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MRG UPDATED: JUNE 2010 53 CATEGORICAL FACTORS UNDER AGE 21 When to Verify: When a child is obviously under the age of twenty-one it is not necessary to verify age. However, since an A/R's date of birth is generally relevant at some point during the eligibility process, it is recommended that date of birth be verified at the first application. Once documented, it is not necessary to re-verify an A/R's date of birth. An application or recertification is never delayed or denied for lack of age verification when the child is obviously under twenty-one (21). A newborn’s first name, sex, and date of birth are added to the case as soon as the district is informed of the birth, with the documentation obtained later. Verification: The date of the birth (DOB) is acquired only once, preferably at first application for assistance provided by a program [Public Assistance (PA), Medicaid, Food Stamps (FS) or Services], since the information is not subject to change. The WMS inquiry or Clearance Report is sufficient, even if the information is entered by another district, unless there is reason to believe the system information is not correct or the A/R is misrepresenting himself or herself. Examples of acceptable forms of verification: When a newborn is entered on WMS by the Newborn System, the information on WMS is sufficient to verify age. The district may request a birth certificate, but if it is not provided the information on WMS is sufficient. The district attempts to obtain verification from the applicant first. Examples include: Birth Certificate Baptismal Certificate Adoption papers Passport Driver’s License Census records Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) records Hospital records Bureau of Vital Statistics records Physician records Church records Marriage records Employer’s records SSA records