(A)What is a
reporting requirement?
Every assistance group receiving benefits must report certain
changes that affect eligibility. Reporting requirements ensure an accurate
benefit amount is received and that only assistance groups who remain eligible
continue to receive benefits.
(B)What are the
requirements for reporting changes?
(1)Assistance
groups shall report when their gross income exceeds one hundred thirty per cent
of the monthly poverty income guideline for their assistance group size within
ten days following the end of the month in which the change first occurred;
(2)Able-bodied
adults without dependents subject to the work requirements and time limit
described in rule 5101:4-3-20 of the Administrative Code are required to report
any changes in work hours that bring an individual below twenty hours per week
or eighty hours per month, as defined in rule 5101:4-3-20 of the Administrative
Code, within ten days following the end of the month in which the change first
occurred;
(3)Assistance
groups are to report when any member of their assistance group wins substantial
lottery or gambling winnings as defined in rule 5101:4-1-03 of the
Administrative Code within ten days following the end of the month in which the
change first occurred; and
(4)All assistance
groups are to submit an interim report prior to the end of the sixth month of a
twelve month certification period or prior to the end of
the twelfth month of a twenty-four month certification period as defined
in paragraph (H) of this rule. Assistance groups certified six months or less, do not have to submit an interim report.
(5)Elderly or disabled assistance groups
(ED AG) certified for thirty-six months as described in rule 5101:4-5-03 of the
Administrative Code do not have to submit an interim report. However, when
there is a case change processed in accordance with paragraph (I) of this rule
and they are no longer an ED AG, the assistance group is to submit an interim
report every six months in accordance with paragraph (H) of this rule.
(C)How are changes
reported?
The assistance group may report changes as follows:
(1)By returning a
JFS 04196, "Food Assistance Change Reporting.". The county agency shall pay the postage for return of
the form.
(2)In person,
electronically or over the telephone. The county agency shall use discretion in
determining when further verification is necessary. These changes shall be
acted on in the same manner as those reported on a change report form.
(D)When shall the
county agency provide a change report form?
A change report form shall be provided to assistance groups at
application, recertification upon request, and whenever the assistance group
returns a change report form. The county agency can provide the form more often
at its option.
(E)How does an
assistance group know their reporting requirements?
Assistance groups will be advised of their reporting
requirements on the notice of approval and/or notice of change at application,
recertification or any time a change occurs and is reported.
(F)What must an
applicant report during the application process?
(1)Once the
applicant submits an application, the applicant shall report any changes in the
information on the application at the certification interview.
(2)The applicant
shall report all changes that occur after the certification interview but
before receiving the notice of their eligibility, within ten days of the
receipt of the notice.
(G)What are the
reporting requirements when the application was taken at the local social
security administration?
The county agency shall not impose any additional reporting
requirements other than those listed in paragraph (B) of this rule. Assistance
groups whose applications were taken by the social security administration are
required to report all changes to the county department of job and family
services.
(H)What is the
interim report and how is it processed?
Assistance groups assigned a twelve or
twenty-four month certification period or that
have been assigned a thirty-six month certification period but are no longer an
ED AG as described in rule 5101:4-5-03 of the Administrative Code shall
be required to sign, complete, and submit a JFS 07221 "Cash and Food
Assistance Interim Report" or a JFS 07223 "Cash and Food Assistance
Interim Report Reminder Notice." The signature may be handwritten, electronic,
or telephonic as described in rule 5101:4-2-01 of the Administrative Code. The
interim report will provide the county agency with updated information on the
assistance group's circumstances.
(1)A JFS 07221
will be sent to the assistance group during the fifth or
eleventh month of certification, depending on the assistance group's
certification period.:
(a)The fifth month of a twelve month
certification period; or
(b)Month five, eleven, seventeen,
twenty-three, and twenty-nine for assistance groups that are no longer ED AG
unless there is less than six months in the certification period.
(2)When the county
agency does not receive the completed interim
report by the fifteenth day of the fifth or eleventh month that the interim report was issued of certification,
depending on the assistance group's certification period, a JFS 07223
shall be sent to the assistance group.
(3)The assistance
group shall return the completed interim report
or reminder notice to the county agency prior to the end of the fifth or eleventh month that the
interim report was issued of certification,
depending on the length of the certification period.
(4)The county
agency shall propose termination of benefits for any assistance group who fails
to return a signed and completed interim report or reminder notice by the end
of the sixth or twelfth month, following the month that the
interim report was issued depending on the
assistance group's certification period.
(5)When the
assistance group fails to provide sufficient information or verification
regarding a deductible expense indicated on the interim report, the county
agency shall not terminate the assistance group, but instead shall determine
the assistance group's supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP)
benefits without regard to that deduction.
(6)The county
agency shall reinstate benefits without a new application for any assistance
group whose benefits have been terminated in accordance with paragraph (H)(4)
of this rule when the county agency receives the interim report or reminder
notice within thirty days of the closure date. The county agency shall prorate
the assistance group's benefits beginning the day the report or reminder notice
was returned.
