127.01 Interview Sites SR 94-04, 04/94 (FSM-A)

Conduct a personal interview in the office. The place where the interview is conducted must preserve the privacy and confidentiality of the interview.

Applicants who cannot return to the District Office for the scheduled interview may be interviewed by phone instead, at the scheduled time of the interview. A Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Supervisor must authorize the use of a phone interview over a personal interview, but all other interview requirements remain unchanged.

Conduct a telephone interview or a scheduled out-of-office interview if either of the following applies:

• the individual is unable to appoint an Authorized Representative (AR), and no adult member of the household can come to the office because of age (60 or older), mental or physical handicap, illness, transportation difficulties, care of a household member, hardship due to residency in a rural area, prolonged severe weather, work or training hours which prevent an in-office interview; or

• the individual is a resident of a shelter for battered women and would be in danger if she left the shelter.

Conduct a telephone interview at redetermination for pure SSI households. A personal interview is only conducted if either of the following applies:

• the household or the household’s AR requests one; or

• the household has questionable circumstances.

Exception: Households that have been interviewed and referred by SSA do not require a personal or telephone interview. A contact may be made only to clarify or to obtain additional information.

Waiver of the face-to-face interview does not exempt the individual from any program or verification requirements. Document in the case record why the office interview was waived.

References: He-W 722.01, RSA 161:4-a,IV, 7 CFR 273.2(d)-(e)