(A)What is the recertification
process?
(1)In accordance with
rule 5101:4-5-03 of the Administrative Code, all supplemental nutrition assistance
program (SNAP) assistance groups are assigned a certification period for which they
are eligible. An assistance group may not participate beyond the expiration of its
assigned certification period without a determination of eligibility for a new period.
Assistance groups must apply for recertification and comply with interview and verification
requirements.
(2)The county agency
shall collect sufficient information and necessary verifications to ensure an accurate
determination of eligibility and benefits as described in rule 5101:4-2-09 of the
Administrative Code.
(3)Assistance groups are to receive the statewide
automated eligibility system generated approval that contains websites that provide
employment and training services when the assistance group:
(a)Contains a member that is subject to the
work requirements;
(b)Contains at least one adult member;
(c)Contains no elderly or disabled members;
and
(d)Has no earned income.
(4)Assistance groups are to receive a written
notice and an oral explanation of the specific work requirements each assistance
group member is subject to in accordance with rule 5101:4-2-07 of the Administrative
Code.
(3)(5) The recertification process shall only be utilized
for an assistance group that applies for recertification prior to the end of its
current certification period, except for delayed applications as specified in paragraphs
(H)(5) and (H)(6) of this rule.
(4)(6) The county agency shall not recertify an assistance
group without a signed application for recertification.
(B)How is an assistance
group notified it is time for a recertification?
(1)The county agency
shall provide an assistance group certified for expedited benefits a notice of expiration
at the time of certification.
(2)All other certified
assistance groups shall receive the statewide automated eligibility system generated
notice of expiration before between the first day of theand last day of the month
of the certification period, but not before the first day
of the next-to-the-last monthprior to the month the
certification period ends.
(C)What shall the assistance
group provide to the county agency in order to establish an application date for
recertification?
(1)When the assistance
group indicates that it wishes to establish a filing date for its recertification
prior to its interview, the assistance group shall be provided a JFS 07200, "Request Application for Cash,
Food, and or Medical
Assistance" (rev. 10/2016) or JFS 07204, "Application
to Reapply for Cash and/or Food Assistance" (rev. 9/2018)
and instructions to complete and submit the form. The assistance group shall be
advised that the date of application for recertification will be established when
the form is submitted with a name, address, and signature.
(2)The assistance group
shall file an application for recertification using the JFS 07200, the JFS 07204,
the electronic equivalent of the JFS 07200 or JFS 07204, or the telephonic equivalent
of the JFS 07200 or JFS 07204.
(3)The assistance group
shall be advised that the date of application for recertification
will be established when the application is submitted with the minimum requirements
of name, address, and signature as described in rule 5101:4-2-01 of the Administrative
Code. When the completed application is received after
the business hours of the county
agency, the date of application shall be the next business day.
(4)When an interactive interview is not conductedthe statewide automated eligibility system is unavailable or a
home visit is necessary, the county agency shall complete the JFS 01846, "Case Worksheet: Cash, Food Stamps and Medical Assistance
Interview" (rev. 5/2005).
(5)When an interactive interview is conducted, and neither a JFS 07200
or JFS 01846 were completed, the application date is established when the JFS 07204
contains an address, a signature from an assistance group member or its authorized
representative, and is received by the county agency.When an interactive interview is conducted or a JFS 01846 was completed,
the application date is established when the JFS 07200 or the JFS 07204 contains
a name, address, and signature from an assistance group member or its authorized
representative, and is received by the county agency.
(D)Is an interview
required at the time of recertification?
(1)As part of the recertification
process, the county agency shall conduct an interview with a member of the assistance
group or its authorized representative. The standard interview practices in rule
5101:4-2-07 of the Administrative Code also apply to interviews for recertification.
(2)The county agency
shall conduct a face-to-face interview or the telephonic equivalent. Telephone interviews
may be conducted in lieu of a face-to-face interview unless the agency has determined
the assistance group's situation requires a face-to-face interview or the assistance
group requests a face-to-face interview. The county agency shall grant a telephone
interview to any assistance group that requests one.
(3)When an interview is conducted but the assistance
group does not submit an application for recertification, the county agency is to
deny the recertification at that time or at the end of the certification period.
(3)(4) Upon request, the county agency shall provide the
assistance group with the JFS 07501, "Program Enrollment and Benefit Information" and the JFS 04196, "Food Assistance Change Reporting" (rev. 4/2018). The county agency
shall also notify the assistance group of the date the verifications must be received.
The assistance group shall be allowed a minimum of ten days to provide required
verification information.
(5)The county agency is to notify the assistance
group of the date the verification is to be returned. The assistance group is to
be allowed a minimum of ten days to provide required verification information.
(4)(6) For elderly or disabled assistance groups certified
for twenty-four months, the county agency must have at least one contact with each
elderly/disabled assistance group every twelve months. The JFS 07221, "Cash and Food Assistance
SNAP Interim Report" (rev. 11/2016) and the JFS 07223,
"Cash and Food AssistanceSNAP Interim Report Reminder Notice" (9/2018) forms will serve as the contact.
(5)(7) County agencies shall schedule interviews so that
the assistance group has at least ten days after the interview in which to provide
verification before the certification period expires. When an assistance group misses
its scheduled interview, the county agency shall send the assistance group a JFS
04218, "Notice Of Missed Interview" (rev. 11/2016).
When an assistance group misses its scheduled interview and
requests another interview, the county agency shall schedule a second interview
as described in rule 5101:4-2-07 of the Administrative Code.