(I)How does the
county agency process changes?
(1)The county
agency shall take action within ten days on all reported changes to determine
when the change affects the assistance group's ongoing eligibility or
allotment. Reported changes include changes reported by the assistance group,
changes considered verified upon receipt, and changes known to the county
agency. Even when there is no change in the allotment, the county agency shall
document the reported change in the case file, provide another change report
form to the assistance group, and notify the assistance group of the receipt of
the change report. When the reported change affects the assistance group's
eligibility or level of benefits the adjustment shall also be reported to the
assistance group.
(2)The county
agency shall also advise the assistance group of additional verification
requirements, when any, and state that failure to provide verification shall
result in the reduction or termination of benefits.
(3)The county
agency shall document the date a change is reported, which shall be the date
the county agency receives a report form or is advised of the change over the
telephone, electronically or by a personal visit.
(4)Restoration of
lost benefits shall be provided to any assistance group when the county agency
fails to take action on a change that increases benefits within the time limits
specified in paragraph (K)(3) of this rule.
(J)What are the
verification requirements for changes?
(1)Changes
reported during the certification period are subject to the verification
procedures described in rule 5101:4-2-09 of the Administrative Code. The county
agency shall verify changes that result in an increase in an assistance group's
benefits prior to taking action on these changes.
(2)The assistance
group must be allowed ten days to provide any mandatory verification. When the
assistance group provides verification within this period, the county agency
shall take action on the changes within the time periods described in paragraph
(K)(3) or (K)(4) of this rule. The time periods shall begin from the date the
change is reported, not from the date of verification.
(3)When the
assistance group fails to provide the required verification within ten days
after the request date but does provide the verification at a later date, the
time periods shall begin from the date verification is provided rather than
from the date the change is reported.
(4)In cases where
the county agency has determined that an assistance group has refused to
cooperate, the county agency shall terminate the assistance group's eligibility
after issuing the notice of adverse action as described in rule 5101:6-2-04 of
the Administrative Code.
(5)During the
certification period, the county agency may obtain information about changes in
an assistance group's circumstances from which the county agency cannot readily
determine the effect of the change on the assistance group's continued
eligibility for SNAP, or in certain cases, the benefit amount. The county
agency may receive unclear information from a third party or from the
assistance group itself. Unclear information is information that is not
verified, or information that is verified but the county agency needs additional
information to act on the change.
(a)The county
agency shall verify the assistance group's circumstances by sending the
assistance group a JFS 04219, "Request For Contact-Important Notice"
or its computer-generated equivalent. The request for contact shall clearly
advise the assistance group of the verification it must provide or the actions
it must take to clarify its circumstances, notify the assistance group that it
has at least ten days to respond and state the consequences when the assistance
group fails to respond. The county agency shall follow the procedures set forth
in rule 5101:4-2-09 of the Administrative Code to verify unclear information
received during the certification period.
(b)When the
assistance group responds to the request for contact and provides sufficient
information, the county agency shall act on the new circumstances in accordance
with paragraph (K) of this rule.
(c)When the
assistance group does not respond to the request for contact, does respond but
refuses to provide sufficient information to verify its circumstances, or the
county agency is unable to obtain the necessary information by contacting the
assistance group as identified in paragraph (J)(5) of this rule, the county
agency shall propose termination of the SNAP benefits and a notice of adverse
action shall be issued in accordance with rule 5101:6-2-04 of the
Administrative Code.
(6)During the
certification period, the county agency may obtain information from a prisoner
verification system or a deceased matching system that may affect an assistance
group's circumstances or benefit amount.
(a)When the
unclear information received is a data match from a prisoner verification
system or a deceased matching system, the county agency shall send the
assistance group a JFS 04219 or the electronic equivalent. The request for
contact shall clearly advise the assistance group of the match results and the
verification it must provide or the actions it must take to clarify its
circumstances, notify the assistance group that it has at least ten days to
respond and state the consequences when the assistance group fails to respond.
(b)When the
assistance group fails to respond to the request or does respond but refuses to
provide sufficient information to clarify its circumstances, the county agency
shall remove the individual subject to the match and the individual's income
from the assistance group and adjust benefits accordingly. The county agency
shall issue a notice of adverse action in accordance with rules 5101:6-2-04 and
5101:6-2-05 of the Administrative Code.
(K)What are the
timeframes in which the county agency must act on a change?
(1)Changes in
income: When an assistance group reports a change in income, and the new
circumstance is expected to continue for at least one month beyond the month in
which the change is reported, the county agency shall act on the change in
accordance with paragraphs (K)(3) and (K)(4) of this rule.
