(1)
A mid-certification review (MCR) is a form we send you to ask
about your current circumstances during your certification period. We use the
answers you give us to decide if you are still eligible for benefits and to
calculate your monthly benefits.
(2) If you receive cash assistance or basic
food benefits, you must complete a mid-certification review unless you meet one
of the exceptions below:
(a) You
do
not have to complete a mid-certification review for cash assistance if
you:
(i) Receive refugee cash assistance as
described under WAC
388-400-0030;
(ii) Receive aged, blind, or disabled (ABD)
program assistance as described under WAC
388-400-0060;
(iii) Receive a referral to the housing and
essential needs (HEN) program as described under WAC
388-400-0070; or
(iv) Have a review period of six months or
less.
(b) You
do
not have to complete a mid-certification review for basic food if:
(i) Your assistance unit has a certification
period of six months or less; or
(ii) Your assistance unit consists only of
elderly or disabled adults, or qualifies for the elderly simplified application
project (ESAP), and does not have earned income.
(3)
When we send the review
form:
|
If you must complete a MCR
...
|
We send your review form
...
|
|
(a) For one program such as basic food.
|
In the fifth month of your certification or review
period. You must complete your review by the 10th day of month six.
|
|
(b) If you are no longer eligible for ESAP but remain
eligible for basic food for the remainder of a 36-month certification period
converted from an ESAP certification.
|
In the 11th and 23rd months of your certification
period when your certification period has more than 13 months remaining of the
36-month certification period. You must complete your review by the 10th day of
the 12th month or the 24th month or both of the certification period.
|
|
(c) For two or more programs, and all programs have
a 12-month certification or review period.
|
In the fifth month of your certification or review
period. You must complete your review by the 10th day of month six.
|
|
(d) For basic food and another program when either
program has a certification or review period between six and 12 months.
|
In the fifth month of your basic food certification
period when you receive basic food and another program. You must complete your
review by the 10th day of month six of your basic food certification.
|
(4)
If you must complete a mid-certification review, we send you the review form
with questions about your current circumstances. You can choose to complete the
review form online, or in one of the following ways:
(a)
Complete the form and return it to
us. For us to count your mid-certification review as complete, you must
take all of the steps below:
(i) Complete the
review form, telling us about changes in your circumstances we ask
about;
(ii) Sign and date the
form;
(iii) Give us proof of any
changes you report. If you report a change that will increase your benefits
without giving proof of this change, we will not increase your
benefits;
(iv) If you receive
temporary assistance for needy families and you are working or self-employed,
you must give us proof of your income even if it has not changed; and
(v) Mail or turn in the completed form and
any required proof to us by the due date on the review.
(b)
Complete the mid-certification
review over the phone. For us to count your mid-certification review as
complete, you must take all of the steps below:
(i) Contact us at the phone number on the
review form, telling us about changes in your circumstances we ask
about;
(ii) Give us proof of any
changes you report. We may be able to verify some information over the phone.
If you report a change that will increase your benefits without giving proof of
this change, we will not increase your benefits;
(iii) If you receive temporary assistance for
needy families and you are working or self-employed, you must give us proof of
your income even if it has not changed; and
(iv) Mail or turn in any required proof to us
by the due date on the review.
(c)
Complete the application process
for another program. If we approve an application for another program in
the month you must complete your mid-certification review, we use the
application to complete your review when the same person is head of household
for the application and the mid-certification review.
(5) If your benefits change because of what
we learned in your mid-certification review, the change takes effect the next
month even if this does not give you 10 days' notice before we change your
benefits.
(6) If you do not
complete your required mid-certification review, we stop your benefits at the
end of the month the review was due.
(7)
Late reviews. If you
complete the mid-certification review after the last day of the month the
review was due, we process the review as described below based on when we
receive the review:
(a)
Mid-certification reviews you complete by the last day of the month after
the month the review was due: We determine your eligibility for ongoing
benefits. If you are eligible, we reinstate your benefits based on the
information in the review.
(b)
Mid-certification reviews you complete after the last day of the month
after the month the review was due: We treat this review as a request to
send you an application. For us to determine if you are eligible for benefits,
you must complete the application process as described in chapter
388-406
WAC.
Notes
Wash. Admin.
Code §
388-418-0011
Amended by
WSR
20-20-004, Filed 9/24/2020, effective
10/25/2020
Amended by
WSR
22-17-080, Filed 8/17/2022, effective
9/17/2022
Amended by
WSR
24-13-020, Filed 6/6/2024, effective
7/7/2024
Statutory Authority:
RCW
74.04.050,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.08.090,
74.04.510 and
2011 c
15 . 13-09-034, § 388-418-0011, filed
4/11/13, effective 6/1/13. Statutory Authority:
RCW
74.04.050,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.04.510,
74.08.090 and
Public Law
109-171, TANF Interim Final Rule published in the
Federal Register - Volume 71, No. 125 on June 29, 2006. 08-02-053, §
388-418-0011, filed 12/28/07, effective 2/1/08. Statutory Authority:
RCW
74.04.050,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.04.510,
74.08.090. 06-24-025 and
07-01-023, § 388-418-0011, filed 11/29/06 and 12/8/06, effective 10/1/07;
06-13-043, § 388-418-0011, filed 6/15/06, effective 7/17/06. Statutory
Authority:
RCW
74.04.050,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.08.090. 05-09-020, §
388-418-0011, filed 4/12/05, effective 6/1/05. Statutory Authority:
RCW
74.04.050,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.04.510, and 2004 c 54.
04-19-134, § 388-418-0011, filed 9/21/04, effective
10/1/04.
