lectronic

1. E lectronic B enefits T ransfer As related to Policy and RAPIDS (Please refer any Policy questions to the Policy Unit and RAPIDS questions to the RAPIDS Help Desk.)

2. General EBT Information • Works like a Debit Card • Must know PIN and keep it secret • Shop anywhere that accepts the QUEST Card • Fees and Surcharges may apply to cash withdrawals • Ongoing Cash Payments can be Direct Deposit • Cash Auxiliaries or Pick-ups will be deposited into EBT Account (even if client has Direct Deposit) • All deposits are made into EBT Accounts by 8am. If a deposit is not there by 8am, it will not be there that day.

3. More General Information • An Authorized Cardholder, Legal Guardian, and/or Protective Payee are required to use the Primary Person’s Birth Date and ALL ZERO’s for the SSN. Worker must inform client of this information when adding them to a case. • If a client no longer wants or needs an Authorized Cardholder (AC), Legal Guardian and/or Protective Payee, these screens must be deleted in RAPIDS. The Primary Person can call the EBT Helpline and have the AC’s card deactivated immediately. • Changing the Primary Person in RAPIDS will deactivate the FORMER Primary Person’s EBT Card and issue an EBT Card to NEWLY Designated Primary Person. The existing balance will be on the new card. Worker must inform client that this will happen and that the old card WILL NOT work. • AIRQ in RAPIDS can be used to request a Replacement Card for an existing EBT Cardholder or to appoint an Authorized Cardholder.

4. Yet… More General Information • EBT Accounts are created and linked based on RAPIDS Case Numbers. Opening a new Case Number in RAPIDS will generate a new EBT account and Card. BALANCES from different Cases CANNOT be combined. • If a Client wants to return benefits that are in their EBT Account, an IFM-EBT-1 form must be completed and taken immediately to a Supervisor or IFM Repayment Investigator. NEVER TAKE THE Client's EBT CARD. • If an EBT Card ends up in the Local Office, it must be treated as a negotiable and immediately taken to the Financial Clerk. (See Draft Negotiable Policy)

5. When and What Information from RAPIDS will be in the EBT System….. • RAPIDS only sends Cardholder and Demographic Information to EBT • Name, Address, SSN, and Birth Date of Primary Person, Authorized Cardholder, Legal Guardian and Protective Payee • Benefit Deposits • Card Replacement Requests via AIRQ • Information entered into RAPIDS is sent overnight and populates in the EBT System the next day. This includes: • Address Changes • Approvals • Card Requests Via AIRQ • Auxiliaries • Changes in Primary Person, Authorized Cardholder, Legal Guardian and Protective Payee

6. Lost, Stolen, Damaged Cards • If the Client’s address is correct: • Refer Client to the EBT Helpline to request a replacement EBT card. (DHHR CSC also has this capability.) • If the Client’s address is NOT correct: • The address change must be made in RAPIDS. AN ADDRESS CHANGE DOES NOT GENERATE A NEW EBT CARD. • The Worker must complete AIRQ in RAPIDS to Request a New Card • OR • The Client must be informed to contact the EBT Helpline the following morning to request their replacement card. NOTE:In any of the above instances, if the Client’s EBT card is in danger of misuse, inform them to contact the EBT Helpline immediately to have card inactivated.

7. Inactive- Dormant- Expunged FNS regulations require that States have an aging process for NON USE of benefits in an EBT Account. The 3 Benchmark stages are Inactive, Dormant and Expunged. The Worker receives an Alert and the client receives a RAPIDS generated notification letter at eachbenchmark. The Notification Letter informs the client of their EBT Account Status. The Food Stamps and Cash benefits within an EBT account age separately, ie: A client could have a Dormant FS Account but their Cash Account has not aged and has an active status. This is a maintenance tool for the Case Worker and a security measure for the client. Policy information regarding Inactive/Dormant/Expunged can be found in section 2.2 and 2.17 of the Policy Manual. Please refer any Policy questions to the Policy Unit.

8. Inactive Accounts • If a client has not used their EBT account in 45 Days their EBT Account Status will be INACTIVE. The benefits remain in the Client's account and are accessible by the client. Once the client makes a purchase, the account is automatically reset into an ACTIVE ACCOUNT STATUS. The notification letter at this stage explains that if the account is not used by day 180, the account will go into a DORMANT STATUS.

9. Dormant Accounts • If a client has not used their EBT account in 180 Days it will become DORMANT. • The benefits remain in the account but ARE NOT accessible to the client, they are "Frozen". • DHHR CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER or the DHHR LOCAL OFFICE WORKER have access to reset a DORMANT Account. • The EBT HELPLINE CANNOT reset a DORMANT Account. • EBT Account Status must be checked and reset, if necessary, by the Local Office Worker when Reopening cases.

