Benefit eligibility: victims of trafficking

(a) Accept the letters described in paragraph (B) of this rule in place of the citizenship and immigration service documentation and retain a copy in the case file.

(b) Call ORR for assistance if an individual presents an expired letter when applying for benefits or when a redetermination is being completed and the county agency finds that a certification letter has expired.

(c) Call the trafficking verification telephone line to confirm the validity of the certification letter before providing benefits. During the verification telephone call, notify ORR of the benefits for which the victim of trafficking has applied.

(d) Note the individual's entry date for refugee benefit purposes once the letter described in paragraph (B) of this rule is received and the validity of the document is verified by calling the trafficking verification telephone line. The entry date is the date of certification.

(e) Determine eligibility or redetermine eligibility in accordance with the appropriate program rules.

(f) Issue benefits and services to the same extent as a refugee, when the applicant meets other program eligibility criteria (e.g., income levels).

(2) The county agency is not to:

(a) Ask a victim of a severe form of trafficking to provide any other immigration documents to receive benefits.

(b) Contact the systematic alien verification for entitlements

(SAVE) to confirm eligibility for benefits. The SAVE system does not contain information about a victim of a severe form of trafficking.

(c) Automatically deny benefits when the individual is unable to provide verification of identity. The county agency is to call the trafficking verification telephone line for assistance.

(d) Delay, deny, or discontinue assistance to any eligible applicant because he or she does not have a social security number. When an individual is to provide or apply for a social security number for another benefit program, such as medicaid, Ohio works first, or supplemental nutrition assistance program; or the victim of a severe form of trafficking does not yet have or is unable to obtain a social security number for work purposes, the individual is to:

(ii) Provide all department of homeland security documents;

(iii) Provide a passport; and

(iv) Provide a state identification card or driver's license.

(D) What if an individual does not have certification from ORR? The county agency is to contact ORR when it encounters:

(1) An individual or a child that is believed to meet the definition of a victim of a severe form of trafficking, but the individual has no certification; or

(2) A child believed to have been subjected to a severe form of trafficking who lacks an eligibility letter.