Expedited Processing Standards 430-05-20-50-15

(Revised 04/01/07 ML3072)

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County application procedures must be designed to identify households eligible for expedited service at the time the household requests assistance by conducting a pre-screening.  Section 1 of the Application for Assistance must be used to screen for expedited services.  A household cannot waive its right to expedited service.

 

Income is not converted when determining entitlement to expedited services.

 

Income must be converted if the household is paid weekly or biweekly when determining the amount of benefits the household is entitled to.

 

If any of the following apply, the household is entitled to expedited services:

  1. Households with less than $150 in countable gross monthly income when their countable liquid assets do not exceed $100.

  2. Migrant or seasonal workers who are destitute and countable liquid assets do not exceed $100.

  3. Households who have combined countable gross monthly income and countable liquid assets that are less than the household’s monthly rent or mortgage and the appropriate mandatory utility standard.

If pre-screening identifies a household as not entitled to expedited service and it is later determined that the household is entitled to expedited services, the 7-day processing timeframe begins with the date the household is discovered entitled to expedited services.  

 

Example:

An application is filed on May 5 and indicates that the household is not entitled to expedited service.   At the interview on May 12 it is discovered that the household has countable income of less than $150 and countable liquid assets, which do not exceed $100.  The application must be processed by May 17 so benefits are available to the household by the 7th day (May 18).

 

Section 1 of the SFN 405 - Application for Assistance must be used to screen for expedited services. If the application is mailed in or dropped off, the county must attempt to contact the household to complete the screening.  If the applicant is entitled to expedited services, the county must schedule an interview as soon as possible in order to meet the 7-day processing timeframe.  

 

If the interview is completed and identity is verified, benefits must be available to the household by the 7th day.  If the household does not have an EBT card, a card must be issued at the time of prescreening or interview.  If the household has an EBT card, the worker must ensure the account is active.  Benefits must be issued by the 6th day for deposit into the household’s EBT account to ensure they are available to the household by the 7th day.

  

If the household does not show for the scheduled interview, the notice F018 – Notice of Missed Interview must be sent.  If the household reschedules the interview in time to meet the expedited timeframe, the interview must be completed, identity verified and benefits must be available to the household by the 7th day. If the household does not have an EBT card, a card must be issued at the time of prescreening or interview.  If the household has an EBT card, the worker must ensure the account is active.  Benefits must be issued by the 6th day for deposit into the household’s EBT account to ensure they are available to the household by the 7th day.  

 

If the household does not reschedule the interview in time to meet the 7-day processing time frame, the household loses its entitlement to expedited services and the application is processed within the 30-day processing time frame.  If the household makes no further contact, the application must be denied on the 30th day following the date of application for failure to complete the interview process.  The notice of denial must not be generated prior to the 30th day after the date of application.  If the 30th day falls on a weekend or holiday, the application must be denied on the next working day following the 30th day.    

 

Incomplete Application

If an incomplete application is submitted by mail or an incomplete application is filed and the household is unable to stay for the pre-screening, eligibility for expedited processing cannot be determined.  The worker must schedule an interview as soon as possible.  

 

If the interview is completed, identity is verified and the household is found eligible for expedited services, the 7-day processing timeframe starts with the date of interview.  Benefits must be made available to the household by the 7th day.  If the household does not have an EBT card, a card must be issued at the time of interview.  If the household has an EBT card, the worker must ensure the account is active.  Benefits must be issued by the 6th day for deposit into the household’s EBT account to ensure they are available to the household by the 7th day.

  

If the interview is completed and the household is not eligible for expedited services, the application must be processed within the 30-day timeframe.

  

If the household does not show for the scheduled interview, the notice F018 –Notice of Missed Interview must be sent. If the household reschedules the interview in time to meet the expedited timeframe, the interview is completed, identity verified and the household is found eligible for expedited services, the 7-day processing timeframe starts with the date of interview.  Benefits must be made available to the household by the 7th day. If the household does not have an EBT card, a card must be issued at the time of interview.  If the household has an EBT card, the worker must ensure the account is active.  Benefits must be issued by the 6th day for deposit into the household’s EBT account to ensure they are available to the household by the 7th day.

 

If the household does not reschedule the interview in time to meet the 7-day processing time frame, the application is processed within the 30-day processing time frame.  If the household makes no further contact, the application must be denied on the 30th day following the date of application for failure to complete the interview process.  The notice of denial must not be generated prior to the 30th day after the date of application.  If the 30th day falls on a weekend or holiday, the application must be denied on the next working day following the 30th day.  

 

There is no limit to the number of times a household can be certified under expedited processing.

 

Exception:

Before a household is entitled to expedited services when verifications were postponed, the household must have provided the postponed verifications or have since been certified under 30-day processing standards.