203 Household Cooperation

A. Cooperation with the County Department to Determine Eligibility To determine eligibility: 1. The application form must be completed and signed. 2. The household or its authorized representative must be interviewed. 3. Certain information on the application must be verified. If the household refuses to cooperate with the county department in completing the above process, the application shall be denied at time of refusal. For a determination of refusal to be made, the household must be able to cooperate, but clearly demonstrate that it will not take actions that it can take and that are required to complete the application process. For example, to be denied for refusal to cooperate, a household must refuse to be interviewed not merely failing to appear for the interview. If there is any question as to whether the household has merely failed to cooperate, as opposed to refused to cooperate, the household shall not be denied, and the agency must assist the household in obtaining required verification provided the household is cooperating with the state agency. The household shall also be determined ineligible if it refuses to cooperate in any subsequent review of its eligibility, including reviews generated by reported changes and applications for recertification. Once denied or terminated for refusal to cooperate, the household may reapply but shall not be determined eligible until it cooperates with the State agency. B. Cooperation with Quality Control In addition, the household shall be determined ineligible if it refuses to cooperate in any subsequent review of its eligibility as a part of a quality control review. If a household is terminated for refusal to cooperate with a quality control reviewer, the household may reapply, but shall not be determined eligible until it cooperates with the quality control reviewer. 1. If a household is terminated for refusal to cooperate with a State quality control reviewer reapplies after 95 days from the end of the annual review period (September 30 is the end of the annual review period), the household shall not be determined ineligible for its refusal to cooperate with a State quality control reviewer during the completed review period, but must provide verification in accordance with Section 205. 2. The disqualification shall not follow any household members who leave and become members of a new household. 3. If a household is terminated for refusal to cooperate with a Federal quality control reviewer reapplies after seven months from the end of the annual review period (September 30), the household shall not be determined ineligible for its refusal to cooperate with a Federal quality control reviewer during the completed review period, but must provide verification in accordance with Section 205.