Document Management
An applicant has provided an unexpired Maine Real ID. Does the Applicant need to sign a Citizenship Attestation form?
No
An 80-year-old applicant has an appointment. Due to their age, their child goes to the appointment in their place. What documents are needed in order to proceed with the appointment?
-An unexpired photo ID from POA
-A court ordered guardianship document or notarized Power of Attorney
Bonus: which PoA can we not take?
Answer: Medical Power of Attorney
How many digits (including the -) is in Versant Power account numbers?
18!
What is the correct way to calculate an applicant's paystubs?
Bonus: why do we do it this way?
You take the year-to-date figure from the last paystub in the income verification period, subtract the year-to-date figure from the first pay stub. Add the gross amount earned from the first paystub. Add all gross amounts earned during the income verification period (4 if paid weekly, 2 if paid bi-weekly)
Year-to-date amounts will show any bonuses/extra money not shown on any of the pay stubs.
Which Service Template should ALWAYS be used when enrolling applicants in EmpowOR?
Multi-Select Participant Service
A minor child has a signed Citizenship Attestation form and a social security card to prove citizenship. Is there anything else needed?
Yes! The Citizenship Attestation and Social Security card must be paired with documents on "List B" OR a US Passport, Maine Real ID, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, US Birth Certificate, or Document from fed. recognized Indian Tribe.
An applicant states that their tank is located in an unheated space, what fuel type must they receive?
Trick question: the applicant has a choice between kerosene and oil.
A household member cannot provide proper social security and/or citizenship verification, what should intake do and what should certifiers do?
Intake should "uncount" applicant by adding applicant to ECOS but leaving out Social Security Number.
Certifiers should make sure that household member provides all income documentation (if 18+)
MOST IMPORTANT: Make notes on EmpowOR and ECOS explaining why this household member is uncounted.
Can an intake certify their own applications?
Trick question: intakes cannot certify their own application unless the application is "Subsidized - heat included"
What is the best way to search an applicant to avoid duplications?
Search by the first three letters of the applicant's first name and the first three letters of the applicant's last name.
Which household member(s) is/are required to verify ID?
Only the Primary Applicant!
An application was done on 10/31. The applicant provides a paystub that is check dated for 10/31. Can we take this?
Bonus: what is the date range?
NO. We look at the previous 28 days.
Date range would be: 10/2-10/30
There are 24 Exemptions from Household Income, name three.
1. Adoption assistance. Financial assistance and medical coverage granted to an adoptive family to offset the short - and long-term costs of adopting an eligible child
2. Assets drawn down from financial institutions provided the source of funds is not countable income. If the source of funds is countable income that was received during the IVP, the amount withdrawn would be included in HH income
3. All income used to fulfill a Social Security Administration Program to Achieve Self Sufficiency
4. Any funds received for education from grants, loans, scholarships, and work study
5. Bank loans, private loans, reverse mortgages, home equity loans
6. Capital gains (except for business purposes)
7. Combat zone pay to the military
8. Credit card loans/advances
9. Federal payments or benefits excluded by law
10. Foster care payments
11. Income earned by a full-time college student who is not counted as a HH member
12. Income earned by a full-time high school student
13. Income from the sale of a primary residence or personal car, or other personal property
14. In-kind payments
15. Non-cash income such as General Assistance voucher payments
16. One-time compensation for injury or retroactive compensation for injury
17. One-time insurance payments
18. Reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with employment
19. Reimbursement for medical expenses
20. Retroactive payments and overpayment adjustments from an entitlement program for a time period outside of the period being considered for HEAP
21. Short Term Disability and Long Term Disability
22. TANF
23. Tax refunds
24. (Tribal) eligible band member general welfare assistance program funds
An applicant is Self Employed. What documentation do you need and how do you calculate the monthly income?
Applicant needs to have the most recent and SIGNED Federal Tax Return (can have an e-file Signature instead). Applicant needs to provide the 1040 as well as the Schedule 1.
Certifier must take the total of net income (including net rental income) plus the total net gain from sales of capital goods or equipment and divide by 12.
Where can I find the Agency Assessment in EmpowOR?
Go to Manage Assessments tab and click on the green plus sign next to Agency Assessment.
What is the difference between the Certificate of Naturalization (N-550/N-570)?
Tip: it's in the documentation guide I made!
The N-550 is the original document. The N-570 is any copy made (like if the original was lost or damaged)
Describe the qualifications to being a roomer/boarder
- The roomer proves that the rental arrangement was in existence for at least 60 days prior. Must pay market-price rent.
-Roomers cannot comingle funds or share expenses with lessor's household
- Cannot be related by birth, marriage, or adoption
A household has a college student, describe how to handle it as an intake and as a certifier:
Intake: When going through the Application Questionnaire, question #7 asks "Are there any Household members who are college students?" if the applicant says yes, you must ask if they would like to include the college student or not.
