Q1. Every month my childcare reimbursement is different. How is it calculated?
Q2. I find it difficult to talk to my case worker. What can I do?
Q3. My monthly benefit is reduced and I don’t know why. What can I do?
Q4. I reported my first paycheck for BTH. Why are my cash assistance and food stamps reduced?
Q5. I report my earnings on my MERF. Why does my FTW case manager want to see my check stub?
Q6. I received my income tax refund. Will this affect my “financial?”
Q7. I received a scholarship for $1000, will this affect my “financial?”
Q8. My kids received $200 from their Auntie. Will this affect my “financial?”
Q9. My 60-months of TANF are finished. Am I eligible for anything else?

Q1. Every month my childcare reimbursement is different. How is it calculated?

• Childcare reimbursements are linked to work hours but are calculated separately from the work requirement. Childcare reimbursement is based on the kind of childcare (licensed preschool, relative caregiver, After School, etc) and the number of hours of work activities (class & paid employment) that you do each month. The magic number for maximizing childcare reimbursement is 97 hours per month (or 45 hours for Before/After School Care). DHS calculates the number of hours you work per week, multiplied by 4.33 (23 hours per week x 4.33 = 99 hours per month). If you are not in school or at work for 23 hours every week, your childcare reimbursement is reduced. The difference between 97+ hours and 86 hours (20 x 4.33) can be almost $100 per month.

Q2. I find it difficult to talk to my case worker. What can I do?

• Good communication requires courtesy and organization. As a client, power is balanced in favor of the case manager. However clients have a right to expect courteous, correct and timely information. Your case manager has the same expectations. DHS & FTW do not reassign case managers because of conflicts. It is in your best interest to understand the rules and be organized. See Case Workers under the Resources page for successful strategies to make the most of your interactions with your case manager.
  If you are having difficulty with a case manager, you can contact the BTH coordinator (956-8059) who can assist you in communicating with FTW and DHS.

Q3. My monthly benefit is reduced and I don’t know why. What can I do?

• First, call your financial assistance case manager and report the problem. They should be able to explain the change. Perhaps someone miscalculated and incorrectly reduced your payment. Ask them when you can expect to receive the rest of your benefits. Be sure your MERF is submitted on time.
  If your benefits are stopped or reduced and you do not agree with the reason given, you have the legal right to dispute the decision through the Fair Hearing Process. Be sure to meet the 90-day filing deadline. See Case Workers documen tfor more discussion of the Fair Hearing process.

Q4. I reported my first paycheck for BTH. Why are my cash assistance and food stamps reduced?

• Bridge to Hope earnings are “exempt” from calculation against your cash assistance and food stamps. If your food stamps or cash assistance are reduced because of your income from BTH, you need to inform your Income Maintenance worker (not FTW) immediately. It is recommended that you attach the memo indicating BTH income as exempt to your first couple months of MERFs.

Q5. I report my earnings on my MERF. Why does my FTW case manager want to see my check stub?

• First-to-Work is responsible for all employment related rules. They want to confirm that you have worked the appropriate number of hours. BTH recommends that you share a copy of your signed timesheet with FTW to most accurately verify hours worked. Remind your FTW case manager that payroll is lagged 4 weeks and does not cover a uniform number of work dates. For students, State of Hawai’i pay stubs are not the most detailed or reliable measure of a student’s work hours; timesheets signed by supervisors are. It is recommended that you make a copy of all timesheets and pay stubs for your personal records.

Q6. I received my income tax refund. Will this affect my “financial?”

• No. While your Income Maintenance worker wants you to list your tax return on your MERF because it is money that you received during the month, your income tax refund is not “countable income” for the month you receive it. However, if you leave your tax return in your savings/checking account and you exceed the “assets” limit for food stamps ($2000 in savings/checking) you could be ineligible for food stamps until your assets are below $2000. Many people pay off bills with their tax return. You can also check out IDA (Individual Development Accounts) which allow you to save money for specific uses (education, homes, businesses) and sometimes have your savings matched.
  All BTH participants should be eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) because you have earned wages. See Budgeting Resources page for more info on filing for the EITC.

Q7. I received a scholarship for $1000, will this affect my “financial?”

• No. All educational income (loans, scholarships, grants, BTH & work study employment) are “exempt” income” for financial assistance and food stamps.
  Student loans are not income. They are a debt to be repaid; therefore they are not and should not be listed as income.

Q8. My kids received $200 from their Auntie. Will this affect my “financial?”

• Yes. People have found to their dismay that all cash reported to DHS, unless specifically exempted (tax refund, BTH or work study) are considered “unearned income” and deducted from the monthly stipend.
  Remember! DHS wants to know about cash flowing through your household. If someone wishes to assist your household, ask them to pay your phone bill or purchase children clothing. These are not reportable events for DHS and will not impact your eligibility. If you are new to DHS/FTW, talk to other BTH students about their strategies or ask BTH System-wide Coordinator Teresa Bill about unearned and exempt income.
  If your cash assistance is being reduced, and you disagree with the action of your case manager, you have the right to a “Fair Hearing.” Information should be printed on the back of all of the forms you receive from DHS. An informal means is usually faster to resolve problems, but be sure that you file your request within the time limit. If your problem is complicated enough to require a fair hearing you should contact the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii at 536-4302 on Oahu or 1-800-499-4302 from neighbor islands.

Q9. My 60-months of TANF are finished. Am I eligible for anything else?

• DHS has a program that pays $200 a month (up to 24 months) for people employed at least 20 hours per week. Talk to your IM cash assistance case manager about this program. If your income remains low, you will also continue to be eligible for food stamps and your children eligible for Quest (If you work 20 hours per week, your employer is required to provide you with health coverage. If they verify that you are not eligible for health care, DHS will cover you for Quest).
  Unfortunately, if your TANF benefits end during the semester, you will no longer be eligible for Bridge to Hope employment. You can look for employment with private sector employers. Student employment on campus during the school year is limited to 19 hours per week.

Disclaimer: These pages are intended to be informative and answer basic questions about U.H. Bridge to Hope and the First-to-Work Education Policy. However, only First-to-Work can definitively interpret their program policies. It is always good to maintain communication with your case manager(s).