Food and Nutrition Services - Admin. Letters

DSS ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER NO. ECONOMIC AND FAMILY SERVICES 15-2010
Waiver of Hardship Documentation for Telephone Interview at Initial Application

(Food and Nutrition Services)

TO:	County Directors of Social Services
ATTENTION:	Food and Nutrition Services Managers and Supervisors Program Integrity Managers and Supervisors
DATE:	December 21, 2010
SUBJECT:	Waiver of Hardship Documentation for Telephone Interview at Initial Application
EFFECTIVE:	January 1, 2011

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

Current Food and Nutrition Services policy requires that all applicant households must have a face-to-face interview. The office interview may be waived and a telephone interview may be conducted on a case-by-case basis due to a documentable hardship.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently approved North Carolina’s request to waive the requirement to document hardship when conducting a telephone interview in lieu of a face-to-face interview at initial application.

The purpose of this letter is to provide instructions for implementing the procedure for waiving the face-to-face interview at initial application.

II. POLICY PROCEDURES

An interview must be conducted with all applicant households. Effective January 1, 2011, telephone interviews of applicant households may be utilized without need to document a hardship. When conducting a telephone interview in lieu of the face-to-face interview, follow procedures in sections 310.05, Procedures for Scheduling an Interview; 310.06 Procedures When Applicant Fails to Attend First Scheduled Interview and 310.07, Procedures When Applicant Contacts Agency to Reschedule Interview.

Policy Requirements for Conducting a Telephone Interview at Initial Application

A. A face-to-face interview must be conducted if determined to be appropriate;

B. A household must not be required to attend an in-office interview if that attendance would be a hardship as defined by section 310.03;

C. A face-to-face interview must be provided if requested by the applicant or authorized representative;

D. The same information should be requested during the interview and the same verification process should be employed regardless of the type of interview conducted.

III. IMPLEMENTATION INSTRUCTIONS

Apply these new procedures to initial applications with interviews beginning January 1, 2011 or later.

If you have any questions contact your Food and Nutrition Services and Energy Programs Regional Support Team directly via email. If the FNS Regional Support Team is unavailable, the Economic and Family Services Help Desk can be contacted at 919-334-1100 or by email at DSS.EFSHD@dhhs.nc.gov.

Sincerely,



Dean Simpson, Chief
Economic and Family Services

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