Disaster Benefit Issuance and Support Services

Disaster Benefit Issuance

When the DEBS Director authorizes implementation of the “Emergency Activation Issuance Procedures,” staff must follow the procedures specified in the Attachment B of DEBS “Continuity of Government Plan (COG).” COG is available at all DEBS district offices.

Disaster Support Services

The following section describes an overview of the disaster support services.

Invoking Disaster Support Services

The Disaster Services Plan will define the disaster-specific functions of WebADMIN, which will be available to the state and counties to assist workers, cardholders, and retailers in disaster situations. Fidelity Information Services (FIS) will process benefits issued during a disaster using disaster-specific federally approved eligibility criteria.

Upon notification of declaration of a disaster, FIS will immediately activate WebADMIN’s disaster features, which are unique to disaster relief support. These functions will include, at a minimum, disaster EBT card issuance and disaster benefit grant issuance. These accounts will be distinctively identified as disaster benefit accounts to assist service inquires. FIS has the ability to set up a minimum of 200 disaster user identifiers per day.

The disaster-specific screen functions will allow staff to establish disaster relief accounts, issue benefits, institute alternate expungement time frames, and perform complete account, card, and personal identification number (PIN) set-up functions once a cardholder has been determined eligible, received a card and PIN, and assigned a SUID.

Pre-Printed Disaster EBT Cards

FIS will create and maintain an inventory of at least 400,000 pre-printed and pre-enclosed disaster EBT cards and an inventory of at least 500,000 blank disaster EBT cards to hold in reserve. Each pre-printed disaster EBT card includes a specific disaster card number. The pre-printed disaster EBT cards will be produced on the same card stock and with the same artwork and layout specifications as standard EBT cards. The disaster EBT card number generated by the system are reserved for pre-printed disaster EBT cards. WebADMIN will prevent the use of disaster EBT card numbers for issuance of cards other than pre-printed disaster EBT cards. WebADMIN will also prevent the use of previously created disaster EBT cards.

Pre-printed disaster EBT cards are provided upon request to designated county offices for distribution to cardholders with emergency situations. WebADMIN generates the files used for the production of disaster EBT cards and Personix is responsible for producing the pre-printed card stock and distributing it to the two disaster EBT card facilities located in California.

These pre-printed disaster EBT cards are not personalized with a printed cardholder name, but have the word “disaster” printed on the name line. The state will link pre-printed disaster EBT cards to a given case number through either WebADMIN’s AA screen(s), batch interface, or host-to host interface, as outlined in the Disaster Service Plan. FIS will produce and restock disaster EBT card inventory, which includes both pre-printed disaster EBT cards and blank card inventory, within six weeks of when disaster EBT card inventory is used.

Disaster Card Carriers

For pre-printed disaster EBT cards, the corresponding PIN will be printed on the sleeve that holds the card. The disaster EBT card carrier will include the return address. The word “disaster” and any other information needed to delineate each disaster EBT card, will be printed in the area of the carrier visible through the destination window of the envelope.

Disaster PINs

Disaster EBT cards will be assigned the PIN that is printed on the card sleeve for both new cardholders and disaster cards issued as a replacement to an existing card. The cardholder will use the PIN included in the card sleeve or change the PIN through a PIN select device or via the ARU.

Disaster Benefits

WebADMIN currently supports complete functionality for updates to any type of account information, including cardholder address, benefits programs, card status, and benefit authorization with disaster benefit types and adjustment. The majority of updates are made from function-specific WebADMIN screens.

Disaster Benefit Types

WebADMIN will support three disaster benefit types:

Disaster Food Benefits (DFSP benefit type)-Food benefits issued to newly eligible clients as a result of a federally approved disaster food benefit program.
Supplemental Disaster Food Benefit (SDFSP benefit type)-Additional food benefits issued to existing food benefit clients as a result of a federally approved disaster food benefit program.
Replacement Food Benefits (RFSP benefit type)-Food benefits issued to existing food benefit clients to replace food lost as the result of a disaster or other event.

By default counties will be prohibited from issuing DFSP and SDFSP benefits. Upon federal approval of a county disaster food benefit program, these benefit types will be enabled for the approved county.

Disaster Benefit Expungement

Disaster benefits will follow the same benefit aging and expungement time frames as regular EBT accounts.

Early Release of Benefits

Benefits pending issuance for the next month can be released early in a disaster situation. This will occur as directed by the state in a disaster situation.

Disaster EBT Card Management

Ordering Disaster EBT Cards

In the event of a disaster, the county will contact the State EBT Operations to order Disaster EBT Cards. The request needs to include:

The number of cards requested in lots of 500.
The address where the cards need to be delivered.
Contact information for the person that will be taking delivery of the cards.

Disaster EBT Card Storage Inventory

Each pre-printed EBT card will be stored in a sealed envelope with its matching card sleeve. The pre-printed card envelopes will be stored in boxes sealed with security tape. Each box will contain instructions on card distribution and use, as well as contact data for those needing additional information. The blank cards will also be stored in security-tape sealed boxes, each of which includes instructions on card preparation, distribution, use, and contact information. County offices must store the boxes of pre-PINed, pre-printed disaster cards in a secure location. Access to disaster cards must be tightly controlled. Strict inventory tracking of all disaster cards issued from the county office must be maintained.

Returning Disaster EBT Cards

The county will destroy any unused disaster EBT cards in a secure manner.

Emergency Equipment Supply

In addition to the stored cards and carriers, FIS will also store an emergency supply of equipment that can be mobilized in case of disaster. The reserve equipment inventory, consisting of flat card printing devices, PIN activation equipment, benefit inquiry and full-function POS devices, will be maintained at a level of three percent of all administrative equipment items used as part of the California services project. Like the pre-printed cards and blank cardstock, equipment can be deployed promptly to the affected area upon state notification.

Disaster Benefit Issuance and Support Services