Duplicate Application Received After Original Application Is Processed

If an office receives a duplicate application and the applicant has already been certified for assistance based on another application previously submitted, staff must review the duplicate application to determine if the household is applying for programs other than what the household is currently receiving and if any redeterminations are due.

If the household is applying for different types of programs, the application is not a duplicate application and must be processed as a new application for assistance.

If the household is not applying for a different type of program and there are no redeterminations, office staff must:

treat the duplicate application as a report of change; and

assign the duplicate application as a change indicating "duplicate application."

Staff are not required to create a T number for TIERS cases and/or dispose of a duplicate application as "filed in error." If staff erroneously create a T number, staff must deny/dispose the T number as filed in error, in addition to other required actions listed above.

Note : If the office that receives the duplicate application does not normally process reported changes, staff may mark the application form as a duplicate application and route it to appropriate staff following local office procedures.

Advisors who process the duplicate application as a reported change must review the application to determine if any changes are indicated and take the following action. If no change is indicated on the duplicate application, the advisor must:

document receipt of the duplicate application in TIERS Case Comments;

route the duplicate application to be imaged as part of the electronic case record;

sustain the benefits for each Texas Works program the household receives; and

send an individual notice to the household that eligibility for benefits has not changed.

If a change is indicated on the duplicate application, staff must follow the procedures outlined in B-600, Changes , when processing changes reported on the duplicate application.