Library: Policy

340:50-3-2. Interview process

Revised 5-22-23

(a) Interview requirement. All households initially applying for food benefits or completing a certification renewal must have a face-to-face or phone interview with a worker prior to certification, per Section 273.2(e) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 C.F.R. § 273.2(e)), unless the household meets criteria in (a)(2) of this Section. Staff may conduct 100 percent of all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) initial and certification renewal application interviews by phone. • 1

(1) A face-to-face interview must be conducted when the household or its authorized representative requests a face-to-face interview.

(2) Certification renewal interviews may be waived for households when all adult members are elderly or disabled and have no earned income. • 2

(b) Who must be interviewed. The person interviewed may be the head of the household, spouse, any other responsible member of the household, or an authorized representative who knows the household's circumstances. When the household chooses to be interviewed face-to-face, the person interviewed may bring any person to the interview.

(c) Scheduling interviews. The worker schedules the interview as soon as possible to ensure the household, when eligible, receives expedited service timely or may participate within 30-calendar days following the application date.

(1) The worker uses Form 08AD091E, Interview Notice, to schedule the interview. • 3

(2) When the person to be interviewed is employed, the worker schedules an appointment to minimize the person's absence from work.

(3) When the household misses the scheduled interview, a notice is sent informing the household that it missed the scheduled interview and is responsible for scheduling a second interview. • 4 The worker must not deny the household's application prior to the 30th calendar day when the household misses the first scheduled interview. When the household contacts the worker within the 30-day application processing period, a new interview must be scheduled.

(4) When the household submits a timely certification renewal, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:50-9-6, the worker schedules the interview as early as possible, but not later than the last day of the month.

(A) When the household fails to appear for the interview, the worker does not reschedule the interview unless the household requests another appointment by the 30th calendar day after the application date. • 4

(B) Upon request, the worker reschedules the interview at the earliest possible date.

(5) When the household submits an untimely certification renewal, the worker schedules an interview as early as possible, but not later than 20-calendar days from the application date.

(A) When the household fails to appear for the scheduled interview, the worker does not reschedule the interview unless the household requests another appointment by the 30th calendar day after the application date. • 4

(B) Upon request, the worker reschedules the interview for the earliest possible date.

(d) Worker responsibilities during the interview. During the interview, the worker: • 5

(1) reviews the information on the application with the household and resolves unclear and incomplete information;

(2) inquires if changes occurred in the household's income, deductions, or other circumstances since the application was filed;

(3) informs the household of its rights and responsibilities, including:

(A) work registration responsibilities, per OAC 340:50-5-85;

(B) able-bodied adult without dependents work responsibilities, per OAC 340:50-5-100; • 6

(D) the appropriate application processing standard, per OAC 340:50-3-1(c) and 340:50-11-4;

(E) responsibility to cooperate with SNAP Quality Control (QC) when asked to do so, per (f) of this Section; and

(F) an explanation of the civil rights complaint process, per OAC 340:50-1-5; and

(4) conducts the interview as an official and confidential discussion of household circumstances limited to facts related to food benefit eligibility factors;

(5) gives Form 08MP006E, Information for Benefit Renewal, to the household and explains benefit renewal procedures;

(6) ensures the household's right to privacy is protected;

(7) provides a paper or electronic copy of the completed application in the format the household requests, when requested; and

(8) attempts to verify any necessary eligibility requirements during the interview. The worker gives or sends the household Form 08AD092E, Client Contact and Information Request, to request any verification that could not be verified during the interview. When the household informs the worker it is unable to furnish the required verification, the worker offers to help the applicant obtain the verification.

(A) The worker's assistance may involve explaining how or where to obtain proof when the applicant is unable to do so.

(B) The worker is not required to obtain proof for an applicant who is unwilling to do so.

(e) Household cooperation with eligibility determination. To determine eligibility, the household or authorized representative must complete and sign the application or certification renewal, be interviewed, and provide required information. When the household does not cooperate with the worker in determining:

(1) initial eligibility, the worker denies the application; or

(2) continuing eligibility at mid-certification renewal or certification renewal, the worker closes food benefits.

(f) Household cooperation with a QC review. When the household is selected for a QC review, the household must cooperate with the QC reviewer per 7 C.F.R. § 273.2(d)(2). When the household refuses to cooperate, the SNAP QC administrator informs SNAP program field representative staff of the non-cooperation and SNAP program field representative staff closes the food benefit for refusal to cooperate. • 7

(1) To determine the household refuses to cooperate, the household must be able to cooperate and clearly demonstrate that it will not take the necessary actions required to complete the QC review process.

(2) The household may reapply following food benefit closure, but may not be determined eligible until it cooperates with the QC review unless (3) of this subsection applies. • 8

(3) When food benefits were closed for refusal to cooperate with the QC reviewer and the household waits to reapply until after 125-calendar days from the end of the QC review period, October 1 through September 30, the household must provide verification of eligibility factors for the new application only. • 9

INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF 340:50-3-2

Revised 5-22-23

1. Workers must document in Family Assistance/Client Services (FACS) case notes if the interview was face-to-face or by phone.

2.(a) Certification renewal interviews may be waived for households in which all adult members are elderly or disabled and have no earned income, when:

3. The worker uses Form 08AD091E, Interview Notice to schedule an interview.

4. When a member of the food benefit household or the household's authorized representative fails to appear for or comply with the first scheduled interview, the worker puts the application in FDENY status using reason 59. This issues the Notice of Missed Interview.

5. To conduct an in-depth interview, the worker must review previous applications, other information contained in the food benefit case record, and all related case records prior to the interview.

6. The worker must explain that ABAWD work responsibilities also apply to adult household members who lose their exemption status during the certification period.

7. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program staff documents in FACS case notes that food benefits were closed on reason 44Q because the client refused to cooperate with Quality Control (QC) and for the worker to contact SNAP program field representative staff when the client decides to cooperate.

8. When the client reapplies within 125-calendar days of the QC review period and did not cooperate with QC, the worker denies the application.

9. For example, when the household had a QC review during the October 2021 through September 2022, annual QC review period and food benefits were closed for refusal to cooperate with the QC review, the household is required to only provide verification for the new application when it is filed after February 2, 2023.