Mid-Certification Review

Created on: 
Nov 06 2019

Online Processing

Mainframe Processing

See ACES Screens and Online Pages for an example of pages or screens used in this chapter.

Who is required to complete a mid-certification review?

Most Cash and Basic Food assistance units with certifications periods greater than 6 months are required to report changes on a mid-certification review. See EA-Z Manual WAC 388-418-0011 What is a mid-certification review, and do I have to complete one in order to keep getting benefits?

The reporting requirements are the same for all assistance units (AUs) related by head of household (HOH) and are based on what types of benefits the household receives.

What is a mid-certification review?

Clients who have a related Cash AU receive Letter 022-07 (Mid Certification Report) along with Attachment 14-467 (Mid-Certification Review).

Clients who are recipients of Basic Food and do not have a related Cash AU receive Letter 022-11 (Mid Certification Report - Food Assistance Only).

  • Letter 022-11 is auto-populated with the following information:
    • Household Income
    • Household Members
    • Child Support Payments
    • Household Resources
    • Shelter Costs
  • Clients will return Letter 022-11 indicating if any circumstances have changed. See EA-Z Manual WAC 388-418-0005 How will I know what changes I must report?
  • ACES creates Letter 022-11 using static and conditional text to confirm circumstances and ask questions necessary to determine ongoing eligibility and benefits.
  • If a question is not relevant to the benefits a client receives, ACES will not add the question to the mid-certification review.

When is a mid-certification review generated?

ACES auto generates Letter 022-07 along with Attachment 14-467 for related Cash recipients or Letter 022-11 for Basic Food recipients, who do not have a related Cash AU the next business day after monthly issuance (deadline) in the 8th month from the review end date.  See ACES Production Calendar.

Both Letter 022-11 and Letter 022-07 along with Attachment 14-467 is due back by the 10th day in the 7th month from the review end date.

 
 Date MCR due:
 
 Month MCR letter sent:
 AU Review end date:
 January 10
 December
 July
 February 10
 January
 August
 March 10
 February
 September
 April 10
 March
 October
 May 10
 April
 November
 June 10
 May
 December
 July 10
 June
 January
 August 10
 July
 February
 September 10
 August
 March
 October 10
 September
 April
 November 10
 October
 May
 December 10
 November
 June

When does the system match up the mid-certification review cycle for related Assistance Units (AUs)?

If Cash or Basic Food is approved in different months and matching the Cash end dates to the end date for Basic Food gives the Cash a review end date of at least 6 months, the system matches up the mid-certification review cycle.

NOTE:  Locally printing Letter 002-01 (Approval Letter) after approval of a Cash AU does not show the matched certification end date until overnight batch processing occurs.  During overnight batch processing, the Cash and Basic Food certification end dates are matched and Letter 002-01 is sent from State Office showing the newly synced cash certification end date.

When does the system not match up the mid-certification review cycle for related Assistance Unit (AUs)?

If matching the Cash AU end date to the end date for Basic Food will give the Cash a review date of less than 6 months, the system will not match up the 6-month review cycle.

The Cash AU receives a separate mid-certification review.

What happens when a related application is processed during the month a Letter 022-07 (Mid-Certification Review) or Letter 022-11 (Mid Certification Report - Food Assistance Only) is due to be mailed?

Processing the related application will be considered a completed mid-certification review and no Letter 022-07 (Mid-Certification Review) or Letter 022-11 (Mid Certification Report - Food Assistance Only) will be mailed.

Can an AU be manually closed for an incomplete mid-certification review?

Yes, an AU can be manually closed for Reason Code 542 – Incomplete Mid-Certification Review.

What do I do if an application is received after an Assistance Unit (AU) closed for no mid-certification review?

When a client submits a new application after their case closed for failing to return a mid-certification review (Reason Code 141 or 142) the client has the choice of either completing the application, or withdrawing the application and completing the mid-certification review. See EA-Z Manual – WAC 388-418-0011 What is a mid-certification review, and do I have to complete one in order to keep receiving benefits?

For more information, refer to CSD Procedure Handbook, Mid-Certification reviews.

Online Processing

What happens when a related application is approved after the Letter 022-07 (Mid-Certification Review) or Letter 022-11 (Mid Certification Report - Food Assistance Only) is mailed to the client but prior to the report deadline?

The system will consider the mid-certification review as complete and automatically update the MCR Status field on the Review page to Completed - (C) to prevent the termination of the related AU.

How will I know if an Assistance Unit (AU) is a mid-certification reviewer?

Mid-certification reviewers are identified on the Eligibility Details page in the Report Status field. This field is on the Eligibility Details page if the AU is a [S] - 6-Month Reporter.

The Report Status field always appears on the Eligibility Details page for Cash and Basic Food AUs.

ACES automatically updates the Exempt Reason field on the Eligibility Details page to identify the reason an AU is a non-reporter. 

How do I process a mid-certification review?

