APPEAL PROCESS

Any household that is aggrieved by any action of the local office affecting the household's participation in SNAP may appeal by requesting a local-level dispute resolution conference (DRC) and/or a state-level fair hearing. The right of a household to a DRC and state-level hearing is primarily to ensure that a proposed eligibility determination or action is valid, to protect the person against an erroneous action concerning benefits, and to ensure reasonable promptness of local office action. The individual may choose to request a DRC or bypass the DRC and appeal directly to the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) for a state-level fair hearing. CDHS may deny fair hearings to those households that are disputing a mass change, or the fact that a statewide reduction, cancellation, or suspension was ordered. In such instances, CDHS is not required to hold a fair hearing unless the request is based on the household's belief that the rules were misapplied. If the household has a combined appeal, the appeal will be bifurcated. The SNAP fair hearings unit will process and hear the SNAP appeal, and the Office of Administrative Courts (OAC) will process and hear the other benefits program appeal(s). The SNAP fair hearings unit will provide the parties with any necessary instructions and/or procedures related to combined appeals.