Ohio Admin. Code 5101:4-2-07 - [Effective until 10/1/2024] Food assistance: initial interview process
(A) What is the
process for an initial interview?
(1) Upon
receipt of an application, as defined in rule
5101:4-2-01 of the
Administrative Code, the county agency shall conduct an interactive interview
with a member of the assistance group or an authorized representative for the
assistance group making application.
(2) The county agency shall schedule an
interview for all applicant assistance groups who are not interviewed on the
day they submit an application. The interview notice shall contain the date and
time of the interview. The notice shall also list the phone number the county
agency will call when completing a phone interview, or the phone number the
applicant will call to complete the interview with the county agency.
(3) When separate applications are filed for
assistance groups residing in the same household, each assistance group that
has applied on a separate application shall be interviewed or scheduled for an
interview.
(4) When scheduling an
interview, the county agency shall consider and attempt to accommodate any
special circumstances or requests from an assistance group, including the
assistance group's work schedule.
(5) The county agency shall schedule all
interviews as promptly as possible to ensure eligible assistance groups receive
an opportunity to participate within thirty days after the application is
filed.
(B) What are the
options for conducting an initial interview?
(1) The county agency may conduct an:
(a) Office interview;
(b) Telephone interview; or
(c) Home visit (as long as it is scheduled in
advance with the assistance group).
(2) The type of interview conducted is left
to the county agency's discretion unless the applicant requests a face-to-face
interview. The county agency shall grant a face-to-face interview to any
assistance group that requests one.
(C) What are the standard interview
practices?
(1) The interview may be conducted
with the head of the assistance group, spouse, any other responsible member of
the assistance group or an authorized representative.
(2) When it is obvious the applicant is not
mentally competent and is not able to understand the hearing rights, the
applicant shall be required to name an authorized representative to receive
notices.
(3) An applying assistance
group shall report all changes related to its supplemental nutrition assistance
program (SNAP) eligibility and benefits at the certification
interview.
(4) The JFS 01846, "Case
Worksheet- Cash, Food Stamps, and Medical Assistance Interview," shall be
completed by the county agency when the statewide automated eligibility system
is down for an extended period of time or a home visit is necessary.
(D) What are the county agency's
responsibilities during an interview?
(1)
Review the information appearing on the application, and explore and resolve
unclear and incomplete information.
(2) Perform necessary collateral contacts and
collect required verifications.
(3)
Advise assistance groups of their rights and responsibilities during the
interview, including the appropriate application processing standard and the
assistance group's responsibility to report changes. The rights and
responsibilities include:
(a) For all work
registrants, the work registration requirements described in rule
5101:4-3-11.1 of the
Administrative Code;
(b) For all
work registrants required to participate in the SNAP employment and training
program (E&T), the requirements described in rule
5101:4-3-30 of the
Administrative Code;
(c) For all
able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD), the work requirement, time-limit
and process for regaining eligibility described in rules
5101:4-3-20 and
5101:4-3-20.1 of the
Administrative Code.
(d) The
assistance group's responsibility to report changes in accordance with rule
5101:4-7-01 of the
Administrative Code; and
(e) The
application processing standards described in rule
5101:4-2-11 of the
Administrative Code.
(4)
Conduct the interview as an official and confidential discussion of assistance
group circumstances.
(5) Protect
the applicant's right to privacy during the interview. Facilities shall be
adequate to preserve the privacy and confidentiality of the
interview.
(6) Advise assistance
groups that are also applying for or receiving Ohio works first (OWF) cash
assistance benefits that time limits and other requirements that apply to the
receipt of OWF benefits do not apply to the receipt of SNAP, and that
assistance groups that stop receiving OWF benefits because they have reached a
time limit, have begun working, or for other reasons, may still qualify for
SNAP benefits.
(7) Confirm the
assistance group is not subject to an intentional program violation.
(8) In accordance with rule
5101:9-2-02 of the
Administrative Code, the county agency shall comply with the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) plan adopted by the county agency. This
includes, but is not limited to, providing the assistance group with an
explanation of their rights under the amendments to Title II of the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 2008
and offering additional screening to any individual that discloses, has, or
appears to have a physical or mental condition that substantially limits one or
more major life activities.