If the college student works full time, it would be in their best interest to exclude them. Intakes should answer Question #8. Do not add them as a household member and do not add any of their income.
If the college student does not work, it would be in the Applicant's best interest to include them. Intakes should answer "NA" to Question #8. Add them to the Household and add their income as "none".
MAKE A NOTE
Certifiers: certifiers should make sure the excluded college student has provided a college schedule proving they are full-time. Make sure the college student is not on the application.
An online applicant marked their Dwelling information as rent, but they are actually subsidized with heat included. How do you proceed?
You must have the applicant fill out and sign an Application Update Form. Since the application is still pending, the certifier can make the changes!
How do you add an Income Snapshot in EmpowOR?
Click on the income tab on the left-hand side, press the green plus button, select the date of the snapshot (I usually put the date of application), click on the green plus button next to each name that receives an income, save and close
Name three documents that count for Citizenship Verification
Three documents that count as Identification Verification
Three documents that count as Social Security Verification
Bonus: who is exempt from Social Security verification?
Citizenship: US Passport, Maine Real ID, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, US Birth Certificate, Document from federally recognized Indian Tribe, (List A) SS Card and Citizenship Attestation Form, Consular Report of Brith Abroad, Certification of Birth Abroad, US Citizenship Identification Card, Northern Mariana Card, Military record showing US place of birth, US medical record from a clinic, hospital, physician, midwife, or institution showing a US place of birth, US life, health or other insurance record, Religious record showing us place of birth, school record showing child's name and place of birth, federal or state census record showing us citizenship or place of birth, Final adoption decree showing the person’s name and U.S. place of birth, Documentation of a foreign-born adopted child who received automatic U.S. Citizenship (IR3 or IH3) (List B): Driver's license issued by a US State or territory, ID card issued by Fed/state/local government, school ID card, a clinic/dr/hospital/school record (for children under 19), US Military card or draft record/Military dependent's card, US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card, Voter Registration card, Two other documents that prove your identity, like employer identification cards, high school or college diplomas, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, property deeds or titles
Identification: (one) Driver's license, state issued ID card, passport or passport card, SNAP/EBT card with photo, US Military ID
(two) Adoption decree, employer ID card, marriage certificate, social security card, birth certificate, foreign school record that contains a photograph, notice from a public benefits agency, union or worker's center ID card, divorce decree, high school/college diploma, property deed or title document, voter registration card
SS verification: bank tax form, non SSA-1099 tax form, SSA 1099 tax form, w-2, Medicare care with number ending with A, SS card, Valid unexpired U.S. Military documents such as DD Form 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty issued by the U.S. Department of Defense, Two recent paystubs (within the last sixty (60) days) showing Household Member’s full SSN, A Notice of Decision issued by a Public Benefits Agency that shows the Household Member’s full SSN, A recent (within the last year) Social Security Administration letter or notice showing Household Member’s full SSN, Most recent (within the last two years) full Federal Tax Return showing Household member’s full SSN and confirmation of filing, An Income Withholding Order/Notice for Support showing Household Member’s full SSN
Name three buildings/vehicles/structures/etc that do not count as dwelling units (there are 11)
a camper, trailer, semitrailer, truck camper, motor home, boat, railroad car, bus, yurt or other structure designed and constructed to provide temporary living quarters
Explain the process of mixed households (a household has one person on the SNAP letter and the other receives wages)
Ask the applicant that receives SNAP what their income is (wages, SS, SSI, etc), upload the SNAP document as income proof.
The Household member who is not on the SNAP letter must provide their income documentation.
When ceritfying, certifiers must use "income" as their eligibility category.
An applicant is over income, how do you determine how much they're over?
Take the figure in the "Annualized Income" box and subtract that number by the income guideline. This will show how much they're over annually.
Divide the difference by twelve, this will show how much they're over monthly.
Describe what intake needs to do after an appointment in EmpowOR
Describe what certifiers need to do after certifying the application
Intake: Make a comment stating that you completed the PY(Program Year) application and any other information that certifiers would need to proceed.
Upload all proof and documents received during intake.
Go to Enrollments & Their Services tab on the left
IF there is not already a program enrollment, click on the green plus button, choose HEAP as the Program, click on the date of application as Enrollment Start Date, enroll all applicants, leave the Enrollment status as pending, save and close
For Program Services click the green plus button, click "select all" for Participants for Service, save and close.
Certifiers: change the enrollment status from "pending" to "Enrolled", make the exit reason "Successfully Completed Program", click on the program service already made (DO NOT ADD AN EXTRA), put the benefit amount in under "Amount", Add "Utility Payments (LIHEAP-include Emergency Utility Payments) under Housing Services (SRV 4), and add HEAP Benefit under Energy Services, save and close.
Make a note stating that application was certified and for how much.