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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES APPLICATION PROCESSING

10/24 VOLUME V, PART II, PAGE 3

3. Subsequent Actions Required After An Application Is Filed

Once the local department receives an application that contains at least the applicant's name, address and signature, advise the applicant that an interview must be conducted before certification. Advise the household that the interview may be conducted in the office or by telephone. Provide the interview scheduling hours for the agency.

4. Withdrawing An Application

The household may voluntarily withdraw its application at any time before the certification interview. The local department must document the case file as to the reason for withdrawal, if the household provides a reason, and that the local department made contact with the household to confirm the withdrawal. If the household makes the withdrawal request in person or submits a written note from a responsible household member, no further confirmation is needed. The local department must advise the household of its right to reapply at any time after the withdrawal. The BPS must send the Notice of Action to deny the application.

5. Contacting The Wrong Locality

Note: The case transfer procedures of Part XIV.A.8 do not apply to this section.

If a household contacts the wrong locality, the local department must give the household the address and telephone number of the appropriate office. The local department must also offer to forward the household's application by mail or courier to the appropriate office that same day if the household completed enough information on the application to file. The local department must offer to forward the application, by fax or other means, the next day as long as the application gets to the receiving agency the same day. The local department must inform the household that the filing date and the processing standards will not begin until the appropriate office receives the application.

If the household mails its application to the wrong office, the local department must mail the application to the appropriate office on the same day. The local department may forward the application the next day by fax or any other means as long as the application gets to the receiving agency the same day. The normal processing time standards described in Part II.F do not begin until the correct office receives the application, except when the Social Security Administration forwards the application and the household meets the expedited processing entitlement, as noted in Part II.H.2.b.

C. HOUSEHOLD COOPERATION (7 CFR 273.2(d))

If the household refuses to cooperate with the local department in completing the application process, the BPS must deny the application at the time of refusal. For the BPS to determine that the household refused to cooperate, the household must be able to cooperate but clearly demonstrate that it will not take required actions that it can take to complete the application process.

TRANSMITTAL #35