Current through Vol. 41, No. 13, March 15, 2024
(a)
Interview
requirement. All households initially applying for food benefits or
completing a certification renewal must have a face-to-face or phone interview
with a worker prior to certification, per Section
273.2(e) of Title
7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 C.F.R. §
273.2(e)), unless the
household meets criteria in (a)(2) of this Section. Staff may conduct 100
percent of all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) initial and
certification renewal application interviews by phone.
(1) A face-to-face interview must be
conducted when the household or its authorized representative requests a
face-to-face interview.
(2)
Certification renewal interviews may be waived for households when all adult
members are elderly or disabled and have no earned income.
(b)
Who must be interviewed. The
person interviewed may be the head of the household, spouse, any other
responsible member of the household, or an authorized representative who knows
the household's circumstances. When the household chooses to be interviewed
face-to-face, the person interviewed may bring any person to the
interview.
(c)
Scheduling
interviews. The worker schedules the interview as soon as possible to
ensure the household, when eligible, receives expedited service timely or may
participate within 30-calendar days following the application date.
(1) The worker uses Form 08AD091E, Interview
Notice, to schedule the interview.
(2) When the person to be interviewed is
employed, the worker schedules an appointment to minimize the person's absence
from work.
(3) When the household
misses the scheduled interview, a notice is sent informing the household that
it missed the scheduled interview and is responsible for scheduling a second
interview. The worker must not deny the household's application prior to the
30th calendar day when the household misses the first scheduled interview. When
the household contacts the worker within the 30-day application processing
period, a new interview must be scheduled.
(4) When the household submits a timely
certification renewal, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC)
340:50-9-6, the worker schedules
the interview as early as possible, but not later than the last day of the
month.
(A) When the household fails to appear
for the interview, the worker does not reschedule the interview unless the
household requests another appointment by the 30th calendar day after the
application date.
(B) Upon request,
the worker reschedules the interview at the earliest possible
date.
(5) When the
household submits an untimely certification renewal, the worker schedules an
interview as early as possible, but not later than 20-calendar days from the
application date.
(A) When the household
fails to appear for the scheduled interview, the worker does not reschedule the
interview unless the household requests another appointment by the 30th
calendar day after the application date.
(B) Upon request, the worker reschedules the
interview for the earliest possible date.
(d)
Worker responsibilities during the
interview. During the interview, the worker:
(1) reviews the information on the
application with the household and resolves unclear and incomplete
information;
(2) inquires if
changes occurred in the household's income, deductions, or other circumstances
since the application was filed;
(3) informs the household of its rights and
responsibilities, including:
(A) work
registration responsibilities, per OAC
340:50-5-85;
(B) able-bodied adult without dependents work
responsibilities, per OAC
340:50-5-100;
(C) reporting requirements, per OAC
340:50-9-5;
(D) the appropriate application processing
standard, per OAC
340:50-3-1(c)
and 340:50-11-4;
(E) responsibility to cooperate with SNAP
Quality Control (QC) when asked to do so, per (f) of this Section;
and
(F) an explanation of the civil
rights complaint process, per OAC
340:50-1-5;
and
(4) conducts the
interview as an official and confidential discussion of household circumstances
limited to facts related to food benefit eligibility factors;
(5) gives Form 08MP006E, Information for
Benefit Renewal, to the household and explains benefit renewal
procedures;
(6) ensures the
household's right to privacy is protected;
(7) provides a paper or electronic copy of
the completed application in the format the household requests, when requested;
and
(8) attempts to verify any
necessary eligibility requirements during the interview. The worker gives or
sends the household Form 08AD092E, Client Contact and Information Request, to
request any verification that could not be verified during the interview. When
the household informs the worker it is unable to furnish the required
verification, the worker offers to help the applicant obtain the verification.
(A) The worker's assistance may involve
explaining how or where to obtain proof when the applicant is unable to do
so.
(B) The worker is not required
to obtain proof for an applicant who is unwilling to do
so.
(e)
Household cooperation with eligibility determination. To determine
eligibility, the household or authorized representative must complete and sign
the application or certification renewal, be interviewed, and provide required
information. When the household does not cooperate with the worker in
determining:
(1) initial eligibility, the
worker denies the application; or
(2) continuing eligibility at
mid-certification renewal or certification renewal, the worker closes food
benefits.
(f)
Household cooperation with a QC review. When the household is
selected for a QC review, the household must cooperate with the QC reviewer per
7 C.F.R. §
273.2(d)(2). When the
household refuses to cooperate, the SNAP QC administrator informs SNAP program
field representative staff of the non-cooperation and SNAP program field
representative staff closes the food benefit for refusal to cooperate.
(1) To determine the household refuses to
cooperate, the household must be able to cooperate and clearly demonstrate that
it will not take the necessary actions required to complete the QC review
process.
(2) The household may
reapply following food benefit closure, but may not be determined eligible
until it cooperates with the QC review unless (3) of this subsection
applies.
(3) When food benefits
were closed for refusal to cooperate with the QC reviewer and the household
waits to reapply until after 125-calendar days from the end of the QC review
period, October 1 through September 30, the household must provide verification
of eligibility factors for the new application only.
Amended at 10 Ok Reg 3619, eff 7-25-93 ; Amended at 10 Ok
Reg 4851, eff 9-8-93 (preemptive) ; Amended at 11 Ok Reg 4587, eff 9-1-94
(emergency) ; Amended at 12 Ok Reg 1723, eff 6-12-95 ; Amended at 22 Ok Reg
805, eff 5-12-05 ; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 1241, eff 6-1-10 ; Amended at 28 Ok Reg
850, eff 6-1-11 ; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 794, eff 7-1-12 ; Amended at 30 Ok Reg
672, eff 6-1-13
