101-6          INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS

When an applicant has submitted an identifiable but incomplete application, the division will notify the applicant in writing of additional information needed to complete the application and will inform the applicant when that information must be received to prevent the application from being denied.

101-6 A.      MODIFYING AND CORRECTING THE APPLICATION

Once an applicant has completed and signed the application, the applicant is legally responsible for the truthfulness and completeness of all that he or she has written. For this reason, the fee agent or DPADivision of Public Assistance staff member is not permitted to make any additional entries, changes, erasures, or other corrections or modifications to any part of the application unless:

• All the requirements for completing the application by telephone are met; or
• The client initials and dates any changes the fee agent or caseworker makes; or
• The applicant is not able to write and no authorized representative can be found.

101-6 B.      COMPLETING APPLICATIONS BY TELEPHONE

The caseworker will contact the applicant by telephone to complete the application if:

• The applicant is unable to come to the DPADivision of Public Assistance office or see a fee agent due to circumstances beyond the applicant's control; and
• Use of mail service would delay return of a completed application beyond the time limit for processing the application.

If completing the application by telephone is necessary, the caseworker must clearly document (both on the application itself and in the case record) why telephone completion was necessary and exactly what portions of the application were completed by phone. When completing applications by phone, the caseworker must be sure that the applicant understands each question. After the application is completed, each question and the response to it should be read back to the applicant to ensure that he or she agrees with the response the caseworker wrote in. The caseworker must initial each entry he or she makes on an application.

101-6 C.      ASSISTING APPLICANTS WITH INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS

Anyone may assist the applicant in completing an application form, a guardian, power of attorney, or an authorized representative. If the applying adult is illiterate or incapacitated, or wishes to appoint an authorized representative, a responsible individual acting on the individual's behalf may apply for him or her. If an applicant is unable to write or he/she is incapacitated and has no authorized representative, a DPADivision of Public Assistance representative will offer assistance in completing the application in person.