1005 Recertification

Households in which all members are elderly or have a disability with no earned income Employee payments received in cash for wages, tips, commissions, or net profit from self-employment activities; the Gross Income is before deductions for personal or employment expenses or garnishments. Net Income is after deductions for personal or employment expenses or garnishments. are certified for 12 months. All other households are certified for 6 months. Other programs’ redetermination dates should be coordinated with the SNAP recertification date when it is possible. A recertification interview is required at least once every 12 months.

Requirements

A review Filing a signed Application for Review via paper review form or through the self-service portal of the eligibility system for SNAP eligibility with the human service zone to determine continuing eligibility and establish a new review period. of the household’s circumstances is required to continue the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The recertification (review) process includes filing an application Filing a signed Application for Assistance via paper application or through the self-service portal of the eligibility system to establish eligibility and assign a review period., having an interview (if required), and providing required information.

Notification is sent to the household regarding its eligibility status.

Basic Considerations

An application for review is an application to continue SNAP benefits. All points of eligibility are reestablished, and all discrepancies are resolved. Benefits are not continued beyond the end of the certification period without reestablishing eligibility.

A household must complete the review process in the last month of the current certification period to receive uninterrupted benefits. The date for the application of review is the date the form is received by the agency.

A household receives a Redetermination/Recertification Report form in the month prior to its recertification month. Instructions on the form request the household to complete and return it by the due date. Any responsible adult member of the SNAP household or the authorized representative A responsible adult non-household member authorized in writing by the household to make application, receive SNAP benefits and/or purchase food for the household. can complete or sign the report. All other forms of SNAP applications (paper, online, by telephone (Great Plains Food Bank) are also accepted for recertification). Any form of SNAP application for review must be accepted as long as it contains a signature and a legible name and address.

The household must also be sent a Notice of Expiration (NOE) by the 10th of the month prior to the recertification month. The following information must be included in the NOE:

1. The date the certification period expires.

2. The date by which a household must submit an application for review in order to receive uninterrupted benefits.

3. The consequences of failure to apply for recertification in a timely manner.

4. Notice of the right to receive an application form upon request and to have it accepted as long as it contains a signature and a legible name and address.

5. Information on alternative submission methods available to households which cannot come into the certification office or do not have an authorized representative and how to exercise these options.

6. The address of the office where the application must be filed.

7. The household’s right to request a fair hearing if the recertification is denied or if the household objects to the benefit issuance An issued SNAP benefit..

8. Notice that any household consisting only of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applicants or recipients is entitled to apply for SNAP recertification at an office of the Social Security Administration.

9. Notice that failure to attend an interview may result in delay or denial of benefits.

10. Notice that the household is responsible for rescheduling a missed interview and for providing required verification Third-party information or documentation used to establish the accuracy of statements. information.

1. SPACES generated Review Form. Automatically mailed on the 10th to the last working day of the month prior to the review month. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) must be listed under Program(s) on page one (1) of the review form and document Used as a noun, as in documentary evidence indicates a written record of the circumstances of an event or fact. Used as a verb, indicates the act of entering the case file actual proof or statement of proof that the contents of the record are accurate. # must match the review form mailed to the household.

2. On-line Self-Service Portal (SSP) SNAP Periodic Review of Benefits.

3. SFN 405 - Application for Assistance can be used as an application for review if the SNAP program has been desginated on the form and household has been notified of upcoming review with SPACES generated Review Form.

4. Apply for Help on-line application on the Self-Service portal (SSP) can be used as an application for review if the SNAP program has been designated on the form and household has been notified of upcoming review with SPACES generated Review Form.

