Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-4-2-.02 - Application Processing

State Regulations

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An application for food assistance may be filed in the Food Assistance Offices, Public Assistance Offices, and Social Security Offices as allowed by Federal Regulations. The Department has adopted the following options and waivers.

All applicant households are entitled to an interview as specified in A. or B. below.

The county department shall also waive the office interview on a case-by-case basis for any household which is:

If it is later determined that an application was erroneously denied prior to the interview, the household will be entitled to benefits retroactive to the date of the original application.

Note that some forms have been released in several editions so that valid documentation presented by different individuals may not be identical. Any questions about specific cases should be directed to Food Assistance Division.

Under most circumstances, the eligibility worker should proceed with the primary verification process. However, if alien status cannot be established through the primary verification process initiate the secondary verification process immediately.

If there are no material differences between the data obtained through SAVE and the information in the alien's immigration documentation and if the eligibility worker is not instructed by SAVE to initiate secondary verification, no further check is required. The county department must make certain, however, that biographical data given matches the alien applicant/recipient. If not, secondary verification must be initiated. Benefits will not be denied or terminated or reduced because of the alien's immigration status without first receiving a response to the secondary verification process.

The secondary verification process provides a more extensive validation process, including a search of all automated and paper INS files, when problems arise during the visual verification of documentation on the primary check. Secondary verification must be completed prior to the delay, denial, reduction, or termination of benefits to any alien applicant/recipient for reasons of immigration status. Secondary verification in most cases can be accomplished through SAVE. If not, the county office must follow the instructions below. To obtain secondary verification, the county department must forward a completed Document Verification Request, Form G-845, with full readable photocopies of original immigration documents to the following INS File Control Office (FCO) for review:

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A separate G-845 and the G-845 supplement (if required) must be completed for each applicant/recipient and should include copies of the documents for that individual only. If a family unit has applied, each member will require a separate G-845. It is recommended that when the G-845 is completed, a copy of the completed form and all documentation is maintained in the case record. All original documentation must be returned to the alien.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The county has submitted a copy of a document provided by the household to INS for verification.

Shelter and dependent care expenses shall be verified prior to allowing as a deduction. If verification of shelter (rent, mortgage, and taxes and insurance separate and apart from the mortgage) and dependent care expenses may delay the household's certification, the county department shall advise the household that its eligibility and benefit level may be determined without providing a deduction for the claimed but unverified expense.

If the expense cannot be verified within the 30 days of the date of application, the county department shall determine the household's eligibility and benefit level without providing a deduction of the unverified expense. If the household subsequently provides the missing verification, the county department shall handle this as a reported change during the certification period. If the expense could not be verified within the 30 day processing day because the county department failed to allow the household sufficient time (10 days minimum) to verify the expense, the household shall be entitled to the restoration of benefits retroactive to the month of application, provided that the missing verification is supplied in accordance with Section 207C.

Verification of income, medical expenses, utility expenses, and dependent care expenses is required at each recertification. The alien status/citizenship and other questionable information is also required to be verified as are Social Security numbers, if verification has not been completed previously.

If by the 30th day the county department cannot take any further action on the application due to the fault of the household, the household shall lose its entitlement to benefits for the month of application.

On the 30th day following the date the application was filed, a Notice of Denial/Pending Status shall be sent to the household explaining the reason for the denial and what actions the household must take in the second 30 days in order to reopen their case. (See Forms Manual for instructions.) As a Notice of Denial was issued on the 30th day, the application has been processed within the standard of promptness and is not delinquent.

The automated notice of action will inform the household that their case can be reopened without a new application if the household provides the missing information/verification by the end of the month. The household must fully resolve the reason for case closure and be eligible for benefits during the reinstatement month and the remainder of the certification period. The household must have at least one month remaining in the certification period after the effective date of eligibility in order to apply these special procedures. Benefits for the month the case is reopened must be prorated. The certification period will be for the month the case is reopened and the months remaining in the current certification period. Reference Chapter 17, Special Procedures for Reopening Six-Month Reporting Cases after Household Fails to Provide Verification, for policy and instructions on reinstatement/reopening six-month reporting cases after the household fails to provide verification which includes expedited service cases with postponed verification that fail to verify.