Expedited Processing Standards 430-05-20-50-15

(Revised 10/01/17 ML3518)

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County application procedures must be designed to identify households eligible for expedited service at the time the household requests assistance by conducting a pre-screening. Section 1 of the Application for Assistance must be used to screen for expedited services. A household cannot waive its right to expedited service.

Income is not converted when determining entitlement to expedited services.

If the household is self-employed the amount of income that should be used in the expedited calculation is as follows:

If the income represents a household's annual income, the income must be annualized over a 12-month period of time, even if the income is received within a shorter period of time during those 12 months.

If a self-employment enterprise has been in existence for less than a year and continues to operate, the income must be averaged over the period of time the business has been in operation.

If an individual is self-employed for only part of the year to supplement their income from regular employment, the self-employment income must be averaged over the period of time it is intended to cover rather than a 12-month period.

Recurring payments are prorated over the period of time intended to cover and that monthly amount is used in the expedited calculation.

Income must be converted if the household is paid weekly or biweekly when determining the amount of benefits the household is entitled to.

If any of the following apply, the household is entitled to expedited services:

Households with less than $150 in countable gross monthly income.
Migrant or seasonal workers who are destitute.
Households who have combined countable gross monthly income that is less than the household’s monthly rent or mortgage and the appropriate mandatory utility standard.

If pre-screening identifies a household as entitled to expedited service, the application must be processed using the following expedited processing standards:

The household must be interviewed and issued an EBT card on the date of application. The application must be processed no later than the 3rd calendar day following the date the application is filed postponing all verifications not received, with the exception of identity.
If the household cannot be interviewed at the time of the request, the household must be issued an EBT card and provided an appointment no later than the 2nd calendar day following the date the application is filed. The application must be processed no later than the 3rd calendar day following the date the application is filed postponing all verifications not received, with the exception of identity.

Examples:

Household files an application on June 2, is screened and entitled to expedited service. The household is issued an EBT card and interviewed on June 2. The case must be processed on or before June 5 postponing all verification not received with the exception of identity.
Household files an application on June 15, is screened and entitled to expedited service. The household indicates they cannot stay for the interview or EBT card issuance. An interview and EBT card issuance must be scheduled on June 16 or 17. The application must be processed on or before June 18 postponing all verification not received with the exception of identity.

If the household does not reschedule the interview in time to meet the 7-day processing timeframe, the application is processed within the 30-day processing timeframe. If the household makes no further contact, the application must be denied on the 30th day following the date of application for failure to complete the interview process. The notice of denial must not be generated prior to the 30th day after the date of application. If the 30th day falls on a weekend or North Dakota Department of Human Services holiday, the application must be denied on the next working day following the 30th day.

If the expedited processing standard is not met, the application must be processed no later than the 6th day following the date of application so benefits are available by the 7th day. The reason the benefits were not made available within the expedited processing standard must be clearly documented in the casefile.

If pre-screening identifies a household as not entitled to expedited service and it is later determined that the household is entitled to expedited services, the expedited processing timeframe begins with the date the household is discovered entitled to expedited services.

Example:

An application is filed on May 5 and indicates that the household is not entitled to expedited service. At the interview on May 12 it is discovered that the household has countable gross income of less than $150. The application must be processed and an EBT card issued by May 14 so benefits are available on May 15.

If the application is mailed in or dropped off, the county must attempt to contact the household to complete the screening. If the applicant is entitled to expedited services, the application must be processed following expedited processing standards.

Incomplete Application

If an incomplete application is submitted by mail or an incomplete application is filed and the household is unable to stay for the pre-screening, eligibility for expedited processing cannot be determined. The worker must schedule an interview no later than the 2nd calendar day following the date the application is filed.

If the interview is completed, identity is verified and the household is found eligible for expedited services, the application must be processed no later than the 3rd calendar day following the date the application is filed. If the household does not have an EBT card, a card must be issued at the time of interview.

If the interview is completed and the household is not eligible for expedited services, the application must be processed within the 30-day timeframe.

If the household does not show for the scheduled interview, the notice F018 –Notice of Missed Interview must be sent. If the household reschedules the interview in time to meet the 7-day processing timeframe, the interview is completed, identity verified and the household is found eligible for expedited services, the 7-day processing timeframe starts with the date of interview. Benefits must be made available to the household by the 7th day. If the household does not have an EBT card, a card must be issued at the time of interview. Benefits must be issued by the 6th day for deposit into the household’s EBT account to ensure they are available to the household by the 7th day.

If the household does not reschedule the interview in time to meet the 7-day processing time frame, the application is processed within the 30-day processing time frame. If the household makes no further contact, the application must be denied on the 30th day following the date of application for failure to complete the interview process. The notice of denial must not be generated prior to the 30th day after the date of application. If the 30th day falls on a weekend or a North Dakota Department of Human Services holiday, the application must be denied on the next working day following the 30th day.

There is no limit to the number of times a household can be certified under expedited processing.

Exception:

Before a household is entitled to expedited services when verifications were postponed, the household must have provided the postponed verifications or have since been certified under 30-day processing standards.

Example:

Household applied on October 17, was determined entitled to expedited services and certified for two months with postponed verifications. The household failed to provide postponed verifications or recertify.

The household reapplies on December 7, is expedite, however, is not entitled to expedited services because they failed to provide postponed verification in October or November. Mandatory verifications for the December application cannot be postponed and are required to process the application under 30-day processing standards.