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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES CERTIFICATION CLAIMS ____________________________________________________________________________________

6 Section 800 Change #1-2017 April 1, 2017

agreement information in the Repayment Approach Screen in EPICS. All types of claims are required to be paid in full within 36 months from the date of establishment. In cases of hardship, the 36 months may be extended up to 60 months by the State Office. If a claim is $4,000.00 or more, considered this to be a hardship and allow the claim to be paid off within 60 months. If the local agency determines the household meets the hardship requirements, then fax a request on letterhead to the State Office/Attn: Program Integrity to 919-334-1265. The request must have the signatures of the Investigator and the Program Integrity Supervisor. List the reason for the hardship and the claim information. A Voluntary Repayment Agreement is offered to the debtor when the Letter of Overissuance DSS-8554 is issued, when the 60 Day Notice is issued, and when the Post Hearing Repayment Notice DSS-8658 is issued. A Voluntary Repayment Agreement can be offered to a debtor anytime until the debtor is considered delinquent. Once the 60 Day Notice period has expired and the debtor failed to sign a Voluntary Repayment Agreement and make the minimum monthly payment timely, the debtor is considered delinquent. Once a debtor becomes delinquent, the debtor will be considered delinquent until the entire claim is paid.

Note: If a debtor begins to have an active FNS case during the 60 Day Notice period, a Voluntary Repayment Agreement can be accepted within 30 days after the month the debtor stops receiving FNS benefits. The debtor is notified on the DSS-8554, Letter of Overissuance to contact the local agency and make a payment according to an accepted Voluntary Repayment Agreement within 30 days of the last month the debtor received FNS benefits.

4. Use the FRD-425, Delinquency Report Investigator's Maintenance Report and FRD-750, Terminated Claims to determine delinquent debtors. Delinquent letters must be sent quarterly and a copy of the delinquent letter kept in the file. Delinquent letters are created by the local agency.

5. EPICS automatically begins procedures for TOP, DOR, and NC Education Lottery (NCEL) interception on delinquent claims unless the debtor(s) is blocked. If the debtor has an active FNS case or becomes an active FNS recipient, a debtor is made inactive in the TOP, DOR, and NC Education Lottery (NCEL) systems. A manual block should not be applied to claims for having a VRA or being an active FNS recipient.

G. Establishment of IPV claim and disqualification:

Evidence to prove a person committed an IPV must be clear and convincing. Clear and convincing is defined as the measure or degree of proof which will produce, for a reasonable person, a firm belief or conviction of the allegations being sought.

1. Each local agency must develop Prosecution Guidelines to ensure equitable claim establishment and collection procedures within their local agency. Prosecution Guidelines determine which suspected IPV claims will be prosecuted in Criminal Court or established with an Administrative Disqualification Hearing (ADH).