FATL 357 (Early Denial of Initial Applications)
Food Assistance Transmittal Letter No. 357
November 6, 2015
TO: All Food Assistance Manual Holders
FROM: Cynthia C. Dungey, Director
SUBJECT: Early Denial of Initial Applications

Background

In the Food Assistance Program, current federal regulations require county agencies to allow an initial applicant 30 days to provide required verifications prior to denying the application, even when an applicant has failed to provide the verifications within a specified timeframe. The United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) recently granted the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) a waiver to allow an application to be denied under specific circumstances.

New Policy

Under the waiver, county agencies are allowed to deny an initial food assistance application prior to the 30th day when all of the following have occurred:

  • An interview of the applicant was conducted;
  • Verifications requested in accordance with rule 5101: 4-2-09 of the Administrative Code were not received within 10 calendar days of the request; and
  • The county agency offered to assist the applicant in obtaining the required verifications when requested by the applicant, or when the county agency was able to obtain the verifications faster, assuming the applicant did not refuse to cooperate.

Furthermore, if the application is denied and the required verifications are received after the denial but by the 30th day, the county agency is required to rescind the denial and determine eligibility back to the date of application.

In order to implement the waiver, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) amended the following rule, which has been subject to a review by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). The rule will become effective on 11/01/2015.

Chapter 2000

5101: 4-2-11 "Food Assistance: Timeliness Standard and Benefit Issuance"

OFA amended this rule to add language that allows a county agency to deny an initial application prior to the 30th day under specific circumstances, and when the denial shall be rescinded and eligibility redetermined from the date of application.

Implementation

The rules changes will apply to every new application received on or after the effective date. Additional denial and approval reason codes are being added to CRIS-E that must be used in order to support the FNS reporting requirements necessary to maintain the waiver. A CRIS-E view flash bulletin will be issued prior to the implementation date with more details.