218 R.I. Code R. 218-RICR-20-00-1.13 - [Effective 4/29/2025] Ongoing Case Management
1.13.1
Changes
A. For reporting changes
during a SNAP household's certification period, there are two (2)
classifications:
1. Change Reporters: A
household that is designated as a "change reporter" must report any change in
circumstances, income , resources, and expenses which occur during their
certification period within ten (10) days of the date the change becomes known
to the household.
a. The following types of
households are change reporters:
(1)
Households with no earned income and in which all members are elderly or
disabled (ESAP); or
(2) Households
which include migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
b. The ten (10) day reporting period begins
with the date the change becomes known to the household.
c. Changes may be reported in person, by
telephone, or by mail, or by using the Change Report Form.
d. Change reporters must report the following
changes within ten (10) days:
(1) A change in
the source of income , including starting or stopping a job or changing jobs, if
the change in employment is accompanied by a change in income ;
(2) A change in wage rate or salary, or
change in full-time or part-time employment status (as determined by the
employer).
(3) Changes in the
amount of unearned income of more than one hundred twenty-five dollars
($125.00), except for a change in RI Works or GPA cash assistance ;
(4) All changes in household composition,
such as the addition or loss of a household member;
(5) Changes in residence and the resulting
change in shelter costs;
(6)
Acquisition of a licensed vehicle not excluded under § 1.5.5 of this
Part;
(7) A change in liquid
resources, such as cash, stocks, bonds and bank accounts that reach or exceed
the resource limits as described in §§ 1.5.5(B)(1)(a) and (b) of this
Part, unless these assets are excluded under §§ 1.5.5(D) and (G) of
this Part.
(AA) RI Works/SNAP change reporting
households must report changes in assets when they exceed the RI Works resource
limit of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00).
(8) Changes in the legal obligation to pay
child support.
(9) Whenever a
member of the household wins substantial lottery or gambling winnings.
(AA) RI Works/SNAP change reporting
households must report a cash prize won in a single game, before taxes or other
amounts withheld, which is equal to or greater than the elderly and/or disabled
resource limit as defined in § 1.5.5 of this Part.
e. For households comprised
entirely of migrant and seasonal farmworkers, the agency representative will
send the household a Mid-Certification Reminder Letter on or about the
fifteenth (15th) day of the twelfth (12th) month of its certification.
(1) The letter reminds the household of its
responsibility to report any changes within ten (10) days.
f. All ESAP households are required to report
changes within ten (10) days of the date the change becomes known to the
household, (See § 1.13.1 of this Part).
2. Simplified Reporters: All other households
are simplified reporters.
a. With the
exception of the interim report and lottery/gambling winnings (see below), a
simplified reporting household's sole reporting requirement is to report
changes in income which bring the household's gross income in excess of the
gross income eligibility standard for that size household by the tenth (10th)
day of the month following the month in which the change occurred.
(1) If a household has an increase in its
income , it must determine its total gross income at the end of the month. If
the total gross income exceeds the household's SNAP gross income eligibility
standard, the household must report the change no later than ten (10) days from
the end of the calendar month in which the change occurred, provided that the
household receives the payment with at least ten (10) days remaining in the
month.
(AA) If there are not ten (10) days
remaining in the month, the household must report within ten (10) days from
receipt of the payment.
(2) Whenever a member of the household wins
substantial lottery or gambling winnings.
(AA)
Simplified reporting households must report a cash prize won in a single game,
before taxes or other amounts withheld, which is equal to or greater than the
elderly and/or disabled resource limit as defined in § 1.5.5 of this
Part.
(3) No other change
reporting is required during the certification period.
b. A "simplified reporter" household must
submit an Interim Report Form in its sixth (6th) month of
certification.
B. Public Assistance (PA) Household Changes
1. Households are not required to report
changes in the assistance payment grant.
a.
Since the agency representative has prior knowledge of all changes in the
assistance payment grant, action must be taken on this information.
2. PA households which report a
change in circumstances to the PA worker are considered to have reported the
change for SNAP purposes.
3. A
household must be notified whenever its benefits are altered as a result of
changes in the PA benefits .
a. Adequate time
for the agency representative to send a notice of expiration and for the
household to timely reapply must be allowed.
b. If the PA benefits are terminated but the
household is still eligible for SNAP benefits , members of the household must be
advised of SNAP work registration requirements, as appropriate.
