Page 79

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES VERIFICATION/DOCUMENTATION

10/25 VOLUME V, PART III, PAGE 8

Before approval of the initial application/reapplication, home visits may serve as verification but only if the agency cannot obtain documentary evidence. The BPS must schedule the visit in advance with the household for a time that is acceptable to the household.

Upon approval of the application, requirements for selecting a collateral contact by the household and advance notice of the collateral contact or home visit no longer apply if needed to investigate a possible overissuance. Documentation is necessary before making the collateral contact or home visit as to the information received that indicates the possibility of an overissuance. For example, after an application is approved, the agency may make a home visit without advance notification if an anonymous caller identified an additional household member. The investigation may be to evaluate the possibility of an overissuance that already occurred or to prevent an overissuance from occurring in the future.

Home visits deemed necessary for front-end or preventative investigations are not subject to advance notification and scheduling requirements with the household. Inconsistencies in a household’s circumstances may warrant preventative investigations.

4. Checklist of Needed Verifications

The BPS must provide a checklist that informs each applying household of the verifications needed to process the application and the date by which the information is needed. The agency must provide a checklist for each new application, reapplication, and recertification application filed.

B. RESPONSIBILITY FOR OBTAINING VERIFICATION (7 CFR 273.2(f)(5))

The household is primarily responsible for providing documentary evidence to support statements on the application and to resolve any questionable information. Unless verification is readily available to the household, the household is not responsible for providing verification of reported unearned income for which verification is accessible to the BPS through systems of records. These records include APECS, SVES, and the VEC inquiry of unemployment benefits. The household is also not required to verify earned income if verification is accessible through the automated inquiry of the Work Number.

The BPS must assist the household in obtaining requested verifications provided the household is cooperating with the agency as outlined in Part II.C and the household either does not have other verification available or requests assistance in obtaining information. The household may supply documentary evidence in person, through the mail, by facsimile or other electronic means, or through an authorized representative. The household must provide information during the normal business hours for the local office. Information received after normal business hours is counted as being received the next day. Any reasonable documentary evidence provided by the household is acceptable. The focus of the agency must be primarily on how adequately the verification proves the statements on the application.

TRANSMITTAL #36