1. SPACES generated Review Form without SNAP listed as a program on page one (1) of the review form.

2. Federal Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Application.

3. SFN 1909 - Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs.

4. SFN 641 - Title IV-E Title XIX Application for Foster Care.

5. SFN 958 – Health Care Application for the Elderly and Disabled A member of a household who meets one of the following criteria: 1.Eligible to receive SSI benefits, including presumptive SSI payments, or is eligible as a 1619B under SSI criteria. 2.Is determined disabled by SSA and in receipt of disability payments. 3.Is a recipient of disability related medical assistance under Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act). Eligibility to receive these benefits must be based on disability or blindness criteria, which is at least as stringent as SSI regulations. 4.Is in receipt of disability retirement benefits from a government agency because of a disability considered permanent under Social Security disability criteria. 5.Is a veteran with a service connected or non-service connected disability. 6.Is a veteran considered by the VA in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently house bound under Title 38 of the United States Code. 7.Is a surviving spouse of a veteran and considered by the VA in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently house bound or a surviving child of a veteran and considered by the VA as permanently incapable of self-support under Title 38 of the United States Code. 8.Is a surviving spouse or surviving child of a veteran and considered by the VA entitled to compensation for a service-connected death or pension benefits for a non-service-connected death under Title 38 of the United States Code and has a disability considered permanent. Entitled refers to a surviving spouse and surviving children who are receiving the compensation or pension benefits stated or have been approved for such payments but are not yet receiving them. 9.Is in receipt of a Railroad Retirement disability annuity and has been determined to qualify for Medicare. 10.Is in receipt of SSI optional or mandatory supplementation. (North Dakota does not have SSI optional or mandatory supplementation. However, someone moving to North Dakota may have received this benefit from another state.) 11. Is in receipt of disability-based State general assistance benefits, provided that the eligibility to receive any of these benefits is based upon disability or blindness criteria established by the state they receive the benefit from, which are at least as stringent as those used under SSI regulations. (North Dakota does not have disability-based State general assistance benefits. However, someone moving to North Dakota may have received this benefit from another state.).

6. SFN 529 – Application for LIHEAP.

7. SFN 62 – LIHEAP Emergency Assistance Application.

Reviews are identified and processed as follows: 

• Timely

• Untimely

• Late

A timely review is an application for review submitted by the household between the 1st and 15th day of the last month of the certification period. Eligible Having met the qualifications to receive a SNAP benefit by meeting the specified nonfinancial and financial requirements of eligibility. households are entitled to receive uninterrupted benefits (i.e., benefits are available on their normal issuance date).

An untimely review is an application for review submitted by the household between the 16th and last day of the month of the current certification period.

Households filing untimely reviews lose the right to receive uninterrupted benefits.

Remember, untimely reviews are considered urgent. The goal is to have them complete by the end of the review month.

A late review is an application for review filed within 30 days following the expired certification period if the household fails to file an application for review in the last month of the certification period.

Forms received in the month following the last month of the certification period are treated as late reviews and benefits are prorated from the date the form is received.

Refer to Processing SNAP Reviews in Processes and Procedures.

Households that reapply after an expired certification period or within the 30 days following the last month of the certification period may be eligible for expedited services. Screen the renewal application to determine potential eligibility for expedited services Certain verification requirements may be postponed for eligible households to allow for prompt issuance of SNAP benefits..

Note: Households reapplying before the end of their current certification period are not eligible for expedited services.

 

The postponed verification must be provided by the last day of the month for which benefits were issued (e.g., the date of application is July 16th, so verification must be provided no later than August 31st). If the last day to provide verification falls on a weekend or holiday, the household has through the following business day The official working days of the week defined as the days between and including Monday to Friday, but do not include weekends and those public holidays during which the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services is closed. If an application or review is filed, a change is reported or verification is provided on a day in which the human service zone office is closed but the Department is open, it will be considered received on that date. to provide the verification.

When a household who is eligible for expedited processing applies on or before the 15th of the month and verification is postponed, the eligibility worker sends a notice that advises the household of expedited benefits and postponed verification.

If postponed verification is received on or before the end of the expedited period, the second month’s benefit must be issued within seven working days from receiving the verification or by the first working day of the second month, whichever is later. Timely notice of adverse action is not required.

