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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES HANDLING CHANGES

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contact the household by telephone or letter/memo to clarify the information. If the BPS is unable to obtain clarification, the BPS must address the information at renewal or the interim evaluation, whichever is first.

2) Request for Contact Upon receipt of unclear or unverified information, additional information will be needed before the BPS may act on the information. The BPS must pursue clarification and verification, if appropriate. The BPS must assess: • If the information is fewer than 60 days old; • Whether the household would be required to report the information based on the household’s reporting requirement, if the information was accurate; or • If the information significantly conflicts with information presented at certification. If these conditions apply, the BPS must send the household the Request for Contact. The Request for Contact must also be sent when mail is returned by the post office as undeliverable. The BPS must complete the form to request information or to request that the household complete an action within ten calendar days. The BPS must not send the Request for Contact to evaluate changes the household is not required to report or that do not meet one of the four instances for responding to changes immediately, as outlined above in section 2. See Part XXIV for the Request for Contact form.

Timely Response - No change Reported If the household responds timely to the Request for Contact form and there are no changes in the household's circumstances, the BPS must take no other case action related to the change report.

Timely Response - Changes Reported The BPS must send the household a Request for Contact form when a household must clarify its situation or provide additional information as indicated above. The household has ten days to provide the requested information. If the household responds to the request for information within the ten-day limit and reports changes in its circumstances, the BPS must evaluate the changed information within ten days of receiving the information. If the change results in an increased allotment, the BPS must send the Notice of Action to show the allotment change for the next month. If the agency provides voluntary supplemental allotments for similarly reported changes, the BPS must approve the supplemental allotment for the current month, in addition to the change for the next month. If the change results in a reduction or termination of benefits, the BPS must send the household the Advance Notice of Proposed Action or the Notice of Action to allow a minimum of ten days for the household to appeal before the reduction or termination becomes effective.

Untimely Response - No Changes The BPS must send a SNAP household a Request for Contact form when a

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