.34 Contacting the Food Stamp Office

The CWD shall encourage households to file an application form the same day the household or its representative contacts the food stamp office in person or by telephone and expresses interest in obtaining food stamp assistance. If a household contacting the food stamp office by telephone does not wish to come to the appropriate office to file the application that same day and instead prefers receiving an application through the mail, an application form shall be mailed to the household on the same day the telephone request is received. An application shall also be mailed on the same day a written request for food assistance is received. Where the CWD has designated certification offices to serve specific geographic areas, households may contact an office other than the one designated to service the area in which they reside. If a household contacts the wrong certification office within the county, either in person or by telephone, the certification office shall, in addition to meeting the above requirements, give the household the address and telephone number of the appropriate office. The certification office shall also offer to forward the household's application to the appropriate office on that same day if the household has completed enough information on the application to file. The household shall be informed that its application will not be considered filed and the processing standards shall not begin until the application is received by the appropriate office. If the household has mailed its application to the wrong office the certification office shall mail the application to the appropriate office on the same day as received. The filing date will be the day the appropriate office receives the application. The CWD shall make application forms readily accessible to potentially eligible households. The application form shall be provided to anyone who requests the form.