State Responsibilities 415-05-11-05

(Added 10/1/20 ML #3588)

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Policy and Procedure Development

 

As part of its responsibility, the state also develops and maintains policy and procedures regarding appeals and fair hearings, waste, fraud, and abuse, overpayment recovery, and civil rights complaints as well as grievance procedures.

 

Maintenance of Verification Interface

 

The North Dakota Department of Human Services (DHS) has built a web-based verification system called NDVerify that streamlines the search of different interfaces/sources to obtain verification electronically. NDVerify allows eligibility workers to search multiple interfaces/sources for household members included in a LIHEAP case at the same time. NDVerify also stores the search based on the date completed for historical purposes. The following interfaces/sources are included in NDVerify:

 

• Birth/Death Records (ND Vital Records)

• Health Insurance (DEERS)

• ND Child Support

• ND Department of Corrections

• ND Motor Vehicle/Watercraft (Motor Vehicle/Game & Fish)

• ND State Directory of New Hire

• ND State Hospital Admission/Discharge

• ND Unemployment Insurance Benefits (Job Service)

• ND Wages (Job Service)

• Other Benefit Information (SSA)

• SNAP Intentional Program Violations

• WSI Medical Claims Status

• Request UPA

• Request 40 Quarters

• SAVE

 

In addition to these interfaces/sources, eligibility workers also have access to additional verifications received through other program interfaces such as the Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS), Social Security Administration and Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS).

 

Quality Assurance Coordinator

 

The State Office institutes a continuing performance reporting system to monitor program administration and program operations. The components of the system are:

 

• Data collection through quality assurance reviews

• Analysis of data collected by Quality Assurance and all other management information sources

• Corrective action planning

• Corrective action implementation, monitoring, and evaluation

 

Corrective Action Planning

 

The objectives of corrective action planning are to develop appropriate measures to correct LIHEAP deficiencies based upon the results of data analysis performed by the Quality Assurance Coordinator.

 

The State is responsible for the development of two types of corrective action:

• Remedial involves rectifying past errors in individual cases.

• Preventative involves correcting patterns of deficiencies.

 

Corrective action plans are monitored by HSZ and state personnel to determine if they are completed in a timely manner.

 

Case Monitoring

 

State Low Income Home Energy Assistance staff monitor heating assistance and emergency assistance continuously to identify errors in eligibility determination and benefit issuance. Numerous monitoring reports from the central office and field staff are also reviewed by state office. Reports from the HSZ boards’ supervisors and staff, on-site visits to local offices and fuel suppliers, and/or fiscal and recipient data from the LIHEAP system are also incorporated as monitoring tools. Corrective action plans are initiated appropriately.

 

In addition, numerous data edits exist within the LIHEAP system to ensure that data is accurate and benefits are issued correctly.

 

The state office employs the following monitoring tools:

 

Duplicate Payment Report – periodic report, usually quarterly, that indicates possible duplicate payments for LIHEAP. Payments are investigated and resolved by state program staff.

 

Estimated Cost of Heating Report – list of households whose cumulative payment amount for the heating season deviates from the estimated cost of heating by $250 or more. Report is reviewed and questionable payment amounts are investigated.

 

Payment Summary Notice – when a case closes or at the end of the heating season, households are sent a payment summary notice that lists all payments that have been made on behalf of the household. Household is instructed to review and report any discrepancies.

 

Quality Assurance Reviews - a statewide monthly random sample of fifteen (15) LIHEAP cases that received a payment are reviewed by the Quality Assurance Unit staff.

 

The sample consists of one (1) case per region along with an additional two (2) random selections from the statewide sample. In addition, a statewide monthly random sample of five (5) denied/closed cases are selected and reviewed.

 

The results of the reviews are shared with the eligibility worker, zone director and the Policy and System Support (PaSS) Unit. If overpayments exist as a result of the review, overpayments are established regardless if it is due to an agency or recipient error. At the time an overpayment is established, the family is informed of the overpaid amount and their responsibility for repayment.

 

Error trends are used to identify areas of the program in need of training or possible policy revisions. LIHEAP e-Learning courses are available online 24 hours a day for eligibility workers to develop competency and skills in applying LIHEAP policy. Policy and System Support (PaSS) provides training for zone eligibility workers on new policy and revisions. In addition, they work one-on-one with eligibility workers as needed.

 

Statistical Reports - local agency utilization of LIHEAP is monitored monthly through statistical reports that are generated for review of caseload and expenditures by county. These reports are shared within DHS and each county agency for their review and information. If there are any discrepancies identified, they are reviewed by the LIHEAP Administrator.

 

Returned LIHEAP Checks – returned checks are investigated to obtain current address and to determine if eligibility is ongoing.

 

On-site or Virtual Visits – County visits, as determined, to conduct training or monitoring program administration

 

Fiscal Monitoring

 

An abstract is created each week of payments authorized by the eligibility worker in the LIHEAP eligibility system along with payments requested by fuel vendors. The abstract is reviewed by DHS policy staff and Fiscal Administration and authorized payments are reconciled with system reports before payments are released and paid through the PeopleSoft payment system.

 

In addition, Fiscal Administration provides monthly spenddown tables on the utilization of program funds to the Economic Assistance Director.

 

Program Monitoring

 

For weatherization and emergency furnace services, monitoring is flagged in the Department’s electronic contract system on a specified schedule throughout the life of the contract.

 

Training

 

The State Office is responsible for providing continued training opportunities for workers, supervisors, Policy and System Support (PaSS) staff, performance reporting system reviewers, vendors and subgrantees.

 

The zones are responsible to ensure staff attend training sessions and enroll in e-learning training opportunities.

 

North Dakota’s open meeting law permits attendance of non-employees at training sessions. However, the role of public participants must be limited to observation only.