April 11, 2005
Revision of the FNS-583 form, “Food Stamp Employment
and Training (E&T) Program Activity Report”
SUBJECT: |
Revision of the FNS-583 form, “Food Stamp Employment and
Training (E&T) Program Activity Report” |
TO: |
All Regional Directors
Food Stamp Program |
This is to notify you of a revision to the FNS-583 form that will affect
how State agencies report their quarterly use of 15 percent exemptions. The
change affects Line 5, which currently requires states to report the number
of ABAWDs exempt under the State agency’s 15 percent exemption allowance.
Line 5 has caused some confusion for State agencies because the language can
be interpreted as equating the number of individual ABAWDs exempt to the
number of case months State agencies used in a quarter. (See our January 19,
2005 memo “Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 Allocations of the 15 Percent Exemptions
for Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDS)” and Correct Reporting
Procedures for FNS-583 form, “Food Stamp Employment and Training (E&T)
Program Activity Report.”
To clear up any confusion, effective immediately, Line 5 of this form
will now read, “Number of ABAWD case months used under the State agency’s
15% exemption allowance.” We believe the revision will make it easier for
State agency staff to understand and correctly report their case month usage
while improving our monitoring of 15 percent exemptions. A copy of the
revised FNS-583 form is attached.
FNS' new information system, the Food Program Reporting System (FPRS), is
expected to go live mid-May 2005 and at that time will accept data for the
revised FNS-583. At the same time our current information system, the Food
Stamp Program Integrated Information System (FSPIIS), will be retired. The
system change will be occurring around the time the second quarter FNS-583
report is due on May 16th. Consequently, FNS will not change the data entry
screen in FSPIIS for the data element name change. Second quarter reports
may be entered into FSPIIS under the current data entry screen until the
transition date when FPRS goes live. FNS will be issuing additional guidance
and confirmation on the system changeover date at the appropriate time.
We are attaching an example showing how State agencies should track and
report their case month usage on revised Line 5.
If you have any questions about Line 5 of the FNS-583 form, please
contact Patricia Maggi of my staff at 703-305-2468. If you have any
questions about FPRS, please contact John Bedwell of the Program
Accountability Division at 703-305-2397.
Arthur T. Foley
Director
Program Development Division
Last
modified:
11/21/2008
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