SNAP Quality Control Review
Did you receive a letter from the DHS SNAP Quality Control Unit?
If you received a letter in the mail saying “Your SNAP (Food Stamps) case has been selected for a Quality Control Review…”, the information below will tell you what you should know about the process.
What is SNAP Quality Control?
SNAP Quality Control is a federally mandated process for reviewing active SNAP cases. Cases are randomly selected each month. Cases are not sampled because something was done wrong or because there is a problem. It is required by federal law for all states to complete this random review.
SNAP Quality Control Review has two primary purposes.
- That your household is receiving the right amount of SNAP benefits; and
- That the local SNAP agency is processing cases correctly.
Who are SNAP Quality Control reviewers?
SNAP benefits are approved in the county offices of the Department of Human Services, but are administered centrally to your EBT card. SNAP Quality Control reviewers are state employees who work for the Tennessee Department of Human Services. SNAP Quality Control reviewers operate statewide.
Why was my case chosen by Quality Control?
You were not chosen for Quality Control because you did anything wrong. Cases are randomly chosen for a Quality Control review. Each month the SNAP eligibility computer system randomly picks numerous cases to be reviewed.
Do I have to participate in the review?
Yes – If your case was chosen for a Quality Control review, we need your full cooperation. You must cooperate with the review per federal regulations to remain eligible for the program.
We understand that the review can be an inconvenience to you, but you must participate if your case is chosen. If you refuse to cooperate with a Quality Control review, your SNAP case will close and you will not be eligible for benefits until you complete the review.
What happens during a Quality Control review?
Before contacting you, the Quality Control reviewer will look at the work the county DHS office did on your case, including reviewing documentation you provided during the application. Then the reviewer will need to interview an adult in the SNAP household and collect current documentation to make sure you are receiving the correct amount of SNAP benefits.
Why does Quality Control complete interviews?
Quality Control rules set by the federal government require that the household be interviewed. If your monthly SNAP benefits are $100 or less, the interview can be done over the phone, but everyone who receives more than $100 will need to meet with the Quality Control reviewer in a Face-to-Face interview. Face-to-face interviews are usually scheduled to take place at your local DHS county office. (The Face -to- Face interview requirement is temporarily not required until September 2023 because of COVID-19 procedures)
If you can’t make it to your scheduled interview, please notify Quality Control as soon as possible to reschedule. If you can’t make it to the local office because of a disability, you may request an alternate location.
If you need to reschedule your interview, or if you would like to request an alternative location for the interview, please contact your assigned Quality Control reviewer listed on the bottom of the letter you received or contact the DHS customer care line at:
Phone: 1-866-311-4287 (ask for Quality Control)
Don’t forget that if you do not participate in the SNAP Quality Control review, your SNAP case will be closed
What kind of documents are needed for the review?
You will be asked to provide additional verification for the month your case is selected for review to give the Quality Control reviewers current documentation about your income, expenses and who is living in your home. The specific documentation needed may vary depending on your situation, but could include items such as paystubs, bank statements, rental agreements and utility bills. This documentation may be the same as what you gave your local SNAP agency during application or it may be for a more recent time period.
For example – your rental agreement may be the same as when you applied for SNAP, but your paystubs and utility bill should be for the current month. Even if your documentation is the same, you will need to show the Quality Control reviewer.
How can I send my documents to Quality Control?
You should provide as much documentation as possible to your scheduled interview, but you may be asked to submit additional documentation to Quality Control. If so, you can email, text, fax or mail your reviewer any additional documentation needed to finish the review process.
Fax: (865) 594- 2555
Mailing Address:
STATE OF TENNESSEE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
QUALITY CONTROL UNIT
505 DEADERICK STREET,
NASHVILLE, TN 37243-1403