103-2          REQUEST FOR SERVICE  

Application forms are given to all individuals who request public assistance.  Applicants who come in to a DPA Division of Public Assistance office and cannot stay to complete the entire application may complete and sign page A of the GEN 50 B Application for Services and submit it as a request for service application. A completed and signed request for service application is considered an identifiable application.

103-2 A.     REGISTERING AND FILING REQUEST FOR SERVICE APPLICATIONS

When an applicant submits a request for service, the rest of the GEN 50B is given back to the applicant to complete. Staff must date stamp the request for service application with the date of receipt, and register it on EIS Eligibility Information System . Date stamping the request for service application protects the date the applicant initially expressed the need for having their eligibility considered.

To register the application, staff must use the appropriate code:  

• RA  - Temporary Assistance
   

• RF  - Food Stamps
   

• RM - Medicaid
   

• RR - Chronic and Acute Medical Assistance
   

• RG - General Assistance

Each office must have a separate filing system for request for service applications and keep the files organized by month. Upon registering a request for service application on EIS Eligibility Information System , the application must be promptly filed in the appropriate folder.

103-2 B.     NOTICE AND INTERVIEW REQUIREMENT

DPA Division of Public Assistance will notify applicants who submit a request for service application of the interview requirement. Staff must send the N000 (APPLICATION RECEIVED - INTERVIEW NEEDED) notice the same day the request for service application is registered on EIS Eligibility Information System . The N000 notice informs the applicant of the receipt of their application, a reminder to complete the entire application packet, and the requirement to attend an interview.  

Note:  

The Food Stamp program has specific and time-sensitive requirements for scheduling interviews and notifying clients about missed interviews.  See Food Stamp manual section 601-3.

103-2 C.     APPLICANT FAILS TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION PROCESS

If an applicant fails to attend an interview and complete the application process, their application will be denied 30 calendar days after the application filing date.  (The application filing date is counted as zero.)   EIS Eligibility Information System will automatically deny the application and send the appropriate denial notice based on the programs the applicant requested to receive.

103-2 D.     STORING REQUEST FOR SERVICE APPLICATIONS

Request for service applications are often stored in a file created specifically for request for service applications. This file is organized by month and the request for service is filed the month it is received in the DPA Division of Public Assistance office. In certain circumstances, the request for service application is pulled from the monthly file and filed either in the two, four or six-part folder. Follow the procedures below in determining when a request for service application is pulled from the monthly file:

1. Applicant completes the application process and a case file exists or is created

If an applicant completes the entire application packet and attends an interview, pull the applicant’s request for service from the monthly file. Match the request for service application with the completed application packet and file accordingly in the case file (existing or new). Refer to MS 103-1 for additional guidelines on organizing case files.

2. Applicant fails to complete the application process

If the applicant does not complete the entire application packet and fails to attend an interview, determine if there is an existing case file for the applicant.

If a case file exists, pull the request for service application and match it with the current case file. Place the document in the appropriate section. Refer to MS 103-1 for additional guidelines on organizing case files.

If there is no existing case file, leave the request for service in the monthly file created specifically for storing request for service applications.

103-2 E.     RETAINING AND DESTROYING REQUEST FOR SERVICE APPLICATIONS

Request for service monthly files will remain in the office for a three-year period. It is not necessary to archive request for service monthly files. After the three-year period is over, the files may be destroyed or shredded.