Page 100

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES EXPEDITED SERVICES

10/24 VOLUME V, PART V, PAGE 2

C. PROCESSING STANDARDS (7 CFR 273.2(i)(3)(i))

For households entitled to expedited service, except those households entitled to a waiver of the office interview, the local department of social services must make SNAP benefits available to the household no later than seven calendar days after the application filing date. For residents of public institutions who apply for SSI and SNAP benefits before release from the institution, the SNAP application filing date is the date the applicant is released from the institution. Eligible households that apply after the 15th day of the month must also receive benefits for the month following the month of application by the seventh day.

If the local department of social services discovers that a household is entitled to expedited service after the application date, the BPS must determine eligibility and provide benefits within seven calendar days of the discovery date.

Eligible households that provide all the information needed to process the expedited application, within seven calendar days following the date of application, are entitled to receive benefits within seven calendar days following the date of application. If the household provides the information after the seventh day following the date of application, the BPS will have seven calendar days to process the application, beginning with the date the household provides the information. If the household does not provide requested information by the 30th day, the BPS must send the household a notice to extend the processing of the case for an additional 30 days. The BPS must inform the household of the normal verification standards that the household must now meet to determine eligibility. Procedures for verifying information used to determine eligibility are in Part V.D.

Out-of-Office Interviews (7 CFR 273.2(i)(3)(iii))

If the local department of social services arranges an out-of-office interview for a household that is entitled to expedited service, the BPS must conduct the interview and complete the application process within the expedited service standards. Day one of the processing period is the calendar day following the application date. If the BPS conducts a telephone interview and must mail the application to the household for signature, the expedited standards will not include any mailing time involved. Mailing time will only include the days the application is in the mail to and from the household and the days the application is in the household's possession pending signature and mailing.

D. VERIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR EXPEDITED SERVICE (7 CFR 273.2(i) (4)(i); 273.2(i)(4)(ii))

To expedite the certification process, the BPS must postpone all verifications required by Part III.A, except the identity of the applicant, if the BPS is unable to obtain verifications within the allowable processing time. The BPS may verify the identity of the applicant through a collateral contact or readily available documentary evidence.

The BPS must make all reasonable efforts to verify the household's residence, income statement (including a statement that the household has no income) and all other mandatory verifications

TRANSMITTAL #35