3001-4 VERIFICATIONS
For households who appear eligible, mandatory verification, including income and heating cost verification, must be obtained. Previously verified information, which is documented in EIS or ECOS notes, that has not changed cannot be required, unless the worker determines the information has become questionable. If the information was not previously documented, it must be requested and verified.
If the household is unable to obtain needed verification in a timely manner, the worker shall offer assistance in obtaining the verification.
The signed application can be used as a source of verification and provides adequate documentation when the household is ineligible. This includes cases when income exceeds maximum eligibility standards after applicable deductions are allowed. The application can be denied without further verification.
3001-4 A. VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR INITIAL APPLICATIONS
Mandatory Verification
For all households applying for heating assistance, the following verification is required:
Dwelling type is verified by the client indicating the dwelling types on the application and signing the application. If the caseworker questions the dwelling type, they may obtain a collateral statement from a landlord, neighbor, or clerk's office.
Note:
Acquiring the client's heating fuel and electricity billing statements or under extenuating circumstances, receiving the billing statement information verbally from the vendor is mandatory, regardless of how the client's HAP grant is allocated to their fuel and/or electric accounts.
The Federal government requires DPA to obtain and report our client's annual fuel and electricity usage. The HAP coordinator uses the client's vendor account information input in ECOS to generate the reports each approved vendor must review and complete in order to comply with this requirement.
Examples of extenuating circumstances that would allow for the caseworker to seek verbal verification from the vendor include but are not limited to:
The client is elderly or disabled and has requested assistance obtaining the information.
The client lives in a rural area and has limited access to mail or internet and has requested assistance obtaining the information.
The client claims to be without heat or claims they will run out of fuel within 48 hours.
The client claims to have received a utility shut-off notice and has informed us of their inability to provide us with a copy of said notice.
The client has filed a complaint with the Commissioner's Office or the Ombudsman's Office and the vendor account information is the only information needed to process the client's application.
The client requires an interpreter and has requested assistance obtaining the information.
Special projects assigned by Leadership.
Other scenarios using PPJ with justification of decision documented in the case note.
3001-4 B. PHYSICAL RESIDENCE ADDRESS
A physical address is required to ensure the applicant resides in the HAP versus a tribal service area, and assists to determine if multiple applications have been received from the same address. If the address is not available in EIS or on utility bills, and the community has physical addresses, the application is pended for the physical address.
An applicant shows they have a heating cost by one of the following:
EXAMPLE 1:
John lives in an attic apartment. John states his rent includes everything but cannot provide a copy of a written lease agreement or a letter from his landlord verifying the information including his rent amount and what it covers. John would be denied.
EXAMPLE 2:
Ken is a regular at the local shelter. He has lived there more than 60 days and provides written verification of this fact from the shelter. Provided Ken meets all other eligibility criteria, Ken is eligible for a grant using ECOS Ownership Type: Rent with Heat - Direct Pay, Dwelling Type: Motel/Hotel/Hostel, and Housing Category: 1-room dwelling such as studio apartment, hotel room, or boarding room.
EXAMPLE 3:
Peggy lives in a one-bedroom high rise apartment. Her heat is included in her rent. Peggy provides a copy of her lease agreement verifying her heat is included in her rent and a copy of her most recent rent receipt showing she is current on her rent. Her application is processed using ECOS Ownership Type: Rent with Heat - Direct Pay, Dwelling Type: Apartment, and Housing Category: 1-bedroom dwelling, or a one room house or cabin without bedrooms. Her final award is NOT reduced because she does not live in subsidized housing.
EXAMPLE 4:
Mary pays room and board to live in her parents' home. She has a written agreement with them that states she is renting a room and that her room and board include all utilities and heat. Her application should be processed using ECOS Ownership Type: Rent with Heat - Direct Pay, Dwelling Type: Boarding Home, and Housing Category: 1-room dwelling such as a studio apartment, hotel room, or boarding room.
EXAMPLE 5:
Charlie and Sue live in a trailer park that is master metered and all heating fuel is provided by the landlord. The landlord bills the tenants a flat fee for heat, water, and electric. The tenants do not have any utilities in their name, but they do have costs because the landlord bills them. The clients would need to provide a copy of the space rental agreement verifying these facts and a receipt showing they are up to date on their rent and utility costs. The couple's application should be processed using ECOS Ownership Type: Rent with Heat - Direct Pay, Dwelling Type: Mobile home, and Housing Category: Mobile home or boat with heated living space of 980 square feet or more OR Mobile home with less than 980 square feet of heated living space.