4. Whenever a change results in
the reduction or termination of the household's PA benefits within its SNAP
certification period, and the agency representative has sufficient information
to determine how the change affects the household's SNAP eligibility and
benefit level, the agency representative takes the following actions:
a. If a change in household circumstances
requires both a reduction or termination in the PA payment and a reduction or
termination in SNAP benefits , the agency representative must issue a notice of
adverse action for both the PA and SNAP actions.
(1) If the household requests a hearing
within the period provided by the notice of adverse action, the household's
SNAP benefits should be continued on the basis authorized immediately prior to
sending the notice.
(AA) If the hearing is
requested for both programs' benefits , the hearing is conducted according to PA
procedures and timeliness standards.
(BB) However, the household must reapply for
SNAP benefits if the SNAP certification period expires before the hearing
process is completed.
(CC) If the
household does not appeal, the change is made effective in accordance with the
procedures specified in this Section.
b. If the household's SNAP benefits are
increased as a result of the reduction or termination of PA benefits , the
agency representative issues the PA notice of adverse action but does not take
any action to increase the household's SNAP benefits until the household
decides whether it will appeal the adverse PA action.
(1) If the household decides to appeal and
its PA benefits are continued, the household's SNAP benefits may continue at
the previous basis.
(2) If the
household does not appeal, the agency representative makes the change effective
in accordance with the procedures specified in this Part except that the time
limits for the agency representative to act on changes which increase a
household's benefits are calculated from the date the PA notice of adverse
action period expires.
5. Whenever a change results in the
termination of a household's PA benefits within its SNAP certification period,
and the agency representative does not have sufficient information to determine
how the change affects the household's SNAP eligibility and benefit level (such
as when a non-custodial parent returns to a household, rendering the household
ineligible for public assistance , and the agency representative does not have
any information on the income of the new household member), the agency
representative does not terminate the household's SNAP benefits but instead
takes the following action:
a. If the
situation requires a reduction or termination of PA benefits , the agency must
issue a request for documentation at the same time it sends a PA notice of
adverse action.
b. Before taking
further action, the agency must wait until the household's PA notice of adverse
action period expires or until the household requests a fair hearing, whichever
occurs first.
c. If the household
requests a fair hearing and elects to have its PA benefits continued pending
the appeal, the agency must continue the household's SNAP benefits at the same
level.
d. If the household decides
not to request a fair hearing and continuation of its PA benefits , the agency
must resume action on the changes.
e. If the situation does not require a PA
notice of adverse action, the agency must issue a request for documentation.
(1) Depending on the household's response to
the request for documentation, the agency must take appropriate action, if
necessary, to close the household's case or adjust the household's benefit
amount.
6. When
a mass change to public assistance payments is made, corresponding adjustments
in households' SNAP benefits are handled as a mass change.
a. When there is at least thirty (30) days
advance knowledge of the amount of the public assistance adjustment, SNAP
benefits must be recalculated to be effective in the same month as the public
assistance change.
b. If there is
not sufficient notice, the SNAP change must be effective not later than the
month following the month in which the public assistance change was
made.
c. A notice of adverse action
is not required when a household's SNAP benefits are reduced or terminated as a
result of a mass change in the public assistance grant.
(1) However, the agency sends individual
notices to such households to inform them of the change.
(2) If a household requests a fair hearing,
benefits are continued at the former level only if the issue being appealed is
that SNAP eligibility or benefits were improperly computed.
C. Failure to
Report Changes
1. If a household failed to
report a required change and, as a result, received benefits to which it was
not entitled, the agency representative refers a claim of over issuance against
the household in accordance with §
1.17 of this Part.
2. Individuals are not terminated for failing
to report a change, unless the individual is disqualified in accordance with
the intentional program violation disqualification procedures specified in
§
1.9 of this Part.
D. Action on Changes
1. The agency is required to take prompt
action on all changes of which it becomes aware to determine if the change
affects the household's eligibility or allotment.
a. Exception: during the certification
period, the agency representative shall not act on changes in the medical
expenses of households eligible for the medical expense deduction if the
information comes from a source other than the household and which, in order to
take action, require the worker to contact the household for
verification.
b. The agency shall
act on those changes that it learns about from a source other than the
household if those changes are verified upon receipt and do not necessitate
contact with the household.
c.
Restoration of lost benefits is provided to any household if the agency
representative fails to take action on a change which increases benefits within
the specified time limits.
