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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES MANUAL

GENERAL PROCEDURES & REQUIREMENTS

FNS 115 ADMINISTRATION OF THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES PROGRAM

6 Change #1-2021 May 1, 2021 h. Include these requirements as part of orientation and training for new staff and review with staff on an annual basis. Documentation of review efforts must be maintained, including the names of staff involved in the review session. i. County agencies must conduct annual Civil Rights training and maintain attendance records of the training. County agencies are required to make the attendance records available to the Management Evaluation reviewer as part of the regularly scheduled Management Evaluation Review. j. County agencies are required to make case files or other pertinent information necessary to complete reviews available to state staff upon request.

115.05 ELECTRONIC BENEFITS TRANSFER (EBT) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) is an electronic system that allows FNS recipients to access their benefits to make food purchases with a plastic card at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), FNS authorized retailers. EBT is the method used in the State of North Carolina to issue FNS benefits. A. Once eligibility and level of benefits have been determined, an account is established at a financial institution in the recipient’s name, and FNS benefits are deposited electronically into the account each month. A plastic card, similar to a bank card, is mailed by the financial institution to the recipient. The EBT card carrier instructs clients to contact EBT Customer Service to complete the telephone PIN selection process. The telephone accessible Automated Response Unit (ARU) gives clients the capability to PIN their EBT. A personal identification number (PIN) is chosen by the recipient which activates the card and allows access to the account when making purchases at an authorized retailer. Recipients are offered the opportunity to change the PIN number at any time by calling EBT Customer Service and accessing the Automated Response Unit (ARU). The contact number for EBT Customer Service is 1-888-622-7328. B. Explain to each new FNS household that card PINning instructions will be mailed along with the EBT card. FNSU’s can contact EBT Customer Service and access the ARU 24 hours a day, seven days a week. EBT cards are mailed along with instructions explaining the card PINning procedure. Inform the FNSU to follow the instructions on the card carrier to PIN their EBT card by telephone. Benefits are accessible to the FNSU once the EBT card is PINned. C. Offer assistance to households who have difficulty understanding the telephone PIN selection process. Assist these households by advising the household of its right to an authorized representative and, if necessary, by assisting in finding an authorized representative who can act in their behalf or by using other appropriate means. Refer to Section 175, Authorized Representatives. D. When paying for groceries, the FNS recipient can swipe the EBT card at a Point of Sale (POS) terminal or sign a manual form. When the card is swiped at the POS, the recipient enters the secret PIN number to access the FNS account. The processor electronically verifies the PIN and the account balance and sends an authorization or denial back to the retailer. If the transaction is authorized, the recipient’s account is debited for the