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S N A P M A N U A L

34 The Agency will inform households that receiving SNAP benefits will have no bearing on any other program's time limits that may apply to the household. If a household contacting the Agency by telephone does not wish to come to the office to file the application that same day and instead prefers receiving an application through the mail, the Agency will mail an application form to the household on the same day the telephone request is received. An application will also be mailed on the same day a written request for food assistance is received. Households may contact a SNAP office other than the one located in the county in which they reside. Applications can be registered by any county office regardless of the applicant’s county of residence. When an application is received in a county other than the county in which the applicant resides, either in person, through the mail, by fax, or online, the receiving office will accept the application, scan and assign it. The applicant will be told benefits and processing standards will begin that day. A copy of the completed application form must be provided to the household, if requested. (3) Applications filed through Outreach Partners Applications may be filed through Outreach Partners. Outreach Partners’ staff assist low-income households with the SNAP application filing. In addition to providing application forms to households, applications may be completed by the households by telephone with the Outreach Partners. If completed by telephone, Outreach Partners:

• Complete application questions verbally with the applicants. • Records the applicants’ agreements to complete the applications by telephone via the applicants’ verbal statements that the information is accurate under penalty of perjury. o The recording is kept on-file for 4 years and is available to DSS, upon request. o The telephonic signature option is only allowed for applications submitted through Outreach Partners. Note: The Outreach Partner must be approved to accept telephonic signatures. • Transmits the applications to DSS via fax or electronically. • Sends a hard copy of the completed application forms to the households with instructions to report any inaccuracies within 10 days. (4) Availability of the SNAP application form The Agency will make application forms for SNAP benefits readily accessible to potentially eligible households. The Agency will also provide an application form to anyone who requests the form and