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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES APPLICATION PROCESSING

10/24 VOLUME V, PART II, PAGE 2

SNAP benefits, at a minimum, the agency must:

a. Provide an application upon request or, if contacted by telephone or through other means, advise the household that it may obtain the form in the office or that it is available by mail or online. The local department must mail the application the same day it receives a request.

b. Encourage households to file applications on the same day they contact the agency or when households indicate food insecurity. Advise that completed applications should be submitted as soon as possible. Advise that applications may be submitted by mail, in person, by fax, online, or by telephone

c. Explain that only SNAP rules are used to determine eligibility so that households should apply for SNAP benefits even if they may not be eligible for other programs.

The local department may get information from potential applicants that indicates probable ineligibility. The local department must not deny persons who contact the department before they file an application nor discourage households from filing applications for SNAP benefits. Persons who express an interest in SNAP benefits must have an opportunity to apply and, if determined ineligible, receive a written denial notice.

2. Agency Actions for the Application Filing Date

Applicants may file an application that contains minimal information to protect the application filing date. Minimal information needed for a valid application is the applicant's name, address, and signature of a responsible household member or authorized representative. (See Part II.D for a discussion of responsible household members.) Depending on the type of application, signature may be written or unwritten. Unwritten signatures may include electronic signature, recorded telephonic signature, or recorded gestured signatures.

Upon receipt of a valid application, the local department must:

• Determine the household's entitlement to expedited service processing.

Local department staff should screen for expedited entitlement while applicants are present in the office when possible. If the applicant is not present in the office, local department staff must review the application on the day of receipt to determine the entitlement to expedited service processing.

If the applicant did not sufficiently complete the application to allow the expedited screening, the local department must attempt to contact the household by telephone if the application contains a number. If contact with the household to obtain the necessary information is not possible within the seven days, the worker must process the application under normal processing policies until further contact with the household allows a delayed screening for expedited processing to take place.

• Complete the SNAP - Hotline Information form and provide it to any household that files a new application, a reapplication, or a late recertification application.

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