2. For changes which result in an increase in
a household's benefits , the agency representative makes the changes effective
no later than the first (1st) allotment issued ten (10) days after the date the
change was reported.
a. However, in no event
must these changes take effect any later than the month following the month in
which the change is reported.
b.
Therefore, if the change is reported after the twentieth (20th) of the month,
and it is too late for the agency representative to adjust the following
month's allotment, the agency representative must approve a supplement for the
household to obtain the increase in benefits by the tenth (10th) day of the
following month, or the household's normal issuance cycle in that month,
whichever is later.
c. For changes
which result in an increase in a household's benefits and do not require the
issuance of a supplementary allotment as required in §
1.18 of this Part,
the agency representative makes the change effective no later than with the
first (1st) allotment issued ten (10) days after the date the change was
reported to the agency .
3. If the household's benefit level decreases
or the household becomes ineligible as a result of the change, the agency must
issue a notice of adverse action within ten (10) days of the date the change
was reported unless one (1) of the exemptions to the notice of adverse action
in §
1.14(C) of this Part applies.
a.
When a notice of adverse action is used, the decrease in the benefit level must
be made effective no later than 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.
b. When a notice of adverse action is not
used because one (1) of the exemptions in §
1.14(C) of this Part applies,
the decrease must be made effective no later than the month following the
change. Required verification must be obtained prior to
recertification.
4. When
there is an overall adjustment, to public assistance payments, RI Works or GPA,
corresponding adjustments in the household's SNAP benefits are handled as a
mass change.
a. When the agency has at least
thirty (30) days advance knowledge of the amount of the RI Works and/or GPA
adjustment, the agency makes the change in benefits effective in the same month
as the RI Works and/or GPA change.
b. If the agency does not have sufficient
notice, the SNAP change is effective no later than the month following the
month the RI Works and/or GPA change was made.
c. A notice of adverse action is not required
when a household's SNAP benefits are reduced or terminated as a result of a
mass change in the RI Works and/or GPA grant.
(1) However, an individual notice is sent to
the household informing them of the change.
(2) If a household requests a hearing,
benefits are continued at the former level only if the issue being appealed is
that SNAP eligibility or benefits were improperly computed.
E. Unclear
Information
1. The agency must pursue
clarification and verification (if applicable) of household circumstances from
which the agency cannot readily determine the effect on the household's
continued eligibility for SNAP, or in certain cases, benefit amounts. The
agency may receive such unclear information from a third (3rd) party.
a. Unclear information is information that is
not verified but the agency needs additional information to act on the change
such as electronic data matches that are not considered to be verified upon
receipt.
2. The agency
must pursue clarification and verification (if applicable) of household
circumstances if unclear information is:
a.
Fewer than sixty (60) days old relative to the current month of participation;
and would, if accurate, have been required to be reported under § 1.13.1
of this Part based on the reporting system to which the household has been
assigned; or
b. The information
appears to present significantly conflicting information from that used by the
agency at the time of certification.
3. The agency shall issue a written request
for documentation that advised the household of the verification it must
provide or the actions it must take to clarify its circumstances, which affords
the household at least ten (10) days to respond.
a. If the household does not respond, or does
respond but refuses to provide sufficient information to clarify its
circumstances, the agency must issue a notice of adverse action as described in
§
1.14 of this Part indicating that the case will close, and the household
will need to submit a new application in order to continue participating in the
program.
b. If the household
responds to the request for documentation and provides sufficient information,
the agency must act on the new circumstances.
c. If the unclear information does not meet
the criteria in §§ 1.13.1(E)(1)(a) and 1.13.1(E)(2)(a) of this Part,
then the agency shall not act on the information or require the household to
provide information until the household's next certification action or interim
report form is due.
4.
Unclear information resulting from certain data matches:
a. If the agency receives match information
from an electronic data source, that agency shall notify the household of the
match results. The notice shall explain what information is needed from the
household and the consequences for failing to respond to the notice.
b. For households subject to change
reporting, if the household fails to respond to the notice of match results or
does respond but refused to supply sufficient information to clarify its
circumstances, the agency shall issue a notice of adverse action that closes
the case.
c. For households not
subject to change reporting, if the household fails to respond to the notice of
match results or does not respond but refused to provide sufficient information
to clarify its circumstances, the agency shall remove the subject individual
and the individual's income from the household and adjust benefits
accordingly.
