9043.1 Initial Application and Eligibility Determination

1) Whenever a member of a household consisting only of SSI applicants or recipients transacts business at an SSA office, the SSA will inform the household of: a) Its right to apply for food stamps at the SSA office without going to the food stamp office; and b) Its right to apply at a food stamp office if it chooses to do so. 2) The SSA will accept and complete food stamp applications received at the office from SSI households and forward them, within one working day after receipt of a signed application, to the designated DSS office, along with a transmittal form. 3) SSA will complete joint SSI and food stamp applications for residents of public institutions in accordance with DSSM 9015. 4) Except for applications taken in accordance with item (3), make an eligibility determination and issue food stamp benefits to eligible SSI households within 30 days following the date the application was received by SSA. Make an eligibility determination and issue food stamp benefits to a resident of a public institution who applies jointly for SSI and food stamps within 30 days following the date of the applicant's release from the institution. Expedited processing time standards for an applicant who has applied for food stamps and SSI prior to release also begin on the date of the applicant's release from the institution. SSA will notify DSS of the release date. If, for any reason, DSS is not notified on a timely basis of the applicant's release date, restore benefits in accordance with DSSM 9011 to such applicant back to the date of release. Applications will be considered filed for normal processing purposes when the signed application is received by SSA. Expedited processing time standards will begin on the date DSS receives a food stamp application. Food Stamp applications and supporting documentation sent to an incorrect DSS office will be sent by DSS within one working day of receipt of the application, to the correct office. Applications and accompanying information must be forwarded to the agreed upon address in accordance with the time standards contained in (2) above. 5) Households in which all members are applying for or participating in SSI will not be required to see a DSS worker, or otherwise be subjected to an additional State interview. The food stamp application will be processed by DSS. Do not contact the household further in order to obtain information for certification for food stamp benefits unless: a) The application is improperly completed; b) Mandatory verification required by DSSM 9032 is missing; or c) DSS determines that certain information on the application is questionable. In no event would the applicant be required to appear at the food stamp office to finalize the eligibility determination. Further contact made in accordance with this section will not constitute a second food stamp verification interview. 6) SSA will refer non-SSI households to the correct food stamp office. Process these applications in accordance with the procedures noted in DSSM 9027 and DSSM 9028 . Applications from such households will be considered filed on the date the signed application is taken at the correct DSS office, and the normal and expedited processing time standards will begin on that date. 7) SSA will prescreen all applications for entitlement to expedited services on the day the application is received at the SSA office and will mark "Expedited Processing" on the first page of all households' applications that appear to be entitled to such processing. SSA will inform households which appear to meet the criteria for expedited service that benefits may be issued a few days sooner if the household applies directly at the food stamp office. 8) Prescreen all applications received from SSA for entitlement to expedited service on the day the application is received at the correct food stamp office. All SSI households entitled to expedited service will be certified in accordance with DSSM 9041 except that the expedited processing time standard will begin on the date the application is received at the correct DSS office. 9) Develop and implement a method to determine if members of SSI households whose applications are forwarded by SSA are already participating in the Food Stamp Program directly through DSS. 10) If SSA takes an SSI application or redetermination on the telephone from a member of a pure SSI household, a food stamp application will also be completed during the telephone interview. In these cases, the food stamp application will be mailed to the claimant for signature for return to the SSA office or DSS office. SSA will then forward any food stamp applications it receives to DSS. Do not require the household to be interviewed again in the food stamp office. Do not contact the household further in order to obtain information for certification for food stamp benefits except in accordance with (5) above. 11) To SSI recipients redetermined for SSI by mail, SSA will send a stuffer informing them of their right to file a food stamp application at the SSA office (if they are members of a pure SSI household) or at their local food stamp office, and their right to an out-of-office food stamp interview to be performed by DSS if the household is unable to appoint an authorized representative. 12) DSS will provide and SSA will distribute information to all jointly processed households. This material will inform the household of the following: Address and telephone number of the household's correct food stamp office, the remaining actions to be taken in the application process, and a statement that a household should be notified of the food stamp determination within thirty (30) days and can contact DSS if it receives no notification within thirty days, or has other questions or problems. It will also include the client's rights and responsibilities (including fair hearings, authorized representatives, out-of-office interviews, reporting changes and timely reapplication), information on how to obtain food stamp benefits, and how to use food stamp benefits.