If the required verifications are not received by the end of the month (or second month for combined issuance cases), close the case for failure to provide required verifications. If the household provides the required verifications after benefit termination and still wants to receive benefits for that month, a new application is required.

Note: If the participant A person who is eligible for benefits under SNAP, even if that person is not currently receiving benefits because the amount is too low, or the person is under a sanction or disqualification. reports an expense but doesn’t submit verification by the due date, the expense is removed for future months, and eligibility is determined without it.

If the requested verification of expenses is received after the expedited period, the expenses are added to the case the month following receipt of the verification.

Households applying on or after the 16th of the month and eligible for expedited processing must have the first month's prorated benefits AND the second month's full benefits issued on the same day they are determined eligible.

If verification is postponed in this case, the eligibility worker must send a notice that advises the household of expedited benefits and postponed verification. If postponed verification is received on or before the end of the expedited period, the third month’s benefit must be issued within seven working days from receiving the verification or by the first working day of the third month, whichever is later. Timely notice of adverse action is not required.

If the required verifications are not received by the end of the month (or second month for combined issuance cases), close the case for failure to provide required verifications. If the household provides the required verifications after benefit termination and still wants to receive benefits for that month, a new application is required.

Note:If the participant reports an expense but doesn’t submit verification by the due date, the expense is removed for future months, and eligibility is determined without it.

If the requested verification of expenses is received after the expedited period, the expenses are added to the case the month following receipt of the verification.

For timely reviews, approvals and denials must be completed by the end of the last month of the current certification period. Eligible households must receive notification of their eligibility and notification of receipt of their benefits by the next issuance date. Ineligible Not qualified to receive benefits because of not meeting one or more of the specified nonfinancial or financial requirements of eligibility. households must receive notification of their denial by the end of the last month of the current certification period.

An untimely review must be approved in sufficient time for the household to receive benefits by the 30th day from the date of the application for review. Denials must be completed by the 30th day from the date of the application for review. Refer to Processing SNAP Reviews.

A standard renewal is a review of eligibility that requires either a telephone or face-to-face interview. Refer to Application for Review Interviews in this section.

All households containing an ABAWD must receive a standard review. This is to determine the correct work registration The act of signing the application or recertification form attesting to work registration requirements. status of the recipient regardless of the county status.

Follow the steps below to complete a standard review.

Step 1.Mail the household a review notice in the month preceding the last month of the certification period in sufficient time so that the household may submit a renewal application by the 15th day of the last month of the certification period. The integrated eligibility system will automatically mail the review notice.

 

Step 2: Conduct an interview with the appropriate individual. A Notice of Missed Interview (NOMI) is sent if the interview appointment is missed.

 

Step 3: Review the application or application for review and all points of eligibility. Obtain verification when required. Refer to 103 Verifcations, for the necessary verification for review.

 

Step 4: Review all mandatory interfaces.

 

Step 5: Document the information obtained and verified during the review process in the integrated eligibility system.

 

Step 6: Update the integrated eligibility system to reflect changes and to indicate that the review is complete, assigning a new certification period.

If the form is not returned or all required verification is not received by the end of the appropriate Standard of Promptness, close the case.

The household is sent a Review Due notice by advanced notice deadline in the month prior to the month the certification period ends. If an interview is required, the household has the right to request an in-person or in-home interview. The notice informs the household that the interview is a SNAP application for review process requirement.

The Human Service Zone must send an appointment letter to the applicant An individual who submits an application for assistance under the SNAP program.. All appointment letters must be sent by regular mail. For participants that have provided an email, the Human Service Zones must provide a copy of the appointment letter to the email address provided by the participant in addition to the regularly mailed appointment letter. A copy of the email with the appointment letter must be added to the case file.

The Human Service Zone must send the appointment letter the same day as date of receipt of the application for review. All application for reviews must have an interview scheduled no later than 5 calendar days from the date of receipt. If the household does not appear for the interview, the eligibility worker must generate the household a Notice of Missed Interview notice (NOMI) immediately.