1.13.2
Interim Reporting
A. All SNAP households are subject to Interim
reporting requirements, with the exception of the following households:
1. Households with no earnings and in which
all members are elderly or disabled (ESAP households); and
2. Households which include migrant and
seasonal farmworkers.
B.
Household composition and financial circumstances at the time of application
will be the basis of the SNAP benefit amount for the first (1st) half of the
certification period unless the household reports a change during the
certification period before the Interim Report period.
1. The household composition and financial
circumstances reported on the Interim Report will be the basis of the SNAP
benefit amount for the remainder of the certification period unless the
household reports additional changes following the filing of the Interim
Report.
2. In the fifth (5th) month
of certification, households subject to interim reporting will receive an
Interim Report Form in the mail.
3.
Households must complete the form in its entirety and mail the form along with
the required verifications back to the agency by the fifth (5th) day of the
sixth (6th) month of certification.
a. A
household that submits an Interim Report by the fifth (5th) day of the sixth
(6th) month of the certification period is considered to have made timely
report.
b. Failure to return the
Interim Report Form will result in closure of SNAP benefits .
c. An application can be accepted in lieu of
an Interim Report Form if it is received in the month the Interim Report is
due, or the following month.
(1) If an
application in lieu of an Interim Report is used to reinstate benefits , an
interview is not required, and all verification Rules applicable to Interim
Report processing instead of application processing apply.
4. If a household fails to return
the Interim Report Form by the fifth (5th) day of the sixth (6th) month of the
certification period, the agency must send a warning notice to the household.
a. The household will have ten (10) days from
the mail date to return the Interim Report Form, along with all of the
necessary verifications or the case will close by the end of the sixth (6th)
month of the household's certification period.
5. An Interim Report form is incomplete if:
a. The case name, head of household,
responsible household member or authorized representative has not signed the
form;
b. The household fails to
submit verification of changes in earned income , changes in unearned income , or
residency; or
c. The household
fails to provide information needed to determine eligibility or benefit
level.
6. If an eligible
household files a complete interim report after the case has been closed, but
before the end of the report month (month in which the report is due), the
agency shall reopen the case without requiring the household to file an
application and shall approve benefits no later than ten (10) days after the
household normally receives benefits .
7. If a household files a complete interim
report after the end of the report month but before the end of the month
following the month in which it was due, the agency shall reinstate assistance ,
and if otherwise eligible, approve benefits within thirty (30) days from the
date the interim report is received.
8. In order to determine eligibility for the
second (2nd) half of the household's certification period, the household must
supply the following information:
a. Changes
of more than one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125.00) in unearned income
(excluding changes in public assistance or general assistance programs when
jointly processed with SNAP cases);
b. Changes in the source of income , including
starting or stopping a job or changing jobs, if the change in employment is
accompanied by a change in income ;
c. Changes in wage rate or salary, or change
in full-time or part-time employment status (as determined by the
employer);
d. Changes in household
composition;
e. Changes in
residence and resulting changes in shelter costs;
f. Acquisition of a non-excluable
vehicle;
g. Resources that reach or
exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000.00), or four thousand five hundred
dollars ($4,500.00), if a household includes a member who is age sixty (60) or
over, or is disabled unless the household is categorically eligible as defined
in § 1.5.1 of this Part; and
h. Changes in legally obligated child support
payments;
i. Whenever a member of
the household wins substantial lottery or gambling winnings.
(1) Any household, including
non-elderly/disabled households, must report a cash prize won in a single game,
before taxes or other amounts withheld, which is equal to or greater than the
maximum allowable elderly and/or disabled resource limit as defined in §
1.5.5 of this Part.
9. If verification of changes in earned or
unearned income is not provided, benefits shall be terminated.
a. If the household fails to provide
sufficient information or verification regarding a deductible expense
(dependent care, shelter, medical or child support expenses) the following
applies:
(1) A notice requesting verification
is issued and if the household does not respond within the ten (10) day
timeframe with required documentation to support the change, the case continues
to be processed.
(AA) If this occurs, the
household must be notified that a deduction or deductions were not allowed
since verification was not provided, and that benefits will be redetermined if
the verification is subsequently provided.
(BB) If there is an existing verified
deduction in the case record for the certification period under review, the
agency uses such verified deduction in the calculation of benefits for reported
increases that are not verified.
(CC) Reports of a decrease in a deductible
expense can be changed without verification by the client.
Notes
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