605-3 B.    EXPEDITED SERVICE

Expedited service rules require entitled households to receive food stamp benefits no later than the seventh calendar day following the date the application is received in a DPA Division of Public Assistance office.  All applications must be screened for this entitlement.

To meet these rules, expedited service procedures require authorizing benefits to qualifying households by the fourth calendar day following the application date.

Example:  

An applicant comes into the office on Thursday, June 30, and applies for food stamps.  He has no income or resources, so meets the criteria for expedited service.  The fourth calendar day following the application is Monday, July 4th (July 1, July 2, July 3 and July 4).  Since Monday is a holiday, the caseworker must process the application and authorize benefits by the close of business on Friday, July 1.

Only the first month of the certification period can be an expedited service month.  Households may be ineligible for food stamp benefits for the month of application yet eligible for expedited service for the following month.  These households must receive their food stamps by the seventh calendar day following the date the application is received in the DPA Division of Public Assistance office or the first day of the following month, whichever is later.

Example:  

An applicant comes into the office on October 13th.  His only income is the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend of $1500.  The Internal Revenue Service garnisheed the PFD Permanent Fund Dividend for back taxes he owed.  He is not eligible for food stamps for October, but is eligible effective November 1.  This household must receive his food stamps by November 1st.

Households entitled to expedited service applying after the 15th day of the month will be sent their initial prorated allotment and the second month full allotment at the same time.  Verification for both months will be waived, if necessary, to meet the expedited time frame.  Refer to EIS Eligibility Information System Procedure 1993-6.  See MS 605-7F for more information about expedited processing of PFD Permanent Fund Dividend Hold Harmless benefits.

Note:  

Interviews are required for all applicants, including households that are entitled to expedite service.  See MS 601-3.

1. Entitlement

Expedited service must be provided to:

1. Households with less than $150 in anticipated monthly gross countable income and with countable liquid resources that do not exceed $100.  Liquid resources include cash on hand, checking or savings accounts, savings certificates, and lump-sum payments as specified at MS 602-3D(13); or 

Note:

Federal income tax returns received after December 31, 2009 must be  exempted as income in the month of receipt, and, if retained, as a resource for 12 months from receipt. When screening for expedite services, the amount of any tax return received in the last 12 months  must be deducted from the countable income and resources when determining expedite eligibility. Client statement is acceptable verification.

2. Households who have combined countable monthly gross income and liquid resources that are less than the household's monthly shelter expenses.

Example:    

A household of three applies for TA/ME/FS on February 3, 2011.  The family reports they’ve had no income since mid January when mom was laid off. The application shows they have $2,300 in a checking account. They state they received a tax return of $2,200 at the end of January. The $2,200 is deducted from the balance of     the account since the federal tax return is excluded. The family is eligible for Food Stamps and resource eligible for all programs except CAMA and GRA.

If it is determined after application that a household is entitled to expedited service, expedite the application from that point forward and document the date expedited service entitlement was determined.

Households not entitled to expedited service will have their application processed following normal procedures.

A household that has received expedited service before can receive expedited service again except when:

1. The household was last certified under expedited service rules, and,
    

2. Verification was postponed, and,
    

3. The case was closed for failing to provide the postponed verification; and,
    

4. The verification is still applicable to the household’s current situation.

Example:

A household applies on April 18.  The only income is a Veteran’s benefit check that recently went down to $850.  Their rent and utilities total $950.  They haven’t paid the electricity bill. The household is entitled to expedited service.  Verification of the Veteran’s benefit amount is postponed and benefits for April and May are issued.  The household does not provide verification, so the case is closed effective May 31.  The household reapplies on June 10. The only income continues to be $850 and their rent and utilities total $950.   This household must provide verification of their Veteran’s benefit amount before the June application can be approved.   

Example:

A household applies on April 10.  The household is entitled to expedited service.  Don received $350 in April from a temporary job.  He did not have any verification, and his employer was not available by phone, so the verification of these earnings was postponed, and benefits for April are issued.   The household does not provide verification and the case is closed effective April 30.  The household reapplies in July and meets the expedited service criteria.  Don is no longer working.  Verification of Don’s temporary job cannot be required since it has no impact on July benefits.

2. Verification for Expedited Service Applications

1. Identification of the applicant must be verified.  This is the person who applies for the household, e.g., the head of household, an adult household member, or the authorized representative.
    

2. Work registration of the applicant must be completed (unless exempt or an authorized representative applies on behalf of the household).  Work registration for other household members may be completed, but will be postponed if verification or registration cannot be accomplished within expedited time frames.
    

3. Income, resources, residence address, household composition, citizenship, shelter expenses, child support payments and child care expenses will be verified within expedited service time frames when possible.  Shelter expenses only need to be verified if questionable.  They are postponed if expedited service would be delayed due to the inability to verify.  If the verification is postponed, use the information and amounts claimed by the household.
    

4. Social security numbers or completed SS-5 applications must be furnished for each member by the 30th day from the first day of the first full month of participation.  For example, a household certified for expedited service on March 13 must furnish SSN Social Security Numbers or SS-5 cards by April 30.  Those households unable to provide the required SSN Social Security Numbers will be handled as specified in MS 602-1E.

3. Notice of Postponed Verification

When verification is postponed, send the household a notice requesting the verification.  Households are given at least 10 days but no more than 30 days from the date of this notice to provide the verification. The verification must be submitted before the next month’s issuance is authorized.  

• Households applying by the 15th of the month:  When verification is postponed and the first month allotment is issued, the verification must be submitted before the second month issuance is authorized.  
   

• Households applying after the 15th of the month:  When verification is postponed and the first and second month allotments are issued simultaneously, the verification must be submitted before the third month issuance is authorized.

If the household does not provide the requested verification, close the case with adequate notice.  See MS 604-4C(3).

Note:

Do not close a case if a household does not verify deductible expenses.  In these situations, process the household’s benefits without allowing the unverified expenses.

If the household provides the requested verification before the effective date of closure, the caseworker must determine the household’s eligibility for the following months.  If the verification shows the household was overpaid for the month(s) already authorized, an overpayment claim is not completed unless the household clearly misrepresented their circumstances, the caseworker incorrectly applied policy or miscalculated countable income.  

Households submitting verification after the effective date of closure are required to reapply with a new application.  The 60-day delayed application policy described at MS 601-5F does not apply to expedited service cases that are closed for failing to provide verification.