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32 household's eligibility and level of benefits. Section 5.2 Sources of Verification (2) Collateral Contacts provides policy for the use of collateral contacts. C. Jointly processed cases

The Agency will notify applicants that they may file a joint application for more than one program or they may file a separate application for SNAP benefits independent of their application for benefits from any other program. All SNAP applications, regardless of whether they are joint applications or separate applications, must be processed for SNAP purposes in accordance with SNAP procedural, timeliness, notice, and fair hearing requirements. No household will have its SNAP benefits denied solely on the basis that its application to participate in another program has been denied or its benefits under another program have been terminated without a separate determination that the household failed to satisfy a SNAP eligibility requirement. Households that file a joint application for SNAP and another program and are denied benefits for the other program will not be required to resubmit the joint application or to file another application for SNAP benefits but will have its SNAP eligibility determined based on the joint application in accordance with SNAP processing timeframes from the date the joint application was initially accepted by the Agency.

D. Privacy Act statement The Agency must notify all households applying and being recertified for SNAP benefits of the following: 1) The collection of information, including the Social Security Number (SSN) of each household member, is authorized under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended. The information will be used to determine whether the household is eligible or continues to be eligible to participate in SNAP. The Agency will verify this information through computer matching programs. This information will also be used to monitor compliance with program regulations and for program management. 2) This information may be disclosed to other Federal and State agencies for official examination and to law enforcement officials for the purpose of apprehending persons fleeing to avoid the law. 3) If a SNAP claim for over-issuance arises against the household, the information on the application, including all SSNs, may be referred to Federal and State agencies, as well as private claims collection agencies, for claims collection action. 4) Providing the requested information, including the SSN of each household member, is voluntary. However, failure to provide an SSN will result in the denial of SNAP benefits to each individual failing to provide an SSN. Any SSN provided will be used and disclosed in the same manner as SSNs of eligible household members.