HAR §17-663-86. Joint processing

(a) Financial assistance applications, except where the household indicates it does not want SNAP benefits, shall be processed as SNAP applications in accordance with the regular SNAP processing standard. If it is unclear §17-663-86 663-51 from the application as to whether the household wants the application processed for SNAP purposes, the department shall determine the household's intent at the interview or through other contact with the household. (b) The department shall conduct a single in person or telephone interview at initial certification for both financial assistance and SNAP purposes. (c) If verification requirements for financial assistance differ from the verification required in chapter 17-647, the determination of SNAP eligibility shall not be delayed beyond thirty days after the date the application is filed if the department has sufficient verification to meet the requirements of chapter 17-647 but has insufficient verification to meet the financial assistance rules. (d) As a result of differences in financial assistance and SNAP application processing procedures and timeliness standards, the department shall, if necessary, determine SNAP eligibility prior to determining the household's eligibility for financial assistance payments. Action on the SNAP portion of the application shall not be delayed or the application shall not be denied because the financial assistance determination has not been made. (e) If the department is able to anticipate the amount and the date of receipt of the initial financial assistance payment, but the payment will not be received until a subsequent month, the department shall vary the household's SNAP benefit level according to the anticipated receipt of the payment and shall notify the household. Portions of initial payments intended to cover a previous month shall be disregarded as a lump-sum payment. (f) If the amount or date of receipt of the initial financial assistance payment cannot be anticipated at the time of the SNAP eligibility determination, the financial assistance payments shall be handled as a change in circumstances. The department shall not be required to send a notice of adverse action if the receipt of the financial assistance grant reduces or terminates the household's SNAP benefits, provided the household is notified in §17-663-86 663-52 advance that its benefits may be reduced or terminated when the grant is received. (g) A household whose