1005 Recertificaiton

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. (for all households) is determining continued eligibility based on circumstances anticipated for the review period The period of time a household is approved to participate in SNAP.. Workers must approve or deny 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. for review.

To determine continued eligibility a household must:

• File a Review Form

  If an applicant An individual who submits an application for assistance under the SNAP program. completes a review online at a human service zone office, the human service zone office must print a copy and provide it to the household.

• Complete an interview, if required, and provide required verifications.

A Review Form is considered incomplete if it contains only the applicant's name, address (residential or mailing) and signature of a responsible household member or 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.. The household must be advised that it does not have to be interviewed before filing the review form and may file an incomplete review form. The incomplete review must be registered, the pending notice sent and the interview scheduled, if required

The remainder of the review form with signature on the last page, an interview, if required, and all mandatory verifications are required to complete the review process.

The date of an application for review is the date the human service zone office receives a signed form, provided the review form was submitted during the human service zone's normal business hours. When a review is submitted after normal business hours, on a weekend, or on a North Dakota Department of Human Service holiday, the review is considered received the next 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.. The human service zone must 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. the date the review is filed by recording the date it was received on the review form. The processing timeframe begins the day following the date of review. The completed form must be filed in the last month of the current review period.

If the household files a review without an address (residential or mailing), it is not a completed review. The human service zone must file the review and note on the form that it is not considered a complete review.

If the household provides a residential address but does not provide a mailing address and the applicant is not able to get their mail at their residential address, General Delivery must be used as the address. The worker must explain to the household that they may not get information necessary to keep their case open. If mail is returned with an unknown address, the case, if otherwise eligible Having met the qualifications to receive a SNAP benefit by meeting the specified nonfinancial and financial requirements of eligibility., would continue until review.

If a review form is not filed in the last month of the review period, the case will automatically close.

If a review is submitted prior to the last month of the review period, the worker may register it effective on the first day of the last month of the review period.

Households who file a timely application for review by the 15th of the last month of the review period must be sent a notice of approval, denial, or pending status by the last day of the current review period.

Households who file a late application for review after the 15th of the last month of the review period must be sent a notice of approval, denial, or pending status by the 30th day after the filing of the application for review.

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 # 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 designated 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.

    

A timely application for review must be processed by the end of the current review period.

A late application for review must be processed within 30 days after the date the application for review is filed. If the 30th day falls on a weekend or a North Dakota Department of Human Services holiday, deny the application on the next working day following the 30th day.

Households that are ineligible Not qualified to receive benefits because of not meeting one or more of the specified nonfinancial or financial requirements of eligibility. must be sent a notice of denial as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days following the date the application for review was filed. If the 30th day falls on a weekend or a North Dakota Department of Human Services holiday, the application for review must be denied on the next working day following the 30th day. The household must file a new application if further program consideration is desired.

If a household has failed to appear for an interview and has made no further contact with the worker to express an interest in pursuing the application for review or failed to provide verification Third-party information or documentation used to establish the accuracy of statements., the worker must send the household a notice of denial on the 30th day following the date of application. If the 30th day falls on a weekend or North Dakota Department of Human Services holiday, the application must be denied on the next working day following the 30th day. If the household schedules an interview or provides the verifications after the 30th day but before the end of the month following the last month of the review period.

When additional verification(s) are needed to process the review, the review must be pended for the verification(s). The household must be informed of the date they are required to provide any missing verification(s).

An application for review is considered timely when it is filed by the 15th day of the last month of the review period and the following actions are completed by the last day of the household’s current review period.

1. An interview completed if required; and

2. All required verifications received.

    

When all of these conditions are met, eligibility must be determined by the end of the current review period for the new certification period and the appropriate notice sent by the last day of the review period.

Exceptions - Households Assigned One or Two Month Review Periods

 

Households certified for one month, and households certified for two months when the application for review is processed in the second month, are allowed 15 days from the mailing date on eligibility with request for postponed verification to timely file an application for review. If the household files their review within 15 days of the mailing date, the review must be registered the 1st of the month and benefits are not prorated.

 

If the household has completed the interview, provided all verifications, and is eligible, benefits must be made available no later than 30 days after the last issuance An issued SNAP benefit.. This could include an application for review that is received after the household's current review period has expired.

 

If the review is not filed timely or the interview and verifications are not provided within 30 days of the last issuance, the review must be processed within 30 days after the review was filed by the household.

 

If a household files an application for review after the 15th day of the last month of the review period, it is considered a late review. If an interview is required and completed, and all verifications are received prior to the end of the household’s current review period, the worker has 30 days from the date of the application for review to process it.

If an interview is required and completed, and/or verifications are received after the end of the household’s current review period, delays in processing applies.

When a household files an application for review before the end of its current review period and takes the required action after the end of the current review period, responsibility for the delay must be determined.

