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Page | 81 In order to screen an application for expedited benefits, enough information must be provided on the application to determine if the case meets the 3 criteria above. If only the first page of the application is received, and the household does not stay for an interview or a conversation about the household’s circumstances does not occur, every effort should be made to receive the full application from the household within the first 7 days. The case cannot be approved for expedited benefits until a signed full application is received. A signature on the first page of the application locks in the date of the application, but the signature on the back signature page is what is needed to approve the case.

If the household submitted a signed first page and the application was incomplete, the application must be completed during the interview. If the interview is in person, the application must be completed during the office visit. If the interview is by telephone, the application must be completed by the Benefits Specialist during the interview and a copy of the completed application mailed to the household on the same day for a signature on the back of the application. The expedited time frame continues while the application is mailed to the customer. Mailing time includes the day the application is in the mail to and from the household, and the days the application is in the household’s possession for review and signature.

There is no limit to the number of times a household can be certified under expedited procedures as long as prior to each expedited certification, the household either completes the verification requirements that were postponed at the last expedited certification or was certified under normal processing standards since the last expedited certification. The benefits specialist should read through the prior narratives to make sure the verifications were provided.

4610 PRESCREENING FOR EXPEDITED SERVICE

Benefits Specialists must screen applications when they are received to determine if the household is entitled to expedited services. When prescreening incoming applications or handling requests for applications, the following items may indicate that the household is eligible for expedited service:

 The applicant indicates verbally or on the application form that the household has no income and no liquid assets.  The household has countable income less than $150 and the household’s liquid assets are less than $100.  The household’s combined monthly gross income and liquid resources are less than the household’s monthly shelter expenses.  The household indicates that it is a household of migrant or seasonal farm workers.

Please note that if just the first page of the application is received and no conversation with the household has occurred, it is not possible to screen for expedited. All efforts should be made to contact the household to obtain information to determine if the case is expedited or not.

Example 1: In January the household was certified for expedited service. The case closed for February because the household did not submit verification of job quit. Household reapplies in June. Verification of job quit is no longer relevant unless the household had discontinued employment in the last 60 days. The household may receive expedited service since the verification is no longer relevant. Example 2: In January the household was certified for expedited service. The case closed for February because the applicant did not submit a social security number or make good faith effort to obtain one. Household reapplies in June. The applicant’s social security number was not provided. It is still required, so expedited service will not be allowed until the SSN (or proof of effort to obtain it) is submitted.