218 R.I. Code R. 218-RICR-20-00-1.7 - [Effective 4/29/2025] Recertification
A. The agency must complete the
recertification process if the household meets all requirements and finishes
the necessary processing steps, and approve or deny timely applications for
recertification prior to the end of the household's current certification
period. Any eligible household must be provided an opportunity to participate
by its normal issuance cycle in the month following the end of its current
certification period.
1. The household loses
its right to uninterrupted benefits for failure either to attend any interview
scheduled on or after the deadline for timely filing of the application for
recertification, or to submit all necessary verification within the timeframe
established by the agency as long as the timeframe elapses after the deadline
for filing a timely application for recertification.
a. Although a household loses its right to
uninterrupted benefits for such failures, the household must not be denied at
that time, unless it refused to cooperate, or the certification period has
lapsed.
b. If the household loses
its right to uninterrupted benefits due to such failures but is otherwise
eligible after correcting such failures, the agency must, at a minimum, provide
benefits within thirty (30) days after the date the application was filed.
(1) The agency may, at its option, either
provide benefits by the household's next normal issuance date or provide
uninterrupted benefits to a household determined eligible despite such
failures.
(2) If the household
submits an application for recertification prior to the end of its current
certification period and is found eligible for the first (1st) month following
the end of the certification period, then that month is not an initial
month.
c. Denials,
including those for failure to complete the interview or provide missing
verification, must be completed either by the end of the current certification
period or within thirty (30) days after the date the application was filed as
long as the household has had adequate time for providing the missing
verification.
d. The agency must
not continue benefits to the household beyond the end of the certification
period unless the household has been recertified.
e. The joint processing requirements in
§ 1.5.1 of this Part, for RI Works and GPA households continue to apply to
applications for recertification.
2. If an application for recertification is
submitted after the household's certification period has expired, that
application is considered an initial application and benefits for that month
must be pro-rated.
a. Any household that
receives the notice of expiration at the time of certification and is otherwise
eligible must not have benefits for the first (1st) month of the new
certification period pro-rated if it files an application by the filing
deadline contained in the notice of expiration.
3. If the household submits an application
for recertification prior to the end of its current certification period but is
found ineligible for the first (1st) month following the end of the
certification period, then the first (1st) month of any subsequent
participation is considered an initial month.
a. The agency must ensure that any eligible
household that did not submit a timely application for recertification is
provided an opportunity to participate within thirty (30) calendar days after
the application is filed.
b. If the
agency is unable to provide an eligible household with an opportunity to
participate within thirty (30) calendar days after the date the application was
filed due to the time period allowed for submitting any missing verification,
the agency must provide the household an opportunity to participate within five
(5) working days after the date the household supplies the missing
verification.
c. Households that
have filed an application by the fifteenth (15th) of the last month of their
certification period will receive either a notice of eligibility or a notice of
denial by the end of the current certification period.
B. Eligibility at recertification
must be determined based on circumstances anticipated for the new certification
period starting with the month following the expiration of the current
certification period. The level of benefits at recertification must be based on
the same anticipated circumstances.
C. Notice Requirements
1. A household will receive a notice of
expiration at the end of its certification prior to the start of the last month
of the household's certification period.
2. RI Works and GPA households whose
applications were jointly processed for SNAP benefits and RI Works or GPA
benefits in need will not receive a notice of expiration if they are
recertified for SNAP at the same time as their RI Works or GPA
redetermination.
3. Households with
members who are migrant seasonal farmworkers will be sent a Mid-Certification
Reminder Letter on or about the fifteenth (15th) day of the twelfth (12th)
month of its certification. The letter reminds the household of its
responsibility to report any changes within ten (10) days.
4. ESAP households will be sent a combined
expiration notice and recertification notice with specialized language within
sixty (60) days prior to redetermination due date (See § 1.23.9 of this
Part).
