101-1 DEFINITIONS
A request for public assistance is an expression of need or an interest in having eligibility considered. Requests for public assistance can be made to any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office or to a fee agent. Requests for public assistance may be made orally or in writing, and may be made in person, by phone, or through an individual authorized to act on the applicant's behalf. Application forms are given or mailed to all individuals who request public assistance. Anyone who requests public assistance is also entitled to the program information necessary to decide which public assistance programs may best meet his or her needs.
Note:
A request for public assistance
may only be considered a request for service if the client submits
a signed application or a signed request for service form. The benefit
start date is the date DPA
receives the application or the request for service form. Refer to Administrative
MS 103-2 for additional information about request for service.
Inquiries are requests for information unrelated to requests for public assistance. An inquiry is distinguished from a request for public assistance by the expressed intent of the individual making the request. Anyone who makes an inquiry is entitled to receive all the program information needed to answer the inquiry.
Application is the action by which an individual indicates in writing on the proper DPA form of his or her desire to receive public assistance.
An applicant is an individual who has, directly or through his or her authorized representative, applied for public assistance from DPA, and whose application has not been withdrawn, denied, or approved. An individual becomes an applicant at the time an identifiable application is received in any DPA office.
An identifiable application is one which contains at least the legible name, address, and signature (or witnessed mark) of the applicant.
A completed application is one which is identifiable and which contains an entry (the required information or any mark indicating that the information is not known or not applicable) in each question blank of any approved DPA application form.
A recipient is any individual whose application has been approved by DPA. An applicant becomes a recipient the moment the caseworker authorizes the public assistance benefit and remains a recipient until 12:00 midnight of the last day of program eligibility.
A review application is an application form that is used to determine continuing eligibility.
A recertification application is an application form used to determine continued SNAP eligibility and establish a new certification period.
A client is anyone who requests public assistance, is an applicant, or is a recipient of public assistance.
A fee agent is a paid volunteer contracted with DPA who provides program information and application forms to individuals living in rural areas or communities that do not have a DPA office. Fee agent responsibilities include helping individuals complete applications, conducting eligibility interviews, and submitting applications and verification to the appropriate DPA office.
The assistance unit is comprised of those household members who must be looked at together due to relationship, age, or tax filing status to determine the household size. Household size determines the income standard used to determine an individual household member's eligibility. Income of other members may be used in determining the household's income eligibility and size of an assistance unit; however, each individual in the assistance unit will have their own Medicaid determination.
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