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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES D-SNAP

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13. Plan for handling employee applications.

14. Describe procedures for issuing benefits. This would include the plan for the physical security and tracking of EBT cards, the data entry process, card delivery or card replacement. Include any recipient training or customer service training to be implemented.

D-SNAP households will be issued EBT cards over-the-counter. Designated local agency issuance personnel may access the card issuance screen in the EBT system using Manual Account Setup prior the demographic and benefit files being transmitted to issue vault cards to eligible households. Cardholders must sign for receipt of the card. Cardholders must select a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by calling the EBT vendor’s Automated Response Unit. The LDSS is encouraged to provide a telephone for cardholder use in acquiring the PIN.

Disaster benefits must be provided within 3 days of the application date. (Day 1 is day after the application is filed.) Disaster benefits will be available for household use for 274 days. The EBT system will expunge unused benefits on the 275th day the benefits were issued for the D-SNAP.

15. Fraud prevention procedures. This would be a description of application/issuance site controls and possible use of onsite fraud investigators. Include in this any specific plans to handle employee applications.

While the primary focus of the D-SNAP is to distribute benefits to eligible disaster victims as quickly as possible, precautions must be taken to guard against fraudulent receipt of benefits. Workers must verbally advise applicants of D-SNAP rules and of the penalties for fraudulent receipt or use of benefits. A checklist given to eligibility workers should include circumstances that would trigger a referral to an investigator.

The automated system will cross check data entered to ensure that new applicants and household members for the D-SNAP are not already receiving either regular SNAP benefits or D-SNAP benefits. The automated system will also check to ensure that the case has not already been found to be ineligible for benefits in any jurisdiction. The system will perform an edit check on any Virginia Department of Social Services employee applying for the D-SNAP. The system will identify the receipt of support through the Division of Child Support Enforcement.

If the automated system is unavailable, the LDSS must maintain lists of applicants/recipients, which must be checked for duplicates at the close of each business day. Other fraud prevention measures will include investigation of questionable information. In no event however, must any investigative activity delay the issuance of D-SNAP benefits beyond three days.

16. There needs to be confirmation that the LDSS can access the following documents from this chapter in electronic format:

• D-SNAP client application (Appendix 1)

TRANSMITTAL #35