La. Admin. Code tit. 67 § III-1985

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section III-1985 - Determining Eligibility

A. Effective March 1, 1983, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's State Manual has been revised to reflect these mandated changes.

1. Verification shall be required, prior to certification or recertification of the household, of all factors of eligibility which are determined questionable and affect the household's eligibility and benefit level. The definition of questionable information is amended to include any information deemed by the eligibility worker to be inconsistent as established by the agency. Questionable information could be information that is inconsistent with other information on the application, or inconsistent with other information received by the agency. It could also be any information that seems inconsistent with the household's situation and raises reasonable doubt about certain factors of eligibility. The eligibility worker may not use these procedures to require additional verification based on race, religion, ethnic background, or national origin. The eligibility worker shall not target groups such as migrants and American Indians for additional verification.

2. Any member whose citizenship is questionable shall be declared ineligible to participate until proof of U.S. citizenship is obtained. Until proof of U.S. citizenship is obtained, the member whose citizenship is in question will have his or her income, less a pro rata share, and all of his or her resources considered available to any remaining household members.

3. Collateral contacts will be selected if the household fails to designate one or designates one which is unacceptable to the agency. If the agency designates a collateral contact, the agency shall not initiate contact with the designated collateral without providing prior written or oral notice to the household at the time of this notice, the agency shall inform the household that it has the following options:

(1) consent to the contact,

(2) provide acceptable verification in another form, or

(3) withdraw its application. If the household refuses to choose one of these options, its application shall be denied in accordance with the normal procedures for failure to verify information.

4. Households participating or applying for participation in SNAP shall provide the agency with the Social Security Number (SSN) of each household member, or apply for one through the agency before certification as a condition of eligibility. The member that has applied for an SSN shall be allowed to participate for 30 days from the first day of the first full month of participation while awaiting receipt of the SSN. If the household member(s) can show good cause why an SSN has not been obtained in a timely manner, they shall be allowed to participate for an additional 30 days. In determining if good cause exists for failure to comply with this requirement, the department shall consider information from the household member, the Social Security Administration, and its own information. Documentary evidence or collateral information that the household has applied for the number or made every effort to supply SSA with the necessary information shall be considered good cause for not complying with this requirement.

La. Admin. Code tit. 67, § III-1985

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Office of Family Security, LR 9:64 (February 1983), amended by the Department of Social Services, Office of Family Support, LR 24:1783 (September 1998), amended by the Department of Children and Family Services, Economic Stability and Self-Sufficiency Section, LR 36:2531 (November 2010).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with F.R. 47:53309 et seq., 7 CFR 271, 272, 273.10, 274, P.L. 110-246.