(2)Changes in
medical expenses: During the certification period the county agency shall not act
on changes in the medical expenses that it learns of from a source other than
the assistance group and that, in order to take action, require the county
agency to contact the assistance group for verification. The county agency
shall only act on those changes in medical expenses that it learns about from a
source other than the assistance group when those changes are verified upon
receipt and do not necessitate contact with the assistance group.
(3)Changes that
increase benefits:
For changes that result in an increase in benefits, the county
agency shall make the change effective no later than the first allotment issued
ten days after the date the change was reported to the county agency, unless
reported after the twentieth of the month. In no event shall these changes take
effect any later than the month following the month in which the change is
reported. Therefore, when the change is reported after the twentieth of a month
and it is too late for the county agency to adjust the following month's allotment,
the county agency shall authorize supplemental benefits by the tenth calendar
day of the following month, or the assistance group's normal issuance cycle in
that month, whichever is later.
(a)For example, an
assistance group reporting a one hundred dollar decrease in income any time
during May would have its June allotment increased. When the assistance group
reports the change after the twentieth of May and it was too late for the
county agency to adjust the allotment normally issued on June first, the county
agency would authorize a supplement for the amount of the increase by June
tenth.
(b)Exception: An
assistance group reporting the theft of income normally received during the
month is not entitled to additional SNAP benefits. It is the responsibility of
the provider of the income to make whatever restitution that may be
appropriate. The loss is not deducted from income to the assistance group nor
is it counted as income when and/or when it is replaced.
(4)Changes that
decrease benefits:
When the assistance group's benefit level decreases or the
assistance group becomes ineligible as a result of the change, the county
agency shall issue a notice of adverse action within ten days of the date the
change was reported unless one of the exceptions to the notice of adverse
action in rule 5101:6-2-05 of the Administrative Code applies. When a notice of
adverse action is used the decrease in the benefit level shall be made
effective with the allotment for the month following the month in which the
notice of adverse action period has expired, provided a fair hearing and
continuation of benefits have not been requested. When a notice of adverse
action is not used due to one of the exceptions of rule 5101:6-2-05 of the Administrative
Code, the decrease shall be made effective no later than the month following
the change.
(L)When should a
county agency reinstate benefits without a new application?
The county agency shall reinstate an assistance group's benefits
without a new application when the assistance group returns requested mandatory
verifications or takes a required action within thirty days after the SNAP
closure date. Benefits shall be prorated from the date the verifications are
returned or the required action was taken, following the procedure set forth in
rule 5101:4-4-27 of the Administrative Code. However, when the eligibility
factor is met or the required action is taken in the last month of the
certification period or outside of a certification period, benefits cannot be
reinstated. The county agency shall require the assistance group to complete a
recertification.
(M)What happens
when a county agency discovers an assistance group failed to report a change?
When the county agency discovers that the assistance group
failed to report a required change and, as a result, received benefits to which
it was not entitled, the county agency shall file a claim against the
assistance group as set forth in rule 5101:4-8-15 of the Administrative Code.
When the discovery is made within the certification period, the assistance
group is entitled to a notice of adverse action when its benefits are reduced
or terminated. An assistance group shall not be held liable for a claim because
of a change in assistance group circumstances that it is not required to
report.
(N)What happens
when a county agency learns that an assistance group has (or may have) moved?
(1)When the
assistance group has or may have moved outside the county or county
collaboration where it is currently participating, the county agency where the
participant is currently participating shall follow the procedures described in
rule 5101:4-7-01.1 of the Administrative Code.
(2)When the
assistance group has had a change of address the county agency is to provide the
assistance group with the JFS 07217, "Voter Registration Notice of Rights
and Declination" and JFS 07200-VR, "Voter Registration Form"
(for requirements and procedures of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
refer to rule 5101:1-2-15 of the Administrative Code).
(3)All other
changes of residence shall be verified in accordance with this rule.
Effective: 8/1/2022
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 4/1/2026
Certification: CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY
Date: 07/07/2022
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 5101.54
Rule Amplifies: 329.04, 329.042, 5101.54
Prior Effective Dates: 06/02/1980, 12/01/1980, 04/01/1981,
06/18/1981, 01/22/1982, 09/27/1982, 08/16/1985 (Emer.), 11/01/1985 (Emer.),
01/01/1986, 05/01/1986 (Emer.), 08/01/1986 (Emer.), 10/01/1986, 05/01/1989
(Emer.), 10/01/1989, 10/01/1990, 05/01/1991 (Emer.), 06/01/1991, 12/01/1991,
08/01/1995, 08/01/1995 (Emer.), 10/13/1995, 04/01/1997 (Emer.), 06/06/1997, 08/01/1998,
06/01/2001 (Emer.), 08/17/2001, 03/02/2002 (Emer.), 05/13/2002, 07/01/2002
(Emer.), 08/01/2002, 07/10/2003, 11/01/2003, 12/08/2005, 04/01/2010,
03/01/2012, 05/01/2015, 06/01/2017, 09/01/2018, 04/01/2021