Food assistance: national accuracy clearinghouse (NAC) data matches

The NAC is an interstate matching system established by United States department of agriculture (USDA) food and nutrition service (FNS) to prevent the issuance of duplicate supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits to an individual in more than one state for the same month. Information obtained from NAC is to be used only for this purpose. When an individual is participating in SNAP in another state that is currently participating in NAC, a NAC match will be generated. The county agency is to document the match received in the case file and take the appropriate case action.

(A) What are the county agency's responsibilities when conducting a NAC inquiry? When the county agency verifies the identity, social security number and residency of an individual in accordance with rule 5101:4-2-09 of the Administrative Code, the Ohio benefits integrated eligibility system will initiate a NAC inquiry at initial application, recertification, and when adding a new assistance group member.

(1) Within ten days from the date of receiving a NAC match result, the county agency is to initiate action to resolve the match in the Ohio benefits integrated eligibility system. When information known to the agency is used to resolve the match the assistance group is to be informed, and the case file documented. When additional information is needed to resolve the match, notify the individual of the NAC match and request verification by sending the JFS 07000 "Notice of SNAP Participation Match in Another State," allowing the individual ten days to respond.

(2) When the individual does not respond to the JFS 07000, does respond but does not provide sufficient information or the county agency is unable to obtain necessary information to resolve the NAC match, benefits are to be denied or terminated, as the assistance group's eligibility cannot be determined.

(B) What are the county agency's responsibilities when a NAC match is received for an assistance group member during the certification period?

(1) Within ten days of receiving the NAC match result, the county agency is to remove the individual subject to the match and the individual's income from the assistance group and adjust the benefits accordingly. The county agency is to issue a combined notice of match results and adverse action to notify the individual of the match and the consequences of failing to respond within ten days from the date of the notice to resolve the match. No additional noticing requirements are necessary.

(2) When the individual responds to the request and provides sufficient information to resolve the match, the county agency will adjust the benefits accordingly.