9032 Requiring Verification CFR 273.2(f)(1)

This policy applies to applicants of the FSP. Verification is the use of third party information or documentation to establish the accuracy of statements on the application. 1. DSS Requires Mandatory Verification of Eligibility Factors Before Certifying Applicants The following verifications are mandatory: A. Gross income (unless excluded) If the client is unable to provide verification use other resources available to you including third party verification. If you are still unable to verify the income, determine an amount based on the best available information. Sometimes the best available information will be from a collateral contact or from the client him/herself. B. Alien Eligibility Status DSS must verify the eligible status of applicant aliens. 1. If an alien does not wish DSS to contact INS to verify his or her immigration status, give the household the option of withdrawing its application or participating without that member. 2. DSS must verify the following factors if applicable to the alien's eligibility: i. date of admission ii. date status was granted iii. military connection iv. battered status v. if the alien was lawfully residing in the United States on August 22, 1996 vi. membership in certain Indian tribes vii. if the person was age 65 or older on August 22, 1996 viii. 40 qualifying quarters of covered work (if the alien is a lawful permanent resident) ix. if any Federal means-tested public benefits were received in any quarter after December 31, 1996 x. if the alien was a member of certain Hmong or Highland Laotian tribes during a certain period of time (or is the spouse or unmarried dependent of such a person) Exceptions: 1. If DSS has submitted a copy of a document provided by the household to INS for verification, DSS cannot delay, deny, reduce, or terminate the individual's eligibility for benefits on the basis of the individual's immigration status while pending. 2. If SSA has responded that the individual has fewer than 40 quarters, and the individual provides documentation from SSA that SSA is conducting an investigation to determine if more quarters can be credited, DSS will certify the individual pending the results of the investigation for up to 6 months from the date of the original determination of insufficient quarters. 3. If the applicant or DSS has submitted a request to a Federal agency for verification of information which bears on the individual's eligible status, DSS will certify the individual pending the results of the investigation for up to 6 months from the date of the original request for verification. 3. DSS must provide alien applicants at least 10 days from the date of the request to submit acceptable documentation of their eligible alien status as of the 30th day following the date of application. 4. DSS must provide the household with benefits no later than 30 days following the date of application, provided the household is otherwise eligible, if DSS fails to give applicants at least 10 days to submit acceptable documentation. 5. DSS must verify a household member's citizenship or status as a non-citizen national. i. DSS will accept participation in another program as acceptable verification if verification of citizenship or non-citizen national was obtained for that program. ii. If the household cannot obtain acceptable verification, DSS must accept a signed third-party statement, under penalty of perjury, which indicates a reasonable basis for personal knowledge that the member in question is a U. S. citizen or a non-citizen national. C. Utility Expenses for Unoccupied Homes DSS will verify actual utilities for unoccupied homes per DSSM 9060. 1. Verify the actual expenses for the unoccupied home. 2. If the household has utility expenses at both homes, give the appropriate SUA. 3. If the household has utility expenses only at the unoccupied home, the SUA is not permitted. Combine the actual utility expenses with the shelter costs. D. Medical Expenses DSS will verify the medical expenses deductible under DSSM 9060. Verification of other factors, such as whether a service provided is allowed, may be required if questionable. E. Social Security Numbers DSS will verify Social Security Numbers (SSNs) reported by the household by submitting them to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for verification through the DCIS system. 1. Contact the household to determine if the information the household provided is correct if the SSN returns from SSA as unverified. Obtain the correct information so that the SSN can be resubmitted to SSA. 2. Pursue all unmatched SSNs with the client. If the household refuses to provide the correct information, take action against the household for refusal to cooperate per DSSM 9029. 3. When a household claims it cannot cooperate for reasons beyond its control, verify and document the household's inability to cooperate. 4. If an individual must appear at the SSA Office to provide correct information and refuses to, the refusal is grounds for termination per DSSM 9029. 5. When an individual household member refuses or fails without good cause to provide or apply for an SSN, that individual shall be ineligible to participate. 6. Disqualifications apply only to individual members, not the entire household. Treat the income and resources for the disqualified individual according to DSSM 9076.2. 7. Do not delay the certification for or issuance of benefits to an otherwise eligible household solely to verify the SSN of a household member. 8. Once an SSN has been verified, enter the number as verified to prevent the unnecessary re-verification of the SSN in the future. 9. Accept as verified a SSN which has been verified by another program participating in the Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS). 