601-5          ACTIONS TAKEN ON THE APPLICATION

Every applicant must be provided with adequate written notice of the action taken on the application.  Adequate notice means that the individual is informed of the action taken, the reasons for the action, and the manual sections from the appropriate program policy manual that support the action.

601-5 A.     APPROVING THE APPLICATION

An approval notice must be sent to the household following a determination of eligibility.  Except when the application is delayed, approved households must receive benefits no later than 30 days after the application filing date.  To meet this requirement, the caseworker must authorize the benefits by the 28th calendar day following the application filing date.  See MS 601-5F for policy on when an application is delayed.

Exception:  

SNAP households eligible for expedited service must receive benefits no later than seven days from the application filing date.  To meet this requirement, the caseworker must authorize the benefits by the fourth calendar day following the application filing date.  See MS 605-3B for policy on expedited service applications.

Eligible First Month/Ineligible Second Month:  

A household may be eligible for the month of application and ineligible in the subsequent month.  In this case, the household should be approved only for the month of application.  However, if the anticipated change is expected to last only for the second month, the case should be suspended for the second month according to the temporary ineligibility policy at MS 604-3F.

Ineligible First Month/Eligible Second Month:  

A household may be ineligible for the month of application but eligible in the subsequent month. Even though denied for the month of application, the household does not have to reapply.  The same application is used for the first month denial and the determination of eligibility for the subsequent month.

601-5 B.     BENEFIT START DATE

1. The benefit start date determines the date from which benefits begin.  It is the date a household initially requests SNAP benefits and files an identifiable application:

• At the DPADivision of Public Assistance Office: The benefit start date is the date the DPADivision of Public Assistance office receives the application form; or,
  
• With a Native Family Assistance Program ( NFAP ) Agency:  The benefit start date is the date the NFAPNative Family Assistance Program agency receives the application form; or,
  
• With a DPADivision of Public Assistance -contracted Fee Agent:  The benefit start date is the date the application form is received by the fee agent.

Exception:  

The benefit start date is adjusted if the household delays the application process beyond 30 days.  See MS 601-5F.

Note:

If an individual submits a SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application prior to their Department of Corrections (DOC) release date, the SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application must be denied.  The application date must be compared with the DOCDepartment of Corrections release date and if the application date is before the release date, the application must be denied and a new application is needed if the individual wishes to receive benefits after the DOCDepartment of Corrections release date.

For all SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program applications an interview must be conducted before a decision can be reached on the eligibility of the applicant.  The SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application cannot be denied solely based on the knowledge that the applicant was incarcerated at the time the application was submitted if an interview was not conducted.

Note:

When a resident of an institution, that is not considered an eligible institution as defined in SNAP MS 605-1 D, submits a SNAP application, the application must be denied. 

For interview requirements, see SNAP MS 601-3(A). 

2. Households receiving benefits from another state will be denied if the benefits received cover the period of time for which application in Alaska is made.

Example:  

A household received benefits from another state on May 1 for the calendar month of May.  Application is made in Alaska on May 15.  Benefits have already been received for May, so the application is denied for May.  The household may be approved for June, effective June 1, if otherwise eligible.

Example:  

A household received benefits from another state that covered the period June 16 through July 15.  Application is made in Alaska on July 5.  Benefits have already been received for the period through July 15, so the benefit start date for Alaska will be July 16, if otherwise eligible.

601-5 C.     PENDING THE APPLICATION

When the office needs the applicant to submit a complete application form, participate in an interview, or provide information needed to determine eligibility, the application is pended, and a notice is sent.  The notice clearly informs the applicant what is needed to complete the application.  Applicants will be given at least 10 days, but no more than 30 days, from the date of this notice to provide the verification.  The same verification pend time frames will be consistently applied to all applicants within each office.

1. Applicants failing to provide all necessary verification at the interview will be sent a pend notice no later than 30 days after the application filing date requesting the required verification.
2. Applicants contacting the agency within the pend period expressing difficulty in obtaining required verification will be offered assistance.  The caseworker should extend the pend period if additional time is needed to obtain the information.  A new pend notice should be sent.
3. If the applicant does not complete the application process, the application is denied at the end of the period provided in the notice.  See MS 601-3E for policy on when an applicant fails to participate in an interview.

