500 Interviewing Households

At initial certification, an interview shall not be conducted with SSI households that have filed an application at an SSA office. (See 106 CMR 361.190.) All other applicant households, including those submitting applications by mail, fax or through the online application shall be scheduled for a face-to-face interview in the local office unless the office interview requirement is waived as provided in 106 CMR 361.510. The applicant household must be notified of the date and time when the original interview appointment is scheduled. If the household does not appear for the interview appointment, the worker must notify the household that it missed a scheduled interview and that it is the household's responsibility to contact the local office to reschedule a missed interview. The interview shall be conducted by the worker prior to initial certification and at all recertifications. The individual interviewed may be the head of household, spouse, other responsible member of the household, or the household's authorized representative. The applicant may bring any individuals s/he chooses to the interview.