5101:4-7-07. Food assistance: recertification

(A) What is the recertification process?

(1) In accordance with rule 5101:4-5-03 of the Administrative Code, all supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) assistance groups are assigned a certification period for which they are eligible. An assistance group may not participate beyond the expiration of its assigned certification period without a determination of eligibility for a new period. Assistance groups must apply for recertification and comply with interview and verification requirements.

(2) The county agency shall collect sufficient information and necessary verifications to ensure an accurate determination of eligibility and benefits as described in rule 5101:4-2-09 of the Administrative Code.

(3) The recertification process shall only be utilized for an assistance group that applies for recertification prior to the end of its current certification period, except for delayed applications as specified in paragraphs (H)(5) and (H)(6) of this rule.

(4) The county agency shall not recertify an assistance group without a signed application for recertification.

(B) How is an assistance group notified it is time for a recertification?

(1) The county agency shall provide an assistance group certified for expedited benefits a notice of expiration at the time of certification.

(2) All other certified assistance groups shall receive the statewide automated eligibility system generated notice of expiration before the first day of the last month of the certification period, but not before the first day of the next-to-the-last month.

(C) What shall the assistance group provide to the county agency in order to establish an application date for recertification?

(1) When the assistance group indicates that it wishes to establish a filing date for its recertification prior to its interview, the assistance group shall be provided a JFS 07200, "Request for Cash, Food, and Medical Assistance" (rev. 10/2016) or JFS 07204, " Application to Reapply for Cash and/or Food Assistance" (rev. 9/2018) and instructions to complete and submit the form. The assistance group shall be advised that the date of application for recertification will be established when the form is submitted with a name, address, and signature.

(2) The assistance group shall file an application for recertification using the JFS 07200, the JFS 07204, the electronic equivalent of the JFS 07200 or JFS 07204, or the telephonic equivalent of the JFS 07200 or JFS 07204.

(3) The assistance group shall be advised that the date of application will be established when the application is submitted with the minimum requirements of name, address, and signature as described in rule 5101:4-2-01 of the Administrative Code. When the application is received after the business hours of the county agency, the date of application shall be the next business day.

(4) When an interactive interview is not conducted, the county agency shall complete the JFS 01846 "Case Worksheet: Cash, Food Stamps and Medical Assistance Interview" (rev. 5/2005).

(5) When an interactive interview is conducted, and neither a JFS 07200 or JFS 01846 were completed , the application date is established when the JFS 07204 contains an address, a signature from an assistance group member or its authorized representative, and is received by the county agency.

(D) Is an interview required at the time of recertification?

(1) As part of the recertification process, the county agency shall conduct an interview with a member of the assistance group or its authorized representative . The standard interview practices in rule 5101:4-2-07 of the Administrative Code also apply to interviews for recertification.

(2) The county agency shall conduct a face-to-face interview or the telephonic equivalent. Telephone interviews may be conducted in lieu of a face-to-face interview unless the agency has determined the assistance group's situation requires a face-to-face interview or the assistance group requests a face-to-face interview. The county agency shall grant a telephone interview to any assistance group that requests one.

(3) Upon request, the county agency shall provide the assistance group with the JFS 07501, "Program Enrollment and Benefit Information" (rev. 4/2018). The county agency shall also notify the assistance group of the date the verifications must be received. The assistance group shall be allowed a minimum of ten days to provide required verification information.

(4) For elderly or disabled assistance groups certified for twenty-four months, the county agency must have at least one contact with each elderly/disabled assistance group every twelve months. The JFS 07221 "Cash and Food Assistance Interim Report" (rev. 11/2016) and the JFS 07223 "Cash and Food Assistance Interim Report Reminder Notice" (9/2018) forms will serve as the contact.

(5) County agencies shall schedule interviews so that the assistance group has at least ten days after the interview in which to provide verification before the certification period expires. When an assistance group misses its scheduled interview, the county agency shall send the assistance group a JFS 04218, "Notice Of Missed Interview" (rev. 11/2016). When an assistance group misses its scheduled interview and requests another interview, the county agency shall schedule a second interview as described in rule 5101:4-2-07 of the Administrative Code.

(E) What shall be verified at recertification?

(1) Information provided by the assistance group shall be verified in accordance with rule 5101:4-2-09 of the Administrative Code.

