601-3          THE INTERVIEW

601-3 A.     WHEN IS AN INTERVIEW REQUIRED?

1. We must interview a household at:

• Application; and
• Eligibility review, 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 eligibility review:

1. All adult members of the household are elderly or disabled as defined in MS 600-2 under SPECATSpecial Category Household/Individual individual

2. No mandatory or applying household members have earned income;
3. The eligibility review is complete;
4. The caseworker does not deem an interview necessary to resolve outstanding issues or questions about the recertification.

See MS 604-1(A) for an explanation of certification period length and MS 604-3(C) for more information about this FNSFood and Nutrition Service 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. DPADivision of Public Assistance Caseworker:  Most individuals will be interviewed by a DPADivision of Public Assistance caseworker in the DPADivision of Public Assistance office or by telephone.

2. DPADivision of Public Assistance -contracted Fee Agent:  In communities where there is no DPADivision of Public Assistance 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 DPADivision of Public Assistance 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 50CApplication for Services . The case note must include the date and time the interview was scheduled for; or

• Send an EISEligibility Information System 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 SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program applicant fails to participate in a scheduled interview, the office must send the EISEligibility Information System  notice F000, FSFood Stamp  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.

• If the household contacts the office within 30 days of the application filing date, the office must schedule another interview.  If the household is determined eligible, benefits are prorated from the date the application was filed in the DPADivision of Public Assistance office.
• If the household does not participate in the first interview and fails to reschedule, the application is denied on the 30th day after the date the application was filed in the DPADivision of Public Assistance office.  An application cannot be denied for failure to participate in an interview prior to the 30th day from the application filing date. If the 30th day falls on a weekend or holiday, the office must wait to deny the application until the next work day.
• If the household contacts the office for an interview after the 30th day but within 60 days of the application filing date, the office must schedule another interview. If the household is determined eligible, benefits are prorated from the date the household contacted the DPADivision of Public Assistance office for the 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.