|
|
Department
of Human Services Families
First Online Policy Manual Interviewing for Eligibility |
Revised: |
5.9 |
FAILURE TO COOPERATE IN THE ELIGIBILITY PROCESS |
|
|
|
Initiate case closure for failure to
cooperate when the AU fails, without good cause, to provide requested
information needed to establish eligibility for assistance. If the AU fails to comply with a written request for information or
completion of specific action, send a 10-day adverse action notice. If the AU complies prior to the expiration
of the 10-day notice requirement, assistance will be continued if eligibility
is re-established. An application will be denied for failure without good cause to
provide requested information prior to the 45-day time limit. The case record must be documented to show
that the information was requested in
writing from the applicant and that the information was not available or
could not be readily made available to the agency. The Families First client has the primary responsibility for obtaining
required verification; however, the Department must assist the individual
when a good faith effort has been made and difficulties encountered. The Department will rely on automated verification,
such as data exchange matches, whenever possible. Obviously, if the information is readily
available to the Department, the client should not be requested to obtain the
verification. In any instances where
the client is having difficulty obtaining the information, the Department
must offer assistance in securing the verification. When it becomes known to the Department
that a client has a disability which is causing difficulty in providing
verification, the Department will assist the individual as indicated. The assistance could include, for example,
providing the individual a reasonable means of communication or soliciting
the required verification document directly. If the applicant notifies the Department that he/she is unable to
provide the information within the 45-day time limit, the Department will
attempt to obtain the needed information.
If neither the Department nor the client can obtain the information,
accept the client’s statement as verification. If an applicant is denied prior to the 45th day for loss of
contact and returns before the 45th day to provide the required
verifications, protect the original
application date and provide retroactive benefits back to the application
date or the eligibility date (if later than the application date). |
|