10. Dormant Accounts, continued • You can check to see if an account is DORMANT by looking at the ACCOUNT Status on Cardholder Information Screen in the EBT System. • DORMANT, CARD ACTIVE, D indicates the ACCOUNT IS DORMANT. BENEFITS CANNOT BE USED Until Reset. • Resetting a DORMANT account is very easy. (It is completed in the EBT Admin System) It is not giving the client additional benefits, only access to benefits they have already been determined eligible. • Resetting a DORMANT Account restarts the "aging" clock at 0 Days. • Remember DHHR Customer Service Center and Local Office have this access. The EBT HELPLINE DOES NOT!!!

11. Expunged Accounts When benefits in an account have not been used for 270 Days, they are EXPUNGED. The benefits will no longer be available to the client, ALL FS and/or Cash benefits, regardless of age deposited will be REMOVED from the account and are not restored. When an account reaches this point in the benefits aging process, the client has already received notifications from the prior stages and the current stage explaining what would happen to the benefits if they did not contact their caseworker. NOTE: When reopening a case that has previously had benefits EXPUNGED, the Account Status must be reset in order for the client to access the newly approved benefits.

12. Opening a New RFA • Creates a New EBT Account • Card and training materials automatically generated to client • If client has an EBT Account from a previous explain: • New Case #, New EBT Account, New EBT Card • Balance from previous account(s) cannot be combined • Best to spend benefits from previous case first and put that EBT card away to prevent unnecessary confusion

13. Reopening an Existing RFA If Client has received EBT Benefits from this RFA previously and has their EBT Card, At Interview: Check EDA Status of EBT Account and reset if necessary (ie, is account status dormant or expunged) • Verify Card belongs to RFA you are opening • Does client know their PIN, IF not, explain how they can change their PIN.

14. If Client DOES NOT have their EBT Card: Request new card via AIRQ in RAPIDS You can choose whether or not to request a NEW PIN for the client from this screen also. Check Account Status Screen of EBT Account (ie, is account dormant) If Account Status is in a DORMANT EXPUNGED Status, RESET ACCOUNT The Account Status must be checked and reset, if necessary, regardless of whether or not a new card is requested. Reopening an Existing RFA

15. When opening or reopening cases, Inform Clients: • WATCH for Notification from WV DHHR about approval and benefit amount • Look for EBT Card 5-7 days upon request for replacement or approval, if new RFA • Plain white envelope from Tampa, Fl • If a New Application or New PIN requested via AIRQ, Look for PIN 1-2 days after receipt of card. • Perforated envelope from Tampa, FL • HOW to use EBT Card (Video available, if necessary) • HOW and WHEN to use the EBT Helpline • WHEN to contact DHHR Customer Service Center or Local Office • Give client any additional training handouts.

16. HOW and WHEN to Call the EBT Helpline Check Balance Activate Card • Only the first card needs activated • Replacement cards are already activated Report Card Lost, Stolen, or Damaged • If card number is not known, press or say nothing. • You will then be given an option to report your card Lost, Stolen, or Damaged • Select this option and a representative will come on the line Change PIN • From the main menu, Press 3 (PIN REPLACEMENT). • You will be asked to enter the birth date of the Benefit Payee Cardholder (MM/DD/YY) and then the SSN. • You will then be asked to enter and re-enter the 4 digits that you would like to use as your PIN. • You will hear “YOUR PIN IS NOW SELECTED AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.” Hear Last 10 Transactions Request a Statement Place a Claim • If you disagree with a balance or transaction.

17. EBT Helpline said to contact Local Office…. WHY?? • Is Address, SSN, Birth Date correct in RAPIDS? • Have they just been corrected today, if YES, information won’t be in EBT System until tomorrow • Does client know their information • Is client entering information properly • Is Cardholder an Authorized Cardholder, Protective Payee, or Legal Guardian? • If YES, Birth Date is that of the Primary Person and SSN is all ZERO’s • If Client continues to have trouble with EBT Helpline • Explain how to use the Helpline and show buttons to push • If client is in the office, place the call with the client on speaker phone • If client is on the phone, conference call with client NOTE:Information on the CARDHOLDER INFORMATION SCREEN will show the exact information that the EBT Helpline will accept. Make sure this is the information that is being entered.