Determining cause for the delay dictates what action (deny or pend) must be taken on the case and whether or not the household is entitled to benefits retroactive to the date of the application for review.

When a delay in the review determination period is caused by the county:

1. Do not deny the application for review.

2. Notify the household by the 30th day following the date of the application for review that it is pending and state the reason.

If the household is found eligible during the second 30-day period, provide retroactive benefits back to the date the review period should have begun.

If a household has failed to complete any part of the review process within 30-days of receipt of the review, the delay is the fault of the household if the worker took the following actions:

1. Failure to Complete the Application for Review: The worker must have offered, or attempted to offer, assistance in completion of the form.

    

2. Failure to Provide Required Verification: The worker must have:

   1. Provided the household with a statement of required verification; and

   2. Offered to assist the household in obtaining required verification; and

   3. Allowed the household at least 10 days from the date of request to provide the missing verification.

       

   If it is determined the delay is the fault of the household, the worker must deny the review using the appropriate notice.

    

   Exceptions:

   If the household fails to provide verification of expenses, the review is processed without the unverified expenses.

    

3. For households that have failed to appear for an interview: The worker must have sent the Notice of Missed Interview. If the household failed to schedule a second interview or a subsequent interview is postponed at the household's request or cannot be rescheduled until after the 20th day but before the 30th day, the household must appear for the interview, bring verification and register members for work by the 30th day; otherwise the delay is the fault of the household. As a result of not appearing for the interview until after the 20th day, the household has until the 30th day to provide the needed verifications (other than expenses).

    

   If the household fails to appear for the interview, provide verification (other than expenses), the review must be denied. If the required action is taken after the 30th day but before the end of the month following the last month of the review period, the same Application for Review form is used and registered as an application. The application date The date the application is received by the human service zone. is the date required action was completed as benefits are prorated from that date and expedited processing standards may apply.

    

4. If the household failed to appear for the first interview and a subsequent interview is postponed at the household's request until after the 30th day following the date of application for review, the delay is the fault of the household.

    

   The review must be denied on the 30th day using the Notice of Eligibility. If the household appears for the interview after the 30th day but before the end of the month following the last month of the review period, the same Application for Review form is used and registered as a new application. The application date is the date required action was completed as benefits are prorated from that date.

    

   If the household takes the required action by the end of the month following the last month of the review period, do not require a review received after the expiration of the review period. The same Review form is used and registered as a new application. The application date is the date required action was completed as benefits are prorated from that date and expedited processing standards may apply.

If a household files an application for review the month following the last month of the review period, it is considered an application for review; however, benefits must be prorated.

If the household is entitled to expedite processing, see Expedite Services.

A review may be used to process one, two or up to three months of the new review period. In order to process the review, mandatory verifications are required for all beginning month The first month of eligibility..

When a household is interviewed and anticipates changes in the second or third beginning months, the review must be pended for verification of those changes. If the household provides the requested verifications and reports an additional change(s) prior to the review being processed, the Request for Verification must be sent to the household allowing the household an additional ten days to provide the verification. If the ten days extends beyond the processing time frames, the worker must narrate why the application was processed beyond the processing time frames.

If the household fails to provide verification necessary to process all beginning months, the review must be denied for failure to provide verification.

Because of anticipated changes, a household may be eligible for the first month of the review period or first two months of the review period (if processing in the second month), but ineligible for the following months. In this instance the worker must process the review, approve benefits and send an approval notice for the first month or first and second beginning months.

The worker must then enter the anticipated changes for the second or third beginning month (if processing in the second month) and issue a closing notice. This must be done on the same day the first month is processed to avoid sending a 10-day advance notice A notice that must be sent to a household at least 10 days before the effective date of an action that reduces, suspends, or terminates a household’s benefit.. If the second or third beginning month (if processing in the second month) is not processed on the same day as the first month, a 10-day advance notice is required to close the case.

A household may be eligible for a zero benefit due to proration for the first month of the review period. The worker must approve the review and a zero benefit must be authorized.

If a household verifies a change for a future month (not an application for review processing month) that change must be acted on.

If the first month of the review period is denied a new application is required.

Expedited service does not apply at review unless the household files an application for review after the end of its current review period.

If a household files an application for review after the end of its current review period and an interview is required, Expedited Processing Standards apply.

If a household files an application for review after the end of its current review period and no interview is required, the following procedures apply.

County procedures must be designed to identify households eligible for expedited service at the time of review after expiration of the review period when no interview is required by conducting a pre-screening. The application for review must be used to screen for expedited services Certain verification requirements may be postponed for eligible households to allow for prompt issuance of SNAP benefits.. If the household completes the SFN 405 - Application for Assistance instead of the application for review, it must be accepted and used to screen for expedite. A household cannot waive its right to expedited service.

