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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES VERIFICATION/DOCUMENTATION

10/25 VOLUME V, PART III, PAGE 6

a. inconsistent with statements made by the applicant;

b. inconsistent with other information on the application or previous applications; or

c. inconsistent with any other information received by the local department of social services.

When determining if information is questionable, the local department of social services must base the decision on each household's individual circumstances. For example, a household's report of paid expenses that exceed its income may be grounds for a determination that further explanation and possibly verification is required. This circumstance alone may not be grounds for a denial. The local department of social services must explore with the household how it is managing its finances; whether the household receives excluded income or has resources, and how long the household has managed under these circumstances.

If the local department of social services needs verification to resolve questionable information, the BPS must document why it considered the information questionable. The documentation must also include the verification used to resolve the questionable information.

The definition of questionable information contained in this chapter applies to all references of questionable information throughout this manual.

3. Sources of Verification (7 CFR 273.2(f)(4))

Documentary Evidence

Local departments of social services must use documentary evidence as the primary source of verification. Documentary evidence means written confirmation of a household's circumstances. Examples include wage stubs, rent receipts, and utility bills. The BPS is responsible for determining if the evidence provided is sufficient to determine eligibility. Evidence is sufficient if the local department can derive correct information about the element from the evidence provided. For example, the BPS may use the Year-to-Date totals on pay stubs to establish a missing amount.

Although documentary evidence is the primary source of verification, acceptable verification is not limited to any single type of document. The local department may obtain the information through the household or other sources. The local department must use alternate sources of verification such as collateral contacts and home visits whenever the BPS cannot obtain documentary evidence.

To verify residency, a collateral contact, as well as documentary evidence, may serve as a primary source of verification.

When attempts to verify countable income are unsuccessful, the BPS must determine an amount to be used for SNAP purposes based on the best available information. The local

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