The NOMI must inform the household they have until the end of their certification period to complete the interview without having to submit a new application form. The end of the certification is the last working day of the review month.

SNAP Interview Checklist (SFN 677) must be completed with every interview and uploaded to FileNet using code 5 - Narrative. Eligibility Workers must narrate the date the checklist was completed and uploaded into FileNet.

Agency Caused Delays

If a household submits a review form and completes the interview but the review was not processed within 30 days of the recertification form being filed due to an agency caused delay the review is processed and if determined eligible, benefits are not prorated.

*See Application for Review Interviews regarding scheduling timeframes for SNAP Review interviews.

 

A household is required to report all changes related to its eligibility and benefit amount at the recertification interview. A household is required to report changes according to its reporting requirements after receiving the recertification notice of eligibility (approval notice).

If a change Information that is different from what is currently used to determine eligibility and/or benefits. is reported after the interview but before the notice of eligibility (approval or denial notice) is mailed, the eligibility worker must act on the change within 10 days of the change being reported regardless of the household's reporting requirements. This change must be included in the recertification eligibility determination. Benefits must not be delayed (held or pended) beyond the cutoff date of the recertification month waiting for verification. If there are not 10 days before cutoff to verify a change, the recertification eligibility determination is based on information requested at the interview.

A household is required to report all changes related to its eligibility and benefit amount at time of recertification. A household is required to report changes according to its reporting requirements after receiving the recertification notice of eligibility (approval notice).

If a change is reported after the review is received but before the notice of eligibility (approval or denial notice) is mailed, the eligibility worker must act on the change within 10 days of the change being reported regardless of the household's reporting requirements. This change must be included in the recertification eligibility determination. Benefits must not be delayed (held or pended) beyond cutoff date of the recertification month waiting for verification. If there are not 10 days before cutoff to verify a change, the recertification eligibility determination is based on information requested at the interview.

Unchanged information is not re-verified at application for review unless the information is incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, or outdated. This includes the following:

1. Income for the past 30 days from all sources.

2. Shelter costs that fluctuate annually, must be verified at time of application for review, such as mortgage, rent, property taxes, homeowners insurance, etc. Utility expenses verified at time of application do not need to be verified at time of application for review unless questionable or the household reports a change.

3. All household Medical Expenses must be verified at time of application for review.

4. The household’s legal obligation to pay child support Voluntary or court ordered payment by an absent parent for the purpose of meeting the needs of his/her child(ren). , the obligation amount, and monthly child support amount the household actually pays to a non-household member An individual residing with a SNAP household who is not included in determining the household size..

5. All ABAWDs must verify work hours if they are meeting the work requirement by working. An ABAWD’s participation in the SNAP Employment and Training Program, or participation in a work program that is not operated or supervised by the state must also be verified.

6. Other information, such as dependent A person who relies on another for support. care, student status, fleeing felon An individual will be considered a fleeing felon when a Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity presents an outstanding felony arrest warrant that conforms to one of the following National Crime Information Center Uniform Offense Classification Codes: •Escape (4901); •Flight to Avoid (prosecution, confinement, etc.) (4902); or •Flight-Escape (4999)., drug conviction, etc.

7. Other information that has changed.

8. Work Requirements and/or ABAWD exemptions verify as required per policy, refer to 301 – Work Registrations Overview and 402 - Countable Months – Exemptions.

If a household is determined eligible at recertification, the eligibility staff member must send the household the recertification approval notice and the appropriate reporting requirement notice on the same day eligibility is determined and approved. If the household is determined ineligible, the eligibility staff member must send the household the appropriate denial notice according to the reason for denying the recertification.

The eligibility staff member must document in case notes in sufficient detail so individuals reviewing the case (Appeals Officers, Management Evaluation Reviewers, Program Integrity Auditors, Claims and Recovery, Quality Control, Supervisors, federal auditors, etc.) can determine the reasonableness and accuracy of the prospective eligibility determination and benefit amount.