(2) Any assistance group whose eligibility is not determined by the end of its current certification period due to the time period allowed for submitting any missing verification shall receive an opportunity to participate, if eligible, within five working days after the assistance group submits the missing verification. Benefits shall not be prorated.

(F) When is an application for recertification considered timely?

(1) An assistance group certified for expedited benefits shall have fifteen days from the date the notice of expiration is received to file for recertification timely .

(2) Assistance groups, except those certified for expedited benefits, that submit an application for recertification by the fifteenth day of the last month of the certification period shall be considered to have made a timely application for recertification.

(3) For assistance groups consisting of applicants or recipients of supplemental security income (SSI) which apply for SNAP recertification at the social security administration (SSA) office, the application shall be considered filed for normal processing purposes when the signed application is received by the SSA by the fifteenth day of the last month of the certification period.

(G) What are the processing timeframes for timely recertifications?

(1) Assistance groups that were certified for expedited benefits and have met all required application procedures shall be notified of their eligibility or ineligibility within twenty-four hours or seven days depending on the expedited service they qualify for as described in rule 5101:4-6-09 of the Administrative Code.

(2) Assistance groups certified under normal processing standards shall be provided an opportunity to participate by the assistance group's normal issuance cycle in the month following the end of its current certification period and shall be notified of their eligibility or ineligibility by the end of their current certification period.

(H) What is delayed processing?

(1) When an eligible assistance group files an application before the end of the certification period, but the recertification process cannot be completed within thirty days after the date of the application because of the county agency, the county agency must continue to process the case and provide a full month's allotment for the first month of the new certification period.

(2) When an assistance group files an application before the end of the certification period, but fails to take a required action, the county agency may deny the case at that time, at the end of the certification period, or at the end of thirty days. Although the county agency may have the right to issue a denial prior to the end of the certification period, the assistance group has thirty days after the end of the certification period to complete the process and have its application treated as an application for recertification.

(3) When the assistance group takes the required action before the end of the certification period, the county agency shall reopen the case and provide a full month's benefit for the initial month of the new certification period.

(4) When the assistance group takes the required action after the end of the certification period, but within thirty days after the end of the certification period, the county agency shall reopen the case and provide retroactive benefits to the date the assistance group took the required action.

(5) When an assistance group files an application within thirty days after the end of the certification period, the application shall be considered an application for recertification; however, benefits shall be prorated in accordance with rule 5101:4-4-27 of the Administrative Code and the application shall be processed within timeframes for processing initial applications as described in paragraph (J) of rule 5101:4-2-01 of the Administrative Code.

(6) When an assistance group's application for recertification is delayed beyond the first of the month of what would have been its new certification period through the fault of the county agency, the county agency shall provide restored benefits back to the date the assistance group's certification period should have begun.

(7) The county agency shall determine cause for any delay in processing an application for recertification in accordance with the provisions of rule 5101:4-5-07 of the Administrative Code.

(I) Do the expedited service provisions apply at recertification?

(1) The expedited service provisions of rule 5101:4-6-09 of the Administrative Code are not applicable when the assistance group applies for recertification before the end of its current certification period.

(2) When the date of application for recertification is after the certification period has expired, the assistance group may be entitled to expedited services if the assistance group's circumstances fall within the expedited criteria in accordance with rule 5101:4-6-09 of the Administrative Code.

Effective: 9/1/2018
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 10/1/2020
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 5101.54
Rule Amplifies: 329.04, 5101.54 , 329.042
Prior Effective Dates: 06/02/1980, 12/01/1980, 06/18/1981, 10/01/1981, 01/22/1982, 06/17/1983, 12/25/1983 (Temp.), 03/01/1984, 07/20/1988 (Emer.), 10/16/1988, 07/11/1989 (Emer.), 09/17/1989, 05/01/1991 (Emer.), 06/01/1991, 02/03/1992, 07/01/1992, 08/01/1995 (Emer.), 10/13/1995, 04/01/1997 (Emer.), 06/06/1997, 05/01/1999, 06/01/2001 (Emer.), 08/27/2001, 03/02/2002 (Emer.), 05/13/2002, 07/01/2003, 05/01/2005, 08/01/2005, 05/01/2009, 08/01/2010, 07/01/2011, 02/01/2013, 10/01/2015