18. When NOT to call the EBT Helpline • Questions about Program Eligibility • Sanctions • Appointments • Benefit Amount • To find out WHEN benefits will be in account • To report changes, including an address change

19. EBT Trouble Shooting CLIENT: “My Card won’t work!” • On Cardholder Information Screen • Check Card Status … Is this a valid card?? • Check Account Status…. Is account dormant or expunged?? • On Transaction History Screen • Is client entering PIN correctly • Is client choosing correct account (FS or Cash) • Does client have enough money • If transaction not showing, recommend to have store key in card number. Maybe machine or card is damaged. • On Card History Screen • Is client using correct card ?? • Has client recently requested a new card?? • Was a new card requested for client due to change in Primary Person or via AIRQ ?? • Does card belong to this case number ??

20. EBT Trouble Shooting #2 CLIENT: “My Card won’t work! I called the EBT Helpline and they told me my balance is ZERO- I know I have money in there” SOLUTION: Check EBT Account Status • If Account is DORMANT , Reset Account • If Account is been EXPUNGED , Reset Account • If you still see current balance on the account, resetting the account will solve the client’s problem • If Balance is ZERO • Check Transaction history to see if newly approved benefits were deposited and days later expunged. • Agency may have to restore benefits, due to DORMANT account not being reset and account progressing to EXPUNGEMENT • Any reissued benefit requests due to EXPUNGEMENT must be completed in RAPIDS • EBT Account still needs reset This Happens if a DORMANT Account is not reset

21. What Happens when benefits are expunged due to a DORMANT account not being reset…. RCSDJI West Virginia EBT Production System 02/03/04 Detail Journal Inquiry 10:04:07 Card #: 5077200000XXXXXX Account Sts: 01 EDA #: 354000239144 Card Sts: 01 Start Date: 000000 Available Balance 8.22 ----------------------------- Transaction Information ------------------------- Sel Date Time Type Trn Amt Cmp Amt Card Number Loc/Reason AFSC 02/06/03 :10 Deposit Bene 51.00 51.00 5077200000XXXXXX BENEFIT UPDAT YNNS 02/28/03 17:57 POS Purchase 52.60 .00 5077200000XXXXXX WAL-MART # N51S 02/28/03 17:58 POS Purchase 52.60 .00 5077200000XXXXXX WAL-MART # N51S 03/06/03 :29 Deposit Bene 49.00 49.00 5077200000XXXXXX BENEFIT UPDAT YNNS 03/08/03 17:51 POS Purchase 85.12 85.12 5077200000XXXXXX WAL-MART # YNNS 03/12/03 19:27 POS Purchase 13.49 13.49 5077200000XXXXXX WAL-MART # YNNS 12/02/03 19:50 Deposit Bene 541.00 541.00 5077200000XXXXXX BENEFIT UPDAT YNNS 12/07/03 20:58 Expungement 542.39 542.39 INACTIVE EXPU YNNS 12/10/03 20:04 Deposit Bene 541.00 541.00 5077200000XXXXXX BENEFITUPDAT YNNS 12/11/03 18:26 POS Purchase .98 .98 5077200000XXXXXX WAL-MART # YNNS ========================================================================== F4-Read F6-Read Nxt SF2-Ben Dtl SF3-Tran ID SF4-Tran Dtl

22. More Trouble Shooting SITUATION: Client’s card was returned, can you mail it back to them? RESOLUTION: NO. All Returned Cards go Tampa, FL, are deactivated to a card status code 11 (Undeliverable) and destroyed. • If client needs a new EBT Card • Ensure Address is correct and refer them to the EBT Helpline or request card via AIRQ in RAPIDS. DO NOT DO BOTH… or client will get 2 cards and be confused…. Remember: If address is CORRECTED in RAPIDS today, it will not be in the EBT System until tomorrow morning. You can request the card via AIRQ today OR have them call the EBT Helpline tomorrow morning.

23. Trouble Shooting… the last one Client Hasn’t Received their EBT Card! • Remember- New cards are not automatically generated when reopening an existing RFA or changing an address. • When was card requested and what address was card mailed to? • Card History Inquiry will show date card requested • Verify client’s address in RAPIDS and EBT • If sufficient amount of time since request, verify and change address, if necessary and client should request new card. • If Card History shows “no records found” • Is this a NEW Case? When was case approved in RAPIDS? EBT Cards are not mailed until morning after the case is approved in RAPIDS. • If Card History shows no recent cards requested. • Client must request New card if they need one. NOTE: Always verify address before requesting new card for client or referring them to the EBT Helpline

24. Questions? West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Electronic Benefits Transfer Project Office of AccountingCapitol ComplexBuilding 3 Room 516Charleston, WV 25305-0513Telephone: (304) 558-4126;Fax: (304) 558-5670WV EBT in GroupWise Internet: www.wvdhhr.org/ebt Intranet: http://intranet.wvdhhr.org/ebt/