community where we post policy issuances. This important memo is titled "Integrity of the Quality Control Review Process". Please review this memo. - Fran
June 27, 2005:
Dear PAQC Member: We have posted the QC Powerpoint presentation from the Triregional (SWRO, SERO, MPRO) conference last week in San Antonio. It can be found at the top of the training materials page. It provides information on problems that have come up about negatives, coding, as well as addressing QC integrity. Please be sure to check it out. - Fran
April 8, 2005:
We (FNS) published a request for comments on the burden required for the Pre-Screening tool on the Partner Web. It was published in the Federal Register on April 1, 2005.
FNS regional office staff who have questions may consult their regional representative in the Certification Policy Branch. State officials should contact their FNS Regional Office for answers to questions. - Dan Woodhead, FNS
April 7, 2005:
SUBJECT: FSP – Application Processing Timeliness on FNS-366B
TO: State Food Stamp Program Directors
FROM: FNS
For many years, FNS has collected data on timeliness in application processing on the FNS-366B, Program Activity Statement. However, we found the FNS-366B data regarding timeliness to be inconsistent and of questionable validity. Since October 2002, FNS has used the quality control (QC) data to collect information about timeliness.
On February 3, 2005, the Program Development Division issued a memo to you regarding the use of QC data to monitor States’ application timeliness processing rates. On February 7, 2005, the Final Rule on High Performance Bonuses was published in the Federal Register, and included a provision regarding the use of QC data to determine each State’s rate of application processing timeliness.
Accordingly, we are eliminating the application timeliness data on the FNS-366B, and instead will continue to rely on the QC data to determine States’ application timeliness processing rates. Effective for Fiscal Year 2005 reporting, State agencies should not report certifications overdue in Section C of the FNS-366B and instead should leave all six overdue fields blank in that section. States must continue to report application approvals and denials. We are revising the FNS-366B (deleting these data elements) and have initiated action to obtain OMB approval.
Please notify your State agencies of this change. If there are any questions, please contact John Bedwell via e-mail or at (703) 305-2397.
April 7, 2005:
FNS released a resource package which provides guidance regarding Combined Application Projects (CAP). (.pdf)
March 31, 2005:
Today we posted the new FSP Nutrition Education Plan Guidance for FY2006 in the FSP-Electronic Menu community of the FNS Partner Web. This document provides policy guidance for States regarding the operation of Food Stamp Nutrition Education. If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate people in your Region or Headquarters.
Fran Heil
FNSQC
March 24, 2005:
Subject: Recalculation of Adjusted Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 15 Percent ABAWD Adjustments
We have published this new memo in FSP--Electronic Menu on the Partner Web. It was signed March 11, 2005, to all Regional Directors of the Food Stamp Program. It lists additional ABAWD case month exemptions for 11 States. FNS regional office staff who have questions may consult their regional representative in the Certification Policy Branch. State officials should contact their FNS Regional Office for answers to questions. To log in to this PartnerWeb Community, click here. - Dan Woodhead, FNS
