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Page | 88 CHAPTER FIVE: INTERVIEW

5000 INTERVIEWING HOUSEHOLDS

5100 STANDARDS FOR INTERVIEWS

All households, including expedited and those submitting applications/renewals by mail or electronically, must have an interview. The interview will be conducted by qualified staff prior to approval/denial, or closure of the initial application or renewal. The individual interviewed may be:  The head of household  Spouse  Any other responsible adult member of the household  An authorized representative. The customer may bring any person he/she chooses to the interview.

Interviews may be conducted in person or by telephone. If the customer submits the DSS-EA-301 form in person, a face-to-face interview should be offered at that time. If the customer is unable to stay or declines a same-day interview, one must be scheduled within 7 days—unless the household declines to schedule within that timeframe.

Same-day interviews should be offered regardless of which office is later assigned the case or where the customer resides in South Dakota.

If an application is received by mail, the Benefits Specialist should attempt to contact the household by phone to schedule an interview within 7 days of receipt. If the household cannot be reached by phone, the DSS-EA-300 checklist should be mailed with an interview date scheduled within the 7- day window.

A face-to-face interview is required when the household:  Does not have a telephone  Requests a face-to-face interview  The Benefits Specialist determines that a face-to-face interview is appropriate  Information or household circumstances are unclear, and a face-to-face interview is needed to resolve the issues.

Regardless of the type of interview, the interview must be thorough and gather all the information needed to make an accurate, timely determination.

The Benefits Specialist will not only review the information that appears on the application, but also review past history (narratives, verifications, etc.). The Benefits Specialist will explore and resolve, with the household, any unclear and incomplete information. During the interview, the household will be:  Fully advised of their rights and responsibilities including:  Reading through the Rights and Responsibilities and Penalties on the DSS-EA-301 form  A verbal explanation of the appropriate application processing timeframes  The household's responsibility to report changes  The household’s responsibility to report if they are a 6 month reporter  Informed of the importance of keeping the EBT card secure and the correct usage of the benefits received.