Connecticut Department of Social Services Uniform Policy Manual: 1505.30 Application Process - Application Interviews

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICESPRIVATE UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: 7-1-87 Transmittal: UP-87-2 1505.30 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: AFDC The Application Process AABD _______________________________________________________________ FS Subject: MA Application Interviews ______________________________________________________________________________

1505.30 A. Provisions

1. In certain programs, the applicant may be required to appear at an appropriate certification site for a face to face interview, unless the applicant is entitled to a waiver of the requirement.

2. The office interview is conducted as a condition of eligibility in the following programs:

a. AFDC; and

b. FS.

3. Office interviews are not required for AABD or MA applicants. The application process may be completed entirely through mail correspondence and telephone contact.

4. The Department may request any applicant to appear for an application interview. However, assistance is not denied to AABD or MA applicants solely on the basis of their failure to appear for a scheduled office interview.

B. Appropriate Certification Sites

1. AFDC and FS applicants must appear at the appropriate district office, or subdivision of that office which serves their region of residence.

2. The Department is not required to conduct an application interview with an applicant who appears at the wrong district office.

C. Purpose of the Interview

1. The purpose of the application interview is:

a. to review the application form and any other relevant information or documents for accuracy and completeness; and

b. to explain applicant rights and responsibilities; and

c. to ascertain pertinent information relating to the current circumstances of the assistance unit; and

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: 7-1-87 Transmittal: UP-87-2 1505.30 page 2 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: AFDC The Application Process _______________________________________________________________ FS Subject: Application Interviews ______________________________________________________________________________

1505.30 C. 1. Purpose of the Interview (continued)

d. to explore any other issues related to need or eligibility which are unclear or unresolved; and

e. to make appropriate referrals.

2. Where application interviews are not required, the Department resolves the above issues through telephone contact, mail correspondence, home visits, or when necessary, by attempting to conduct an office interview.

D. Combined Interview

1. The Department may not require an applicant to appear for a separate food stamp interview if:

a. all members of the assistance unit are concurrently applying for AFDC or AABD; and

b. an in‑office interview is to be conducted for the PA cash assistance program.

2. A combined interview is scheduled if all members of the assistance unit concurrently apply for cash and food stamp assistance.

3. A combined interview is conducted unless the applicant and the agency agree to separate interviews.

4. The screening of an applicant to the extent necessary to determine whether an FS applicant is entitled to expedited service does not constitute an application interview. An application interview has been conducted if all the steps in C. above are completed.

E. Scheduling Interviews

1. The Department is not required to conduct the application interview on the same day the assistance request is filed.

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: 1-1-88 Transmittal: UP-88-7 1505.30 Page 3 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: AFDC The Application Process FS _______________________________________________________________ Subject: Application Interviews ______________________________________________________________________________

1505.30 E. 2. Scheduling Interviews (continued)

2. Reasons for conducting the interview on the same day include, but are not limited to the following:

a. a second appearance at the certification site may cause unnecessary hardship or a FS expedited service delay;

b. the applicant has most of the information required to complete the interview on hand;

c. personnel are readily available to conduct the interview.

3. If the interview is not conducted at the time the assistance request is filed, it is scheduled within a reasonable period which will allow:

a. the application process to be completed within the established time limit; and

b. the applicant at least ten days to complete any required actions subsequent to the interview.

4. Factors that are considered in scheduling the interview include, but are not limited to the following:

a. time constraints imposed by joint interview requirements in cash assistance and FS cases;

b. potential delays caused by mail correspondence;

c. timely action and notification requirements;

d. processing capabilities;

e. time limitations for providing assistance to applicants.

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: 7-1-93 Transmittal: UP-93-19 1505.30 Page 4 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: AFDC The Application Process FS _______________________________________________________________ Subject: Application Interviews ______________________________________________________________________________

1505.30 F. SSI Assistance Units (FS)

1. SSI assistance units that have been interviewed by SSA are not required to see an eligibility worker from the Department or otherwise be subjected to an additional interview.

2. The Department may not further contact the assistance unit in order to obtain information unless:

a. the application is incomplete or improperly completed; or

b. required verification is missing; or

c. information provided to the Department is questionable.

G. Waiver of the Office Interview

1. The in‑office interview requirement may be waived at the request of the applicant if:

a. the assistance unit member or other qualified person is unable to attend the interview for one of the following reasons:

(1) the individual(s) is 65 years of age or older; or

(2) the individual(s) is mentally or physically handicapped; or

(3) the individual(s) has good cause not to appear; and

b. for FS assistance units, an authorized representative cannot be appointed; and

c. postponement of the interview until such time that the applicant is able to appear at the district office would cause the Department to exceed the timeliness standard for processing the application.

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: 09/01/04 Transmittal: UP-04-20 1505.30 Page 5 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: AFDC The Application Process FS _______________________________________________________________ Subject: Application Interviews ______________________________________________________________________________

1505.30 G. Waiver of the Office Interview (continued)

2. Good cause may include, but is not limited to the following hardships:

a. illness;

b. severe weather;

c. death in the immediate family;

d. other circumstances beyond the control of the applicant;

e. a conflict between the Department's hours and the applicant's working or training hours; or

f. transportation difficulties.

3. For the FS program, the Department conducts a telephone interview or a home visit once every twelve months if the office interview is waived.

H. Failure to Appear

1. Rescheduling Appointments

a. The Department does not schedule a second interview if an applicant fails to appear for the application interview and fails to contact the Department to reschedule.

b. The Department does not deny the application for at least thirty days from the date of application in cases where the applicant fails to appear for the application interview.

2. Failure to Appear Because of Hardship

a. If a hardship such as an accident or family illness causes the applicant to miss the interview appointment, the Department reschedules the interview upon the applicant's request.

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNIFORM POLICY MANUAL _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: 7-1-87 Transmittal: UP-91-2 1505.30 Page 6 ______________________________________________________________________________ Section: Type: Eligibility Process POLICY ______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter: Program: AFDC The Application Process FS _______________________________________________________________ Subject: Application Interviews ______________________________________________________________________________

1505.30 H. 2. Failure to Appear Because of Hardship (continued)

b. Any resulting delay in processing is considered the fault of the applicant.

I. Unscheduled Interviews

1. The Department is not required to interview applicants on the same day they appear at the office if:

a. the applicant comes into the office at a time other than the scheduled appointment time; and

b. a new appointment can be scheduled at least ten days in advance of the last day of the standard processing period.

2. A reasonable attempt is made to complete the interview the same day. However, if adequate time remains in the standard processing period a new appointment may be scheduled.