3001-4 D. SIXTY CONSECUTIVE DAYS RESIDENCE IN TEMPORARY SHELTER
The applicant provides a signed and dated letter from someone they know who can verify their living situation and can verify that they have been residing in a temporary shelter for 60 or more consecutive days at the time of application.
3001-4 E. HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION
The division verifies household composition through DPA records or by applicant statement notifying HAP staff of a change in the household.
The presence of a child under age six in the household is an important factor in determining the benefit level (see Priority Points). The worker will verify that the count of children under age six is entered correctly. The age is based on the child's age as of the date the application was received.
A person over the age of 60 has an impact on the recipient's benefit level (see Priority Points). Households with a member age 60 or over receive one additional point in their benefit calculation. It is important that the caseworker confirm the ages of all household members at the time they process the application to determine if anyone turned 60 years of age since submitting the application. If a member turned 60 while waiting for their application to be worked, the caseworker should assign one extra point to the calculation.
The division reviews and verifies each household's gross income for the month prior to the receipt of the application. Verification may be provided through documentary evidence (wage stub, award letter, etc.), DPA and DOL records, or impartial third parties such as fee agents, village council representatives, or social service agencies.
NOTE:
Income information obtained through DOL's SAM database is intended to verify Unemployment Insurance Benefits. SAM is not a valid verification method to confirm an applicant's past or current wages.
The applicant must provide verification of gross income received in the month prior to the month the application was received at a DPA office. Applicants who are seasonally employed, self-employed, or who work an irregular work schedule, will need to provide verification of the previous 12 months of income.
Due to extenuating circumstances such as death or medical reasons, a caseworker may determine that it is in the client's best interest to use the application submission month rather than the month prior to application submission, to determine eligibility. When the submission month is used, the caseworker is required to justify the action taken via a case note.
3001-4 G. INADEQUATE INCOME DOCUMENTATION
When a household's income is not verified by the applicant or cannot be verified from the previously mentioned sources, additional information must be requested. If a household's expenses exceed income, no past-due bills are evident, and no explanation of how the applicant is meeting living expenses is provided, additional information should be requested to determine how the client is meeting those expenses.
3001-4 H. INFORMATION FROM DATA SYSTEMS AND EIS INTERFACES
Several data systems and computer interfaces are available through the Internet and online EIS access. Some interfaces must be checked at each application and recertification as part of the verification process. Others only need to be checked if questionable or if certain conditions apply.
1. Interfaces That Must Be Checked
|
Interface |
Information Verified |
When To Check |
|
Instant Eligibility Verification System
|
|
At each application |
|
State of Alaska Department of Labor (DOL)
|
|
At each application |
|
State Verification Exchange System (SVES) (#13 on INME) |
|
At each application
Note: Death Match alerts must be processed within 10 days. |
|
State Online Query (SOLQ) (#14 on INME) |
Use not authorized for HAP
|
|
|
Interface Inquiry (ININ) (#9 on INME)
Social Security Administration
WAG State of Alaska Department of Labor (DOL) (in IEVS)
|
|
At each application |
|
State of Alaska Child Support Services Division
|
|
At each application |
2. Interfaces That Are Checked If Questionable or Under Certain Conditions
|
Interface |
Information Verified |
When To Check |
|
BENDEX Inquiry Social Security Administration (#15 on INME)
|
|
At each application only if it appears the applicant or recipient could be eligible for Social Security benefits.
|
|
Verification Information System (VIS) through the SAVE Program (in IEVS) |
|
It is not necessary to re-verify alien status through the SAVE program at every review. This verification is only required for each alien at initial application and whenever an alien is added to a household.
|
Note:
The SOLQ interface may be used only to determine eligibility for ATAP, SNAP, Medicaid, and APA programs.
In some situations, the information will be from the source and can be used as verification. In other situations, the caseworker must follow-up on the information.
Example:
The caseworker checks the interfaces and data systems for the two members of an applicant household. The Department of Labor system shows one is currently receiving unemployment benefits of $120 weekly. This information is used as income verification since the information is directly from the source of the income. The caseworker also finds that the other applicant had earnings listed for the prior quarter. The caseworker contacts the household to determine if the person is still working and, if so, requests verification of wages.
3001-4 I. HOUSEHOLD COOPERATION
To determine eligibility, the application form must be completed and signed and certain information on the application must be verified by the applicant or other persons in possession of the information.
3001-4 J. QUESTIONABLE INFORMATION
When information provided on the application or supplied by the applicant is incomplete, unclear, or inconsistent, caseworkers are required to resolve all issues before making a determination of eligibility.
The Heating Assistance Program does not use a resource test. Therefore, resources are not counted or verified.
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