Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
To expedite the certification process, the worker must
verify the applicant's identity and conduct the household's interview as soon
as possible to ensure the household, when eligible, receives timely expedited
service.
(1)
Reasonable
verification pursuit. The worker makes reasonable efforts to verify,
within the seven-calendar day expedited processing standard, the household's
residency, income statement, and all other eligibility factors before
certification, per Section 273.2(i) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. This effort includes evaluating the household's explanation of how
the household meets its needs when declared expenses exceed reported income or
when the household reports no household income.
(A) The worker verifies eligibility factors
through documentary evidence or, when documentary evidence is not readily
available, through a collateral contact.
(B) The worker may postpone verifying
eligibility factors other than identity that could not be verified within the
expedited service processing time limit. In most instances, it is expected that
the applicant verify at least residence and income, within the time limit.
(C) The worker must not delay
certification up to, or beyond the time limit, solely because factors other
than identity were not verified. When the household is unlikely to be able to
provide the required verification within the expedited service timeframe, the
worker must postpone verification.
(2)
Postponed verification. When
verification is postponed, the worker gives or sends the household Form
08AD092E, Client Contact and Information Request, to request the postponed
verification before further benefits are approved.
(A) When a household member, who is not a
newborn, needs to provide a Social Security number (SSN) that was postponed,
the household must furnish the SSN or proof that an application was filed with
the Social Security Administration before the second full month of
participation.
(B) When
verification is postponed, the worker certifies the household for a one- or
two-month expedited certification period, per (3) of this Section. To avoid a
break in benefits, when the household is certified for:
(i) one month, the household must furnish the
postponed verification within 30-calendar days of the application date; or
(ii) two months, the household
must furnish the postponed verification by the last day of the expedited
certification period.
(C)
When the household does not provide the verification within 30-calendar days of
the application date for a one month certification, or by the last day of the
expedited certification period for a two month certification, but does provide
it within 60-calendar days of the application date, benefits are prorated from
the date the verification is provided. The household must complete a new
application to receive further benefits when the verification is not received
within 60-calendar days of the application date.
(D) When the household provides postponed
verification timely, the worker approves the household, when eligible, for a
normal certification period within seven-calendar days of receiving the
verification.
(3)
Expedited certification period. When the household is eligible for
expedited services and verification is postponed, the worker certifies the
household for a one- or two-month expedited certification period.
(A) When the household applies between the:
(i) first and 15th of the month, the worker
certifies the household for one month; or
(ii) 16th and 31st of the month, the worker
certifies the household for two months.
(B) The worker prorates the initial month's
benefits when the household applies later than the first day of the month.
(C) When proration causes the
household to be ineligible for the application month, the worker denies the
application for the application month and certifies the household for expedited
food benefits for the following month.
(D) The initial month's food benefits issue
immediately. When the household is assigned a two-month certification period,
the second month's benefits issue on the first day of the second month.
(4)
Normal
certification period. When the household is eligible for expedited
services and verification is not postponed, the worker certifies the household
for a normal certification period.
(5)
Multiple expedited services
certifications. There is no limit to the number of times a household may
be certified using expedited procedures when the household provides the
postponed verification before reapplying for food benefits. When the household
does not provide the postponed verification, it is not eligible for expedited
processing until it is certified using normal processing standards, per
Oklahoma Administrative Code
340:50-3-1.
Amended at 9 Ok Reg 3843, eff 8-24-92 (emergency);
Amended at 10 Ok Reg 1821, eff 5-13-93 ; Amended at 14 Ok Reg 220, eff 10-1-96
(preemptive); Amended at 19 Ok Reg 1767, eff 6-14-02 ; Amended at 25 Ok Reg
937, eff 6-1-08 ; Amended at 28 Ok Reg 850, eff 6-1-11 ; Amended at 30 Ok Reg
683, eff 6-1-13
