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Page | 82 4620 EXPEDITED SERVICE TIME FRAMES

Households eligible for expedited service processing must have their benefits in their EBT account within 7 calendar days following the application date. The first day of the 7 day processing time starts the day after the application date. The fact that a weekend or a holiday may be included in the 7 calendar days does not lengthen the 7 day processing time frame.

A resident of an institution who applies prior to his/her release from the institution, and who is entitled to expedited service, must have the opportunity to receive benefits within 7 days from the date of release from the institution (application date). Households entitled to expedited service that applied after the 15th of the month, provided identity verification, completed the application form, completed an interview, and were determined eligible for the first and second months must have both months' benefits available no later than the 7 calendar days following the date of application.

4630 EXPEDITED SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

If the case has been determined expedited, expedited service cannot be granted if the following does not occur within 7 days of the application date: 1. The household did not complete an interview; or 2. The household did not submit verification of identity (ACCESS will not allow approval of benefits without verification of identity), or 3. The household did not provide postponed verifications from the last expedited issuance, if the verification is still relevant to the household’s circumstances.

If any of the three requirements are not met within 7 days following the application date, the EABS is not required to provide expedited service to the household. The application follows normal processing time frames however, the case is still considered “untimely” for Quality Control review purposes. For this reason, it is important to make every effort to assist the household in completing an interview within the 7 day period, providing a complete application, and providing identity.

If the household does meet all expedited requirements, it is important to remember the following:  If necessary, to meet the expedited time limits, verification (other than identity) must be postponed. The identity of the person making application must be verified in all cases. The household's residence must also be verified whenever possible but must be waived if not provided within 7 days. Readily available documentary evidence or a collateral contact will be used for waived verifications.

 Within the expedited time limit, using readily available documentary evidence or collateral contacts, all reasonable efforts must be made to verify household income (including the lack of income), liquid assets, legally obligated child support payments, and all other required factors. However, benefits will not be delayed beyond the 7 day processing time solely because these eligibility factors have not been verified.

 It is important to make all reasonable efforts to verify income and liquid assets within the appropriate time standards because income and liquid assets are criteria for entitlement to expedited service. If legally obligated child support payments are used in the eligibility or benefit determination level, verification should be obtained with reasonable efforts.

 Obtain as much verification as possible during the application process. Do not unreasonably delay the expedited approval for further verification if it is unlikely the additional verification can be completed within the time limit.