601-3 A. WHEN IS AN INTERVIEW REQUIRED?
1. We must interview a household at:
Recertification, if we have not interviewed them in the last twelve months, unless they meet the requirements listed in #2.
2. When do we not require interviews:
SNAP households that meet all of the following criteria do not need to complete an interview for their recertification:
All adult members of the household are elderly or disabled as defined in MS 600-2 under SPECAT individual
See MS 604-1(A) for an explanation of certification period length and MS 604-3(C) for more information about this FNS approved interview waiver.
Note:
An interview does not need to be completed if a household submits their recertification after the end of the certification period but within the following month and they are not due for their annual interview.
601-3 B. WHO MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVIEW?
A member of the applicant household who can sign the application form or an individual authorized by the household must participate in the interview.
601-3 C. WHO CAN CONDUCT THE INTERVIEW?
1. DPA Caseworker: Most individuals will be interviewed by a DPA caseworker in the DPA office or by telephone.
2. DPA -contracted Fee Agent: In communities where there is no DPA office, the fee agent conducts the interview for individuals who want to apply for public assistance. The fee agent will complete a Fee Agent Interview Report form (FA #1) and submit it with each application.
Note:
Regardless of who conducts the interview, if additional information or verification is needed to process the application, the caseworker will contact the applicant to get this information.
601-3 D. HOW TO CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW
Interviews can be conducted face-to-face, by phone, or, in rare circumstances when a face-to-face or phone interview is not possible, by correspondence.
The caseworker may require a face-to-face interview if they determine it is appropriate to the situation unless attending in person is a hardship to the household. A face-to-face interview must be provided when requested by the household.
601-3 E. SCHEDULING INTERVIEWS
Interviews must be scheduled for applicants who cannot be interviewed on the day they submit a physical or telephonic application.. The office cannot instruct the applicant to contact the office to schedule an interview appointment as is done for other programs. This means the DPA office must give the applicant a date and time for the interview appointment. The office must document the applicant was informed of their interview date and time by one of the following methods:
Write a case note indicating the applicant was informed and agreed to their interview date and time over the phone. The case note must include the date and time the applicant was given for the interview; or
Write a case note indicating the applicant was informed of their interview date and time in writing via the “What do I need to bring to my interview?” sheet in the GEN 50C . The case note must include the date and time the interview was scheduled for; or
Send an EIS notice informing the applicant of their interview date and time.
The interview must be scheduled timely to ensure eligible households have an opportunity to participate within 30 days after the application is filed.
Applicants may have anyone they choose with them at the interview. During the interview, applicants must be informed of their rights and responsibilities and basic program procedures.
When a SNAP applicant fails to participate in a scheduled interview, the office must send the EIS notice F000, FS Application - Missed Interview, informing the household that it missed the scheduled interview and that it is responsible for rescheduling an interview. The F000 notice is not sent again if the household misses subsequent interviews.
Note:
If an application is registered in EIS as a SNAP request for service (RF), EIS will automatically deny the application. The denial action is done on or after the 30th day from the date the application was filed, depending on when the weekly denial job is run. The household is notified via the system-generated notice X011, SNAP Benefits denied - No Interview.
601-3 F. CHANGES REPORTED DURING THE INTERVIEW
All applicant households must report all changes affecting their eligibility or benefits during the interview. Changes reported after the interview, but before a case decision is made, will be considered in the initial eligibility determination.
There are no reporting requirements between the date of the interview and the determination of eligibility.
See MS 604-3 for policy on household reporting responsibilities during the certification period.
When the household reports a new household member before a case decision is made and that new member is already in the home, the new member is considered part of the household. The benefit start date is used to determine the benefits for the household, including the new member. However, the new member must be in the household at least one day of the month to be included in that month’s benefits.
When the household reports that a person has moved out before a case decision is made, that person is not considered part of the household for any month.
Example:
A household applies May 27. At the interview on June 5, the individual reports her spouse moved in on May 30. The spouse is considered part of the household and the household's benefit start date is May 27. If the spouse moved in on June 3, the spouse is included in the household effective June 1.
Example:
A household applies on July 28th and is interviewed August 9th. During the interview, the individual reports that her husband moved out on August 4th and is not expected to return. The husband is not considered part of the household for either July or August, and verification of his income and resources are not needed. Income and resources available to the household must still be considered.
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