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S N A P M A N U A L

21 Every effort must be made by the individual accepting the complaint to have the complainant provide the information specified on the DSS Form 2601. The DSS Form 2601, Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint Form will be forwarded to the Agency’s Division of Individual and Provider Rights (DIPR), Office of Civil Rights for investigation. DIPR will send the individual a letter to acknowledge receipt. The letter will also include the plan of action or, if necessary, a request for additional information. Each local county office must display the DSS Poster 2660, Do You Need an Interpreter or Other Reasonable Accommodations, the DSS Poster 2661, Interpretation Service Available, and the USDA FNS Form AD 475B, And Justice for All. To ensure that all SNAP applicants or recipients have access to nondiscrimination statutes and policies, complaint procedures and the rights of participants, the information must be provided within 10 days of the date of a request.

1 . 6 C O M P L A I N T P R O C E D U R E The Agency, both State Office and local offices, will maintain a system for handling program complaints filed by participants, potential participants, or other concerned individuals or groups. This will not include complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, religious creed, national origin, political beliefs or disability; such complaints will be handled in accordance with Section 1.5 SNAP Nondiscrimination Compliance. Complaints regarding such areas as processing standards and service to participants and potential participants will be handled under this complaint procedure. This procedure will not include complaints that can be pursued through a fair hearing (Section 18.1 Fair Hearing Definition). The Agency will follow up on complaints, resolve complaints and take corrective action where warranted, and respond to the complainant on the Agency's disposition of the complaint. The Agency will make information on the complaint system and how to file a complaint available to participants, potential participants and other interested persons. The Agency may make the information available through written materials, posters at certification offices or other appropriate means. The Agency will maintain records of complaints received and their disposition, and will review records at least annually to assess whether patterns of problems may be present in local offices or throughout the State. The results of this review will be provided to the State SNAP Management Evaluation (ME) Review Coordinator (Chapter 26 Management Evaluation (ME) Reviews) and State Corrective Action Coordinator for appropriate action, and for inclusion, if appropriate, in the State Corrective Action Plan (CAP) (Chapter 28 Corrective Action). This information will include the