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 (DPADivision of Public Assistance) 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:

We cannot require applicants to use a specific form to request benefits. The most common way a household requests benefits is by submitting the first page of the Application for Services (GEN 50CApplication for Services) that contains their name, address, and signature.

Although applicants can submit a request for service to secure their benefit start date, a complete application is required before benefits can be issued. 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 DPADivision of Public Assistance 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representative, applied for public assistance from DPADivision of Public Assistance, and whose application has not been withdrawn, denied, or approved.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 DPADivision of Public Assistance 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 DPADivision of Public Assistance application form.

A recipient is any individual whose application has been approved by DPADivision of Public Assistance. 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 SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 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 DPADivision of Public Assistance who provides program information and application forms to individuals living in rural areas or communities that do not have a DPADivision of Public Assistance office. Fee agent responsibilities include helping individuals complete applications, conducting eligibility interviews, and submitting applications and verification to the appropriate DPADivision of Public Assistance 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.