Manual Voucher Issuance

1. Manual Voucher Issuance Presentation to: Nutrition Service Directors and Staff Moderated by: Sonia Jackson, MSL Program Review and Delivery Manager Date: September 14, 2016

2. Objectives • Limit the issuance of manual vouchers • Ensure Local agencies provide accurate documentation and compliance with obtaining approval for manual voucher issuance

3. NSD Responses Key Points from NSD’s on discontinuing voucher usage • Majority of the M&M district are not issuing manuals because their system is rarely down and if it goes down they ask the participants to return to pick up vouchers. They voted to discontinue the use of manual vouchers. • Valdosta stated Aegis is down due to system and server issues a lot, so they are not able to service clients for weeks at a time and have to use manual vouchers. • Athens stated she has one clinic that is down due to internet issues and during food package changes they can’t print partial packages. • Most districts don’t want to issue manual vouchers due to vendors won’t accept them and the participants return to the clinic to exchange them. • Dalton stated to make it an option for clinic that uses manual vouchers frequently to keep them and others to discontinue usage.

4. NSD Responses Alternatives to Manual Issuance: • Issue only blank infant vouchers for special formulas and standard infant manual vouchers • Ability to print vouchers from the district office or other clinic if Print Que is still working, ensure proper testing is performed for this option • Mail vouchers to participants • Discontinue use of all manual vouchers • Implement the emergency voucher system (if print que is working CSC can print vouchers)

5. Manual Voucher Policy Manual vouchers must only be issued in the event of a system failure, loss of power at the clinic, or other conditions when the clinic system is not available, and replacement of formula for vouchers during a package change. Prior approval from the State Agency (SA) is required before any manual vouchers are issued. The SA must be notified of any system failure or power outage at the local agency (LA) to approve manual voucher issuance.

6. Reasons for Manual Voucher Issuance Examples of when manual voucher issuance will be approved for use: • Natural Disasters • System Failure • Power Outage • Returned Formula for food package changes

7. Approval of Issuance of Manual Vouchers from the SA For a clinic to obtain approval to issue manual vouchers, they must notify • Nutrition Service Director or designee • Their district’s assigned Program Operation Specialist

8. Approval of Issuance of Manual Vouchers from the SA The LA must inform the participants of the situation with the computer being inoperable and ask them if they want: • to wait until the system is operable • to receive vouchers in the mail • to receive manual vouchers after approval is received.

9. Approval of Issuance of Manual Vouchers from the SA If the participant chooses to have the vouchers mailed, verify the address and follow the mailing vouchers policy and only one month can be issued.

10. Approval of Issuance of Manual Vouchers from the SA The LA must keep the SA informed of the conditions of the computer system by letting the SA know: • The expected length of time the system will be down, • When the issue will be resolved, • If the problem needs to be escalated to senior management, etc. • Their plan for servicing the participants until the issue is resolved. The above information can be sent via email.

11. Manual Voucher Issuance Accountability • The LA must inform the SA of daily how many manual vouchers were issued during the approval period. • All manual voucher issuances must be verified by a second person. • The verifying person will initial the manual voucher copy next to the ID codes. • LA must ensure the serial numbers are input correctly in VMARS before submitting the voucher issuance to CSC. • The LA must complete and submit the Manual Voucher Issuance Form to their NSD or designee each day manual vouchers are issued and to their assigned SA Program Specialist via email and copy the Operations Unit Manager.

12. Manual Voucher Issuance Form District Unit/Clinic Name and Number: _____________________________________________________________ Date: _________________________________________________________________________________________

13. Electronic Submission • All manual vouchers must be entered into the computer for electronic submission within an hour if possible of the computer system returning to operable conditions but no later than the close of business each day. • The submission will be verified by the State WIC Operations Specialist thru GWIS after receipt of the Manual Voucher Issuance Form

14. Mailing Vouchers Local agencies that elect to mail FIs must: • Complete the Mailed Vouchers report daily • Ensure program integrity and accountability standards are met. • Confirm the reason for mailing the FIs with the participant, and verify his/her address. • Ensure that the required nutrition education contacts are met. • The hardship condition and the NSD’s approval must be documented in the participant's health record. • Have a post office box or a district office address, as well as a return address for all mailed vouchers. • A maximum of one (1) months of FIs can be issued and mailed at a time. • Establish a system that ensures the return of vouchers if undeliverable. • The vouchers must be sent via certified mail.

15. Daily Mailed Voucher Report The Daily Mailed Voucher Report must be completed by the clinic. List: • Mailed food instruments • Participant names • WIC identification numbers. • The reason(s) for mailing • The date mailed • Signature of the person preparing food instruments for mailing

16. Daily Mailed Voucher Report Georgia WIC Program Mailed Food Instrument Log Site: ___________________ Date: _______ 8/16 Supervisor/ Designee Signature____________________________ * Staff Printed: Who printed & stuffed envelopes * Mail FIs Date: Date the FIs are taken to the post office * Staff Mailed: Who actually mailed the FIs

17. Daily Mailed Voucher Report • A copy of the Daily mailed Voucher Report must be mailed or faxed to the district office weekly. • The report must be kept on file in both the clinic and the district office. • The Nutrition Service Director or designee must document on the roster if the vouchers were redeemed. • If vouchers are not mailed on the day the vouchers are printed, the vouchers must be securely stored until they are mailed. • LA must transport vouchers to the post office in a locked box, locked clipboard, locked brief case, or locked bag.

18. Questions