Memorandum of Understanding Interstate Data Matching By State Public Assistance Agencies
PURPOSE: This information exchange memorandum of understanding (MOU) is entered into by and among State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) listed in Attachment A for the purpose of insuring that individuals are not receiving unlawfully duplicate public assistance benefits from more than one of the SPAAs identified in Attachment A (now and as amended hereafter).
AUTHORITY: Sections 402 and 1137 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 602 and 42 U.S.C. 1320b-7.
PROCEDURES: The Administration for Children & Families , U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, will act as match facilitator by assisting with drafting the necessary MOUs, helping to arrange signatures to the MOUs, arranging computer support services to implement the implement the information exchanges between participating SPAAs, and acting as a central shipping point when necessary. Each SPAA's client eligibility data will be matched with all SPAA data received at least quarterly in order to detect possible duplicate payments among States. The resulting data will be provided to the participating SPAAs involved when matches occur with respect to an individual file.
SECURITY & CONFIDENTIALITY: At a minimum, each SPAA will safeguard the information resulting from the interagency match as follows:
- Each SPAA shall establish appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to ensure the security and confidentiality of records and to protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to their security or integrity which could result in substantial harm, embarrassment, inconvenience, or unfairness to any individual on whom information is maintained;
- Access to the records matched and to any records created by the match will be restricted only to those authorized employees and officials who require them to perform their official duties in connection with the uses of the information authorized in this agreement;
- The records matched and any records created by the match will be stored in an area that is physically safe from access by unauthorized persons during duty hours as well as non-duty hours or when not in use;
- The records matched and any records created by the match will be processed under the immediate supervision and control of authorized personnel in a manner which will protect the confidentiality of the records, and in such a manner that unauthorized persons cannot retrieve any such records by means of computer, remote terminal or other means; and
- That all personnel who will have access to the records matched and to any records created by the match will be advised of the confidential nature of the information.
AMENDMENT OF ATTACHMENT A: Attachment A may be amended periodically. When Attachment A is updated, ACF will provide within 10 business days an email notification to the SPAA contact identified below. The email will contain a copy of the revised Attachment A as most recently updated.
TERMINATION: This memorandum of understanding may be terminated by providing to or receiving from the ACF contact specified below a written notice of termination. In the case of a unilateral termination by a SPAA, such termination shall be effective 90 days after the date of the termination notice, or at a later date specified in the notice.
ACF CONTACT:
Name & Title/Office:
Oscar Tanner, Director
Office of Financial Services
Address & Phone No.
370 L’Enfant Promenade
Sixth Floor East
Washington, DC. 20447
202-401-5667
SPAA CONTACT:
Name & Title/Office
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Address & Phone Number
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
APPROVAL:
The official whose signature appears below affirms that he or she is authorized to enter into this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on behalf of ________________________________ (Agency Name) in the State of _________________________ and hereby verifies that the SPAA specified herein will abide by the provisions of this MOU.
_________________________________________
Signature
_______________
Date
Name & Title/Office
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Address & Phone Number
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
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