Page 235

ESA SNAP Policy Manual 219 Prior to the end of a household’s certification period, the household must:  Complete and return the recertification application.  Attend the scheduled interview or contact ESA to reschedule the interview and attend the rescheduled interview.  Provide documentation to complete any required verification. SNAP households are automatically terminated at the end of the current certification period if the recertification process is not completed. 17.1.1 Notice of Expiration Unless a household is certified for only one month or in the second month of a two-month long certification period, ESA automatically mails a Notice of Expiration 60 days prior to the end of the certification period to inform the customer that their case needs to be recertified to determine ongoing eligibility. See Section 16.3, Notice of Expiration, for what the notice must be include. ESA also provides households a letter about completing their interview, including a date by which to complete their recertification interview. SNAP cases not recertified prior to the end of the current certification period are automatically terminated. 17.1.2 Recertification Application When processing a recertification, ESA must evaluate all information on the form, in the case record and in the systems available to ESA and verify information as necessary. Information missing or unclear on the form, in the case file or through available data matches that may affect the household’s eligibility or benefit levels must be clarified during the recertification interview, by requesting verification or conducting a collateral contact, as applicable. If the customer provides sufficient information or ESA can verify missing information through collateral contact, ESA will redetermine eligibility. The effective date for any changes in eligibility is the start date of the new certification period. See Section 17.4, Processing Recertification Applications. 17.2 Recertification Interview Households must complete a recertification interview as part of the recertification process unless both conditions are met:  All household members are elderly and/or disabled.  The household has no earned income. − Note: See Section 20.1.6, Recertification Process, for exceptions to this requirement for ESAP households. Return