For information on required verifications for the mid-certification review, see Clarifying Information in the EA-Z Manual – WAC 388-418-0011 What is a mid-certification review (MCR), and do I have to complete one in order to keep receiving benefits?

To process a Mid-Certification review take the following steps:

  1. Go to the Case Actions page. See How do I access Online Case Actions?
  2. Click the Process MCR link in the Mid-Certification Reviews section of the Case Actions page.
  3. Continue through the MCR process by using the Navigation tree. For more information on navigating, see How do I navigate in ACES 3G?
  4. When all changes are complete, click Review on the Navigation tree.
  5. On the Review page, complete the following fields:
  • MCR Received Date field - Enter the date the MCR was received.
  • MCR Status field - Select the appropriate status reason from the drop down box.
  1. Click Eligibility on the Navigation tree.
  2. Click the Details link to the right of any AU that is currently active on the Eligibility page.
  3. Review the Eligibility Details for each AU.
  4. On the Eligibility Details page click Commit Changes.
  5. Print IID - Click Yes or No radio button.  If Yes, select print option for head-of-household.  For more information, see How do I print an Interactive Interview Declaration (IID)?
  6. Click Commit Changes on the Eligibility page.
  7. Click the Close button to exit the Case Actions page.
NOTE: When a returned mid-certification review is processed as Incomplete (I), ACES generates Letter 033-03 (Non-Receipt of Mid-Certification Review).  For more information, see When is Letter 033-03 (Non-Receipt of Mid-Certification Review) generated?

When is Letter 033-03 (Non-Receipt of Mid-Certification Review) generated?

Letter 033-03 (Non-Receipt of Mid-Certification Review) serves as 10-day Notice and the Termination Letter. It generates on or about the 18th day of the 6th month if the Report Status field on the Review Summary page displays the following valid values:

  • Report Sent Not Returned (S)
  • Incomplete (I)

What happens at monthly issuance if the mid-certification review is incomplete?

If the Report Status field on Review Summary page indicates the review is incomplete at monthly issuance of the 6th month:

  • TANF/SFA and Basic Food close for Reason Code 142 – Incomplete Mid-Certification Review or Reason Code 141 - Mid-Certification Review Not Returned.

How do I reinstate and process a mid-certification review (MCR) for a closed Food or Cash Assistance Unit (AU)?

NOTE:  When a new BF or Cash AU is screened or a closed AU is re-opened, ACES checks if the HOH has an AU that closed within the last 31 days with one of the following reason codes:

  • Mid-certification review not returned (141) 
  • Incomplete mid-certification review (142)
  • Incomplete mid-certification review (542)

If an AU meets this criteria, edit message: [AU number] recently closed for [Reason 141, 142, or 542]. If processing a late MCR, cancel screening and reinstate the AU. displays on the Finalize page during screening.

To reinstate a closed Food or Cash AU for no MCR, see the steps in How do I reinstate an Assistance Unit (AU) in ACES 3G?  or How do I reinstate an Assistance Unit (AU) in ACES.online?

NOTE: When reinstating a closed Food or Cash AU and processing an MCR, users should work the ongoing month first and then go back historically into each benefit month that is being reinstated.
EXAMPLE: If January was the month the MCR was due, but February was also closed, reinstate the AU and process the ongoing month of February first then update the MCR status for January.  

Mainframe Processing

What happens when a related application is approved after the Letter 022-07 (Mid-Certification Review) or Letter 022-11 (Mid Certification Report - Food Assistance Only) is mailed to the client but prior to the report deadline?

The system considers the mid-certification review as complete and automatically updates the Report Cmplt field on the MISC screen to [C] - Complete to prevent the termination of the related AU.

How will I know if an Assistance Unit (AU) is a mid-certification reviewer?

Mid-certification reviewers are identified on the STAT screen in the Rpt Stat field. This field appears on the STAT screen if the AU is a [S] - 6-Month Reporter or [Q] - Quarterly Reporter.

The Rpt Stat field always appears on the CAFI, MAFI, and/or FSFI screen.

ACES automatically updates the Rpt Exempt field on the CAFI, MAFI, and/or FSFI screen to identify the reason an AU is a non-reporter. See <F1> Help.

When is Letter 033-03 (Non-Receipt of Mid-Certification Review) generated?

Letter 033-03 (Non-Receipt of Mid-Certification Review) serves as 10-day Notice and the Termination Letter. It generates on or about the 18th day of the 6th month if the MISC screen Report Cmplt field displays the following valid values:

  • S - Report Sent Not Returned
  • I - Report Returned Incomplete
  • W - Report Ret Incomplete-Missing WAGE/Income Verification

What happens at monthly issuance if the mid-certification review is incomplete?

If the Report Cmplt field on MISC screen indicates the report is still incomplete at monthly issuance of the 6th month:

  • TANF/SFA and Basic Food close at monthly issuance for Reason Code 142 – Incomplete Mid-Certification review or Reason Code 141 - Mid-Certification Review Not Returned.

 

See ACES Screens and Online Pages for an example of pages or screens used in this chapter.