(9)
Determine if each member of the assistance group is
required to register for work in accordance with rule 5101:4-3-11 of the
Administrative Code
Screen each individual who
is either an adult or a sixteen or seventeen year old who is the assistance
group name and is not in school or in the SNAP E&T program, to determine if
an individual is to register for work in accordance with rule
5101:4-3-11 of the
Administrative Code and for appropriateness for referral to the SNAP E&T
program, using the JFS 07208, "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Work
Registration, ABAWD, and Employment and Training Screening Tool," or other
automated system equivalent approved by the Ohio department of job and family
services (ODJFS) and save a completed copy in the case record.
(10) Notify the assistance group of their
right to request a copy of their completed application.
(11) Confirm that a member of the assistance
group has not been convicted of and is not out of compliance with the terms of
the sentence for crimes described in rule
5101:4-2-03 of the
Administrative Code. The county agency is to document the individual's
attestation in the case record.
(12) Provide a comprehensive oral explanation
of each applicable work requirement pertaining to individuals in the assistance
group as described in rules 5101:4-3-11.1,
5101:4-3-30 and
5101:4-3-20 of the
Administrative Code.
(13) Ensure
the assistance group receives a written notice that includes the following
information:
(a) Which individuals in the
assistance group are subject to a work requirement(s);
(b) The applicable work requirements for all
members of the assistance group including:
(i)
The general work registration requirement in accordance with rule
5101:4-3-11.1 of the
Administrative Code;
(ii) The SNAP
E&T requirement in accordance with rule
5101:4-3-30 of the
Administrative Code; and
(iii) The
ABAWD work requirement in accordance with rule
5101:4-3-20 of the
Administrative Code.
(c)
Exemptions from each applicable work requirement;
(d) The process to request an exemption,
including contact information to request an exemption;
(e) Rights and responsibilities of each
applicable work requirement;
(f)
What is required to maintain eligibility under each applicable work
requirement;
(g) Pertinent dates by
which an individual is to take any actions to remain in compliance with each
applicable work requirement;
(h)
Consequences for failure to comply with each applicable work
requirement;
(i) The process for
requesting good cause, including examples of good cause circumstances and
contact information to initiate a good cause request;
(j) Any other information the county agency
believes would assist the assistance group members with compliance;
and
(k) When an individual is
subject to mandatory SNAP E&T, the written notice is to also explain the
individual's right to receive participant reimbursements for allowable expenses
related to participation in SNAP E&T, up to any applicable cap, and the
responsibility of the county agency to exempt the individual from the
requirement to participate in SNAP E&T when the individual's allowable
expenses exceed what the county agency will reimburse in accordance with rule
5101:4-3-32 of the
Administrative Code.
(E) What happens when an assistance group
misses its interview?
(1) The county agency
shall notify an assistance group of its missed interview appointment by using
the JFS 04218 "Notice of Missed Interview" or the statewide automated
eligibility system equivalent, in accordance with rule
5101:4-5-07 of the
Administrative Code and inform the assistance group they are responsible for
rescheduling a missed interview.
(2) When the assistance group contacts the
county agency within the thirty-day application processing period, the county
agency shall schedule a second interview.
(3) The county agency shall not deny an
assistance group's application prior to the thirtieth day when the assistance
group fails to appear for the first scheduled interview.
(4) When the assistance group requests a
second interview during the thirty-day application processing period and is
determined eligible, the county agency shall issue prorated benefits from the
date of application.
Notes
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 5101.54
Rule Amplifies: 5101.54
Prior Effective Dates: 06/20/1980, 10/01/1981, 09/27/1982, 07/15/1984 (Emer.), 09/10/1984, 08/01/1987 (Emer.), 10/25/1987, 10/01/1989 (Emer.), 12/21/1989, 01/05/1990 (Emer.), 03/22/1990, 07/01/1992, 06/01/1993, 07/01/1994, 01/01/1995, 05/02/1998, 10/01/2001 (Emer.), 10/11/2001, 03/01/2002 (Emer.), 05/13/2002, 08/01/2005, 05/01/2009, 08/01/2010, 03/01/2011, 09/01/2012, 07/01/2013, 10/01/2014, 08/01/2016, 01/01/2017, 07/01/2017, 04/01/2020, 11/18/2021
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