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401.1 TANF MANUAL 7/20 Page 2b

Example: TANF application received March 15. An interview was not held until April 10. Required verifications were requested by April 20. The EW entered the “Interview Held Date” on the Interview Details screen in the VaCMS. On April 14, the 30th calendar day after the application filing date, the application remained in a pending status. The applicant failed to provide the required verifications by April 20. The EW must take action to deny the application on April 20, which is after the 30th processing day. The delay in processing is client caused.

1. Exception to the 30-day processing standard may apply when:

a. the applicant has limitations that hinder him from securing verifications. In this instance, the local agency must assist the applicant in securing verifications. The BDOA will be the first of the month following the month of application.

b. an emergency beyond the agency’s control occurs - If an agency delay occurs, and the application was otherwise eligible, the BDOA must be the date of application.

c. the postmark date is at least two days prior to the verification due date.

An “Interview Held Date” in the VaCMS allows an application to go beyond the 30-day processing standard. If required verifications are not received timely, the EW must take action to deny the application (run eligibility and certify and authorize the denied eligibility result).

Example 1: TANF application received March 19. An interview was held March 20, and verifications were requested by March 30. The EW entered the “Interview Held Date” on the Interview Details screen in the VaCMS. The applicant failed to provide the required verifications by April 18, the 30th day after the application date. The EW must take action to deny the application.

Example 2: TANF application received March 15. An interview was not held until April 10. Required verifications were requested by April 20. The EW entered the “Interview Held Date” on the Interview Details screen in the VaCMS. On April 14, the 30th day after the application date, the application remained in a pending status. The applicant failed to provide the required verifications by April 20. The EW must take action to deny the application.

Example 3: TANF application received March 1. An interview was held March 5th. Required verifications were requested by March 15th. On the 30th day, after the application date, the worker took action to deny the TANF application because the requested verifications had not been received. On April 1st the worker received the required verifications postmarked March 14th. The EW must take action to reinstate and process the application. Although the delay is not a client or agency caused delay, to ensure benefits are issued back to the application date, agency caused delay must be selected as the reason for overdue processing.

TANF Transmittal 68