10. If an individual is unable to provide an SSN or does not have an SSN, require the individual to apply for one with SSA and provide proof of the application. F. Residency (Including Homelessness Definition) DSS will verify residency (DSSM 9008). EXCEPTION: Do not require proof of residency in cases where verification of residency is not easily accomplished such as homeless households (as defined in DSSM 9094), migrant farm worker households, or households newly arrived in the state 1. Verify residency with the verification of other information such as, but not limited to, rent and mortgage payments, utility expenses, and identity. 2. If verification cannot be accomplished with the verification of other information, use a collateral contact or other readily available documentary evidence. 3. Documents used to verify other factors of eligibility can sometimes verify residency. 4. Any documents or collateral contacts which reasonably establish the applicant's residency must be accepted. 5. Do not impose requirements for a specific type of verification. 6. Do not impose a durational residency requirement. 7. Household do not have to reside in a permanent dwelling or have a fixed mailing address as a condition of eligibility. NOTE: According to DSSM 9094, a homeless individual is defined as someone who resides in a temporary accommodation for not more than 90 days in the residence of another individual. "The 90-day period starts at application or when a change is reported. "The 90-day period starts over when a household moves from one residence to another. "If a homeless household leaves, for whatever reason, and returns to the same residence, the 90-day period will start over again. If a household has a break in receiving food stamps, the 90-day period will not start over if the household remains in the same residence. The 90-day period will start over if the household moved to another residence. G. Identity DSS will verify the identity of the person making application. 1. Where an authorized representative applies on behalf of a household, verify the identity of both the authorized representative and the head of household. 2. Identity may be verified through readily available documentary evidence, or if this is unavailable, through a collateral contact. 3. Accept any documents which reasonably establish the applicant's identity. (Examples include a driver's license, a work or school ID, an ID for health benefits, or for other assistance or social services program, a voter registration card, wage stubs, or a birth certificate.) 4. Do not impose requirements for a specific type of document. H. Disability DSS will verify disability as defined under DSSM 9094 for individuals applying for food benefits as a separate household under DSSM 9013. 1. The disability must be one considered permanent under the Social Security Act. 2. Only those individuals who suffer from one of the disabilities mentioned in the SSA list who are unable to purchase and prepare meals because of such disability will be considered disabled for the purpose of this provision. i. If it is obvious that the individual is unable to purchase and prepare meals because s/he suffers from a severe physical or mental disability, consider the individual disabled for the purpose of the provision even if the disability is not specifically mentioned on the SSA list. ii. If the disability is not obvious, verify the disability by requiring a statement from a physician or licensed or certified psychologist certifying that the individual (in the physician's/psychologist's opinion) is unable to purchase and prepare meals because s/he suffers from one of the non-obvious disabilities mentioned in the SSA list or is unable to purchase meals because s/he suffers from some other severe, permanent physical or mental disease or non-disease related disability. 3. The elderly and disabled individual (or his/her authorized representative) is responsible for obtaining the cooperation of the individuals with whom s/he resides in providing the necessary income information about the others to DSS. I. Quality Control (QC) DSS will verify all factors of eligibility for households who refuse to cooperate with a QC review. 1. Verify all factors of eligibility for households who have been terminated for refusal to cooperate with a State QC reviewer and reapply after 95 days from the end of the annual review period. 2. Verify all factors of eligibility for households who have been terminated for refusal to cooperate with a Federal QC reviewer and reapply after seven months from the end of the annual review period. 3. The annual review period is the Federal Fiscal Year, October to September. J. Students DSS may verify a disability or medical unfitness for student exemptions (DSSM 9010.1) if the disability or medical condition is not obvious. 1. Appropriate verifications include receipt of temporary or permanent disability benefits issued by governmental or private sources, or of a statement from a physician or licensed or certified psychologist. K. Legal Obligation and Actual Child Support Payments DSS will verify the household's legal obligation to pay child support, the amount of the obligation, and the monthly amount of child support the household actually pays. Documents that verify the legal obligation to pay child support cannot be used to verify the actual amount of child support payments made. L. Additional Verification For Able-bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) DSS will verify work hours and countable months for ABAWD individuals. 1. Hours worked – verify the hours worked for individuals who are satisfying the ABAWD work requirements by working, by combining work and participation in a work program, or by participating in a work or workfare program that is not operated or supervised by the State. 2. Countable months in another state – verify the number of countable months for individuals subject to the ABAWD provisions if an individual has lived in another state and there is an indication that the individual participated in that state. 2. DSS Gives Households at Least 10 Days to Provide Requested Verifications. 14 DE Reg. 900 (03/01/11)