The application for review or SFN 405 - Section 1 will be considered a completed application if the household is entitled to expedited service and it contains the applicant’s name, address (residential or mailing), household composition, income, assets and the signature of the applicant, a responsible household member or authorized representative. If the shelter/utility cost questions are not completed, it is still considered complete.

If the application for review or SFN 405 - Section 1 is not considered complete, the worker must attempt to contact the household to complete the screening. If the county is not able to complete the screening, the pending notice is sent for completion of the application for review or the SFN 405.

If the household is entitled to expedited service, the completed application for review or SFN 405 - Section 1 must be registered. An interview IS NOT required to process the review. The application for review or SFN 405 - Section 1 is processed within the expedited processing standard using the information and verifications provided at the time of filing. Verifications not provided at the time of filing must be postponed in order to meet the expedited timeframe.

When the remainder of the application for review or SFN 405 and verifications are postponed, the household must be certified for one or two months as follows:

If the household filed their application for review or SFN 405 - Section 1 on or before the 15th of the month, the household must be certified for that month only.

 

1. When certified only for one month. The household must reapply, complete an interview and provide postponed verifications for continued eligibility. If the household does not reapply and provide postponed verifications, they do not qualify for expedited service again.

    

2. If the household filed their application for review or SFN 405 - Section 1 on the 16th of the month or later, the household must be certified for the month of review and the following month. Benefits for the second month must not be issued until the remainder of the application for review or SFN 405 and all postponed verifications have been provided.

    

   Exception:

   If expenses were postponed and not provided, by the last working day of the second month the second benefit month The month SNAP benefits are issued. is issued without allowing unverified expenses.

    

   Benefits for the second month must be issued no later than the 5th working day from the date the remainder of the application for review or SFN 405 - and all verifications are received, or the 1st of the second month, whichever is later.

    

   When certified for the month of review and the following month, the worker must send notices Expedite Approval- 2 Month-Postponed Verification. The household must reapply, complete an interview and provide postponed verifications for continued eligibility. If the household does not reapply and provide postponed verifications, they do not qualify for expedited service again.

    

   Exception:

   Unless certified under 30-day processing standards since the last expedited application.

    

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, or a telephone interview can be completed. 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. 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 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. in addition to the regularly mailed appointment letter. A copy of the email with the appointment letter must be added to the case file.

Note: If a participant has opted out of email notifications do NOT send email correspondence.

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.

A telephone interview may be conducted instead of an office interview. The human service zone local office must provide a face-to-face interview if requested by the household or authorized representative. A telephone interview does not exempt the household from verification requirements. Special procedures may be used to permit the household to provide verification and obtain its benefits in a timely manner, such as substituting a collateral contact An oral confirmation of a household’s circumstances by a person outside of the household. The collateral contact may be made either in person or over the telephone and may include employers, landlords, social service agencies, migrant service agencies, and neighbors of the household who can be expected to provide accurate third-party verifications. in cases where documentary verification would normally be provided. The case narrative must be documented as to whether a face-to-face or telephonic interview was completed.

A face-to-face interview must be conducted at the human service zone local office or other mutually acceptable location (including a household’s residence – this must be scheduled in advance).

When a household files an application for review and there is no interview required, the worker must document the date the application for review was filed by recording the date it was received by the county. The worker must then examine and explore each section of the application for review.

1. If the application for review is incomplete or mandatory verifications were not provided, the worker must register the application for review and return a copy of the incomplete application to the household highlighting the areas not completed.

   • If the application for review is not signed, the application for review cannot be registered. The original application for review must be returned to the household for signature.

   • The application for review is considered complete when:

     • The household answers all questions that are appropriate and provides all requested information.

     • Signed by a responsible member of the household or authorized representative.

     • Mandatory verifications including verification of a full month’s earned and unearned income from the base month or processing month if available is included. If a pay stub is missing, year to date totals can be used to calculate the income.

        

2. Send the Request for Verification notice to the household. The notice must indicate that the application for review is being returned for completion, if not complete, and to request mandatory verifications not provided with the application for review. Mandatory verifications include a full month’s earned and unearned income from the base month or month of review.

    

3. If the completed application for review and/or missing verifications are not returned, the system will close the SNAP program. If the 30th day falls on a weekend or a North Dakota Department of Human Services holiday, the application for review must be denied on the next working day following the 30th day.

    

Review periods, conforming to calendar months, must be assigned to all eligible households. At review, the first month of the review period will generally be the month following the month in which an application for review is filed.

All eligible households will be certified for 6 months with an interview required at 12 month review.

Exception:

Households with all elderly or disabled members and 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. will be certified for 12 months with an interview required at 12 month review.

 

All pertinent case information, including all income and expenses will be verified at time of Recertification. This includes the following:

1. All earned and unearned income.

2. Shelter expenses and utility expenses including rent/mortgage, homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, must be verified.

3. All household Medical Expenses

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.

    

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.