(a)When an assistance group misses its scheduled
interview and requests another interview, the county agency is to schedule a second
interview as described in rule 5101:4-2-07 of the Administrative Code.
(b)When an assistance group does not request
to reschedule the interview but has submitted an application for recertification,
the county agency is to deny the recertification thirty days following the date
the application is received.
(E)What shall be verified
at recertification?
(1)Information provided
by the assistance group shall be verified in accordance with rule 5101:4-2-09 of
the Administrative Code.
(2)Any assistance group
whose eligibility is not determined by the end of its current certification period
due to the time period allowed for submitting any missing verification shall receive
an opportunity to participate, if when eligible, within five working days after the assistance
group submits the missing verification. Benefits shall not be prorated.
(F)When is an application
for recertification considered timely?
(1)An assistance group
certified for expedited benefits shall have fifteen days from the date the notice
of expiration is received to file for recertification timely.
(2)Assistance groups,
except those certified for expedited benefits, that submit an application for recertification
by the fifteenth day of the last month of the certification period shall be considered
to have made a timely application for recertification.
(3)For assistance groups
consisting of applicants or recipients of supplemental security income (SSI) whichthat apply for SNAP recertification
at the social security administration (SSA) office, the application shall be considered
filed for normal processing purposes when the signed application is received by
the SSA by the fifteenth day of the last month of the certification period.
(G)What are the processing
timeframes for timely recertifications?
Assistance groups certified under normal processing
standards are to be provided an opportunity to participate by the assistance group's
normal issuance cycle in the month following the end of its current certification
period. Assistance groups are to be notified of their eligibility or ineligibility
by the end of their current certification period.
(1)Assistance groups that were certified for
expedited benefits and have met all required application procedures shall be notified
of their eligibility or ineligibility within twenty-four hours or seven days depending
on the expedited service they qualify for as described in rule 5101:4-6-09 of the
Administrative Code.
(2)Assistance groups certified under normal
processing standards shall be provided an opportunity to participate by the assistance
group's normal issuance cycle in the month following the end of its current certification
period and shall be notified of their eligibility or ineligibility by the end of
their current certification period.
(H)What is delayed
processing?
(1)When an eligible
assistance group files an application before the end of the certification period,
but the recertification process cannot be completed within thirty days after the
date of the application because of the county agency, the county agency must continue
to process the case and provide a full month's allotment for the first month of
the new certification period.
(2)When an assistance
group files an application before the end of the certification period, but fails
to take a required action, the county agency may deny the case at that time, at
the end of the certification period, or at the end of thirty days. Although the
county agency may have the right to issue a denial prior to the end of the certification
period, the assistance group has thirty days after the end of the certification
period to complete the process and have its application treated as an application
for recertification.
(3)When the assistance
group takes the required action before the end of the certification period, the
county agency shall reopen the case and provide a full month's benefit for the initial
month of the new certification period.
(4)When the assistance
group takes the required action after the end of the certification period, but within
thirty days after the end of the certification period, the county agency shall reopen
the case and provide retroactive benefits to the date the assistance group took
the required action.
(5)When an assistance
group files an application within thirty days after the end of the certification
period, the application shall be considered an application for recertification;
however, benefits shall be prorated in accordance with rule 5101:4-4-27 of the Administrative
Code and the application shall be processed within timeframes for processing initial
applications as described in paragraph (J) of rule 5101:4-2-01 of the Administrative
Code.
(6)When an assistance
group's application for recertification is delayed beyond the first of the month
of what would have been its new certification period through the fault of the county
agency, the county agency shall provide restored benefits back to the date the assistance
group's certification period should have begun.
(7)The county agency
shall determine cause for any delay in processing an application for recertification
in accordance with the provisions of rule 5101:4-5-07 of the Administrative Code.
(I)Do the expedited
service provisions apply at recertification?
(1)The expedited service
provisions of rule 5101:4-6-09 of the Administrative Code are not applicable when
the assistance group applies for recertification before the end of its current certification
period.
(2)When the date of
application for recertification is after the certification period has expired, the
assistance group may be entitled to expedited services ifwhen the assistance group's circumstances fall within the
expedited criteria in accordance with rule 5101:4-6-09 of the Administrative Code.
(3)Assistance groups that are certified for
expedited benefits are to be notified of their eligibility within twenty-four hours
or seven days depending on the expedited services for which they qualify.
Effective: 11/18/2021
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 8/16/2021 and 11/18/2026
Certification: CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY
Date: 11/08/2021
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 5101.54
Rule Amplifies: 329.04, 5101.54, 329.042
Prior Effective Dates: 06/02/1980, 12/01/1980, 06/18/1981,
10/01/1981, 01/22/1982, 06/17/1983, 12/25/1983 (Temp.), 03/01/1984, 07/20/1988
(Emer.), 10/16/1988, 07/11/1989 (Emer.), 09/17/1989, 05/01/1991 (Emer.),
06/01/1991, 02/03/1992, 07/01/1992, 08/01/1995 (Emer.), 10/13/1995, 04/01/1997
(Emer.), 06/06/1997, 05/01/1999, 06/01/2001 (Emer.), 08/27/2001, 03/02/2002
(Emer.), 05/13/2002, 07/01/2003, 05/01/2005, 08/01/2005, 05/01/2009,
08/01/2010, 07/01/2011, 02/01/2013, 10/01/2015, 09/01/2018