109.01 Filing an Application (FSM) |
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The official Filing Date for applications is the date when the application is completed and received by the District Office (DO), if the completed application is received by the DO during business hours on a day that the DO is open for business. If received after hours or on a day when the DO is closed for business, the official filing date of the application is the next day the DO is open for business.
Applications can be submitted:
• online via the NH EASY website;
• in-person at the District Office; or
• via mail.
Personal eligibility interviews are in person at the District Office or, if approved by the District Office Supervisor, by telephone.
A completed application for the Food Stamp Program must, at minimum, contain the applicant’s:
• name;
• address; and
• the signature of a responsible household member or the household member’s authorized representative.
Exceptions:
• When a resident of an institution applies prior to leaving the institution, the filing date of the application is the date the applicant is released from the institution.
• Inmates of NH State Prison facilities who are enrolled in a pre-release program may apply prior to their release. The filing date of the application will be the first day of the month in which the applicant is released, regardless of the actual release date.
• The filing date for pure SSI households who apply at a Social Security Administration (SSA) office will be the date SSA receives the signed application.
Support Staff Process
Direct individuals to the NH EASY website or the DHHS website to apply for assistance, or provide the individual with DFA Form 800, Application for Assistance, upon request. If the paper DFA Form 800 is provided:
• Assist the applicant in completing the form, if requested.
• When the individual returns the application, review to ensure the application is complete as described above, and then date stamp the application.
• Complete the "Agency Use Only" section on the back of the first page (the Coversheet) of DFA Form 800, indicating the date the application was received.
• Review the application for eligibility for expedited Food Stamp benefits (see PART 125, EXPEDITED SERVICE). All individuals potentially eligible for expedited Food Stamp benefits are interviewed on the same day that the application is filed. If the applicant cannot be interviewed on the date of application, schedule a personal or phone interview for the next business day or when it is otherwise convenient for the applicant.
• For all other individuals, schedule the individual for an eligibility interview by completing Client Registration (CR) in New HEIGHTS and using the "Schedule Individuals" screen. Do not initiate or print Form 800H, also known as the HAF, at the conclusion of CR. Write a note on DFA Form 797, Eligibility Narrative, to notify the FSS that CR has been completed.
• Give the DFA Form 800 Coversheet plus New HEIGHTS-generated letter CS0002, Schedule Initial Interview, DFA Form 800A, DFA Program and Services Guide, and all other applicable forms to the individual.
• Create an electronic case file for the individual.
Filing of an Application in the Wrong DO
If an application is mailed to the wrong District Office (DO), date stamp it and forward it to the appropriate DO on the same day that it was received, unless it meets the criteria for expedited Food Stamp benefits. If information on the application indicates the household is eligible for expedited benefits, process the Food Stamp portion of the application immediately.
If an individual contacts the wrong DO give the individual the address and telephone number of the correct DO, and offer the individual the opportunity to complete an application that same day.
If the individual hand-delivers an application to the wrong DO, schedule an appointment for the correct DO and forward the application to that office. Give the individual the address and telephone number of the correct DO, with the CS0002 indicating the time of the individual’s appointment in the correct office.
Special Procedures for Applications Filed by Mail
Once a mailed DFA Form 800 is received in the DO, support staff review all the information on the application and complete the "agency staff only" boxes on the application. Most applicants will then be scheduled for the next available interview appointment. However, the following applications are not immediately scheduled for an interview:
• applications containing information indicating potential eligibility for Expedited Food Stamp benefits. These applications are given to the Supervisor for review once the support staff determines potential eligibility. If the Supervisor confirms the potential eligibility, support staff calls the applicant to schedule an interview for the next business day, or another day convenient to the applicant. If the applicant cannot be reached by phone, an interview is scheduled no sooner than 5 business days from the date of application; and
• applications containing information indicating no potential eligibility for any DFA assistance program or service requested. These applications are given to the Supervisor for review as well. If the Supervisor confirms that there is no potential eligibility for all assistance requested on DFA Form 800, the DFA worker may deny all assistance requested without an interview, per PART 127, INTERVIEWS.
References: He-W 701.10, He-W 702.03, RSA 167:8,I, 7 CFR 273.2