D. Interview and
Verification Requirements
1. All households
must participate in an interview in order to retain its right to uninterrupted
benefits , with the exception of ESAP eligible households who may have a waived
interview in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 1.23.4 of this
Part.
a. An interview may be scheduled by the
agency on or after the date the recertification application is timely filed,
prior to the date of the scheduled interview at the household's request, or
when the household contacts the agency to complete its recertification
interview without returning the competed application for recertification by
utilizing the option of a telephonic signature. If the household does not avail
itself for any interview scheduled in accordance with this Section, the agency
need not initiate any further action.
(1) A
household which fails to participate in an interview in accordance with the
requirements in this Part or to submit any missing verification loses its right
to uninterrupted benefits as long as such failures occur after the deadline for
filing a timely application for recertification.
(2) Households which refuse to cooperate in
providing required information must be denied.
2. At recertification, all income
documentation shall be considered outdated and will require updated
verification to determine the accuracy of information as outlined in §
1.6 of this Part when determining continued eligibility of uninterrupted benefits .
a. Previously verified actual utility
expenses that have not changed by more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) do not
have to be verified.
3.
A household which submits a timely application for recertification but is
either interviewed and/or submits all verification in an untimely manner (but
before the end of its current certification period) need not be provided
uninterrupted benefits .
a. For eligible
households under these circumstances, the agency must, at a minimum, provide
the household an opportunity to participate within thirty (30) calendar days
after the date the application was filed.
b. If the household takes the required action
before the end of the certification period, the agency must reopen the case and
provide a full month's benefits for the initial month of the new certification
period.
c. If the household takes
the required action after the end of the certification period but within thirty
(30) days after the end of the certification period, the agency shall reopen
the case and provide benefits retroactive to the date the household takes the
required action.
d. If a
household's application for recertification is delayed beyond the first (1st)
of the month of what would have been its new certification period through the
fault of the agency , the household's benefits for the new certification period
shall be pro-rated based on the date of the new application, and the agency
shall provide restored benefits to the household back to the date the
household's certification period should have begun had the State agency not
erred and the household been able to apply timely.
E. Right to Uninterrupted Benefits
1. The agency must act to provide
uninterrupted benefits to any household determined eligible after the household
has timely filed an application, attended an interview in accordance with the
requirements in this Section, and submitted all necessary
verification.
2. The agency must
take action to provide uninterrupted benefits within the following time
standards even if, to meet these standards, the agency must provide an
opportunity to participate outside the normal issuance cycle:
a. For households that have met all the
required application procedures, the agency must approve or deny the
application and notify the household of its determination by the end of the
current recertification period.
b.
For households determined eligible, the agency must provide an opportunity to
participate by the household's normal issuance cycle in the month following the
end of its current certification period.
(1)
Any household not determined eligible in sufficient time to provide for
issuance in that timeframe due to a time period allowed for submitting any
missing verification must receive an opportunity to participate, if eligible,
within five (5) working days after the household supplies the missing
verification.
(2) A household that
has timely submitted an application for recertification or Interim Report Form
but, due to agency error, is not determined eligible in sufficient time to
provide for issuance by the household's next normal issuance cycle must receive
an immediate opportunity to participate upon being determined
eligible.
(3) Such households are
entitled to restoration of lost benefits if, as a result of such error, the
household was unable to participate for the month following the expiration of
the Interim Report timeframes or certification period.
1.7.1
Recertification for SSI Households
A. The agency must provide SSI households
with a notice of expiration in accordance with this Part except that such
notification should inform households consisting entirely of SSI recipients
that they are required to have an interview prior to being certified and may
have that interview in the office, face to face, or by telephone.
1. Pure SSI households which have received a
SNAP notice of expiration are entitled to make a timely application for SNAP
recertification at the SSA office.
a. SSA must
accept the application of a pure SSI household and forward the completed
application, transmittal form and any available verification to the SNAP
office.
b. When SSA accepts and
refers the application in such a situation, the household must not be required
to appear at a second (2nd) office interview, although the agency
representative may conduct an out-of-office interview by telephone, or
face-to-face, if/as necessary.
c.
In cases where pure SSI households apply for SNAP recertification at the SSA
office, an application must be considered filed for normal processing purposes
when the signed application is received by SSA.
Notes
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