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.

601-5 D.     DENYING THE APPLICATION

For all SNAP applications, an interview must be conducted before a decision can be reached on the eligibility of the applicant.  The SNAP application may not be denied solely based on information provided on the application that may indicate ineligibility. 

When applicants indicate they are over the income or resource limit during the SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program interview, we cannot deny the SNAP application solely based on client statement. Income or resource ineligibility must be verified prior to denying the SNAP application.

A denial notice must be sent to the applicant explaining the reason for the denial.  This notice should be sent as soon as possible following the determination of ineligibility, but no later than 30 days following the application filing date.  

Applicants denied for failing to provide needed verification by the end of the pend period will be sent a notice of denial at the end of the pend period.  The denial must be done no sooner than the day after the end of the pend period, or the next business day if the end of the pend period does not fall on a workday.

• If the applicant provides the verification after the pend period but within 30 days of the application filing date, the caseworker must accept the verification and make an eligibility determination without requiring a new application.  If the household is found eligible, the caseworker will use the original benefit start date.
• If the applicant provides the verification after the pend period but within 60 days from the application filing date, the caseworker must accept the verification and make an eligibility determination without requiring a new application.  If the household is found eligible, the caseworker will adjust the benefit start date to the date the needed verification was received by the office.

Note:  

When the deadline for processing an application or providing verification does not fall on a workday, it will be extended to the next workday.

See MS 601-3E for policy on denying applicants for failing to participate in an interview.

601-5 E.     WITHDRAWING THE APPLICATION

The applicant may voluntarily withdraw the application at any time before the eligibility determination is made.  A written or verbal request to withdraw is acceptable.  The reason for withdrawal (if known) shall be documented in the case file.  The applicant shall be advised of his or her right to reapply at any time by submitting a new application.  A notice shall be sent to the individual denying the withdrawn application.

If the individual wants to apply again once an application has been withdrawn, he or she must complete a new application.

See MS 601 for application signature requirements.

601-5 F.     WHEN THE APPLICATION IS DELAYED

If a household's eligibility has not been determined or benefits have not been authorized for an eligible household by the 30th day (or 4th day, for SNAP expedited service applications) following the application filing date, the application is delayed. The caseworker will determine the cause for the delay and take appropriate action.

1. Agency-caused delays

Agency-caused delays include situations where the application was not approved, denied, or pended within the allowable time limits.

If an eligibility determination cannot be made by the 30th day from the application filing date because of action required by the agency, the case is left in a pending status.  The household must be sent a pend notice by the 30th day.

A processing delay of more than 60 days, but less than 1-year is subject to calculation of benefits retroactive to the date of application.

a. Agency-caused delays greater than 12 months

Applications or recertifications that are processed more than 12 months from the date of receipt are considered severely delayed (i.e. certifications delayed for more than 1-year). Processing delays of 12 months or greater are limited to a restoration period that is not more than 12 months prior to the date on which the state agency is notified or otherwise discovers a loss to the household.

Note:

This 12 month look-back period also applies to severely delayed recertifications.

More information on restored benefits and the 12 month look-back period can be found at SNAP MS 607-2.

2. Household-caused delays

Household-caused delays include situations where the office cannot take further action on the application without an action from the household.

If the household fails to submit a complete application form or reschedule an interview by the 30th day from the application filing date, the application is denied and the household loses benefits for the month of application.  

If the household fails to provide requested verification by the end of the pend period, the application is denied.  If the household fails to provide requested verification by either the 30th day from the application filing date or the end of the pend period stated on the pend notice, whichever is later, the household loses benefits for the month of application.  Depending on when the household takes action, it may lose benefits for the subsequent month as well.

If the household then takes the required action (i.e., submits a complete application form, contacts the office for an interview, or provides requested verification) within 60 days of the application filing date, the caseworker must reopen the case without requiring a new application.  The new benefit start date is the date the household takes the necessary action to enable the application to be processed.

Caseworkers must process these applications by the 60th day from the application filing date unless the household is determined to be eligible for expedited service. For expedited cases, benefits must be authorized by the fourth calendar day from the date the required information was received or the date the interview was rescheduled.