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401.4 TANF MANUAL 10/19 Page 7

401.4 NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANT/RECIPIENT - Federal regulations require that adequate and timely notice be sent to applicants and recipients to indicate that assistance has been authorized, denied, increased, reduced, or terminated.

"Adequate" means that the notice (Notice of Action) is received not later than the effective date of the action and includes a written statement of what action the agency intends to take and the reason for the action. In the case of an assistance unit which has no permanent dwelling or fixed address and is otherwise considered homeless, the notice must be available at the local agency or mailed to another destination agreed upon by the client, such as a nonprofit agency or shelter, local post office, etc., to ensure it will arrive at such destination not later than the effective date of the action.

"Timely" means that the notice (Advance Notice of Proposed Action) is mailed, or available at the local agency in the case of an assistance unit which is homeless, at least ten (10) days before the effective date of the action, excluding the date of mailing and the effective date.

In certain situations timely notice is not necessary but adequate notice is always required.

A. Action Requiring Adequate Notice - Adequate notice must be sent to the applicant/recipient whenever:

1. case action is taken to approve or deny an application or a request for an increase in payment;

2. there has been a delay beyond the time standard in acting upon an application or a request for an increase in payment;

3. case action is taken to increase the amount of assistance;

4. case action is taken to include an additional eligible person in the payment or to change the number of eligible persons if no decrease in assistance results;

5. case action is taken to change the payee or the method of payment;

6. client requests closure of a VTP case.;

7. VTP recipient transfers to another Virginia locality and is no longer eligible to receive the VTP; or

8. a reevaluation of eligibility based on information received within 30 days of the date following the application date or prior to the effective date of case closing occurs.

The notice shall be sent immediately following the case action or at the expiration of the time standard for processing applications, as appropriate.

TANF Transmittal 67