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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES CERTIFICATION CLAIMS Requirements for Establishing Recipient Claims ____________________________________________________________________________________

4 Section 805 Change #1-2017 April 1, 2017

a. The overissuance occurred after an adult household member left the home; and

b. Leaving the home was not a reportable change.

EXAMPLE: Client and spouse are living together and the spouse leaves the home on January 2nd. This is a non-reportable change for FNS cases and the spouse remains on the case. On January 10, the client starts a new job and the gross income places the household over the gross income limit. This is a reportable change and the client fails to report this change. Establish a claim, but do not consider the spouse a debtor since he was not living in the home at the time of the overissuance.

C. Categorically Eligible Households

1. Establish a claim if the household fails to provide correct or complete information at application or recertification. Also establish a claim if a household does not report a change that is reportable for its category.

2. Establish a claim if the household was receiving FNS solely because of categorical eligibility and the household was subsequently determined ineligible for Work First Family Assistance or SSI except TFNS.

3. Do not establish a claim due to resources exceeding the FNS limits, unless the household was subsequently found ineligible by Work First Family Assistance or Social Security Administration.

4. Prior to June 1, 2001, if a non-public assistance member moved into a categorically eligible household, the household lost its categorically eligible status for each month the member was in the household. Effective June 1, 2001, the definition of categorical eligibility was expanded to include FNS households in which at least one member is authorized to receive Work First cash assistance, Benefit Diversion, or Work First Employment services.

D. Authorized Representatives

The household and authorized representative are equally liable for any erroneous issuance as a result of incorrect or incomplete information provided by the authorized representative, except when benefits are trafficked or misused by the authorized representative without the FNS unit’s knowledge. The authorized representative is responsible for an erroneous issuance occurring when he is the representative for an alcoholic/drug treatment center, or when he is found guilty of trafficking EBT benefits.

E. Transitional Food and Nutrition Services Households

1. The household is liable for any overissuance that occurred prior to the TFNS benefit period. Neither the agency nor the FNS unit are responsible for overissuances that occur during the period of TFNS benefits that are the result of errors in the Work First Family Assistance (WFFA) check or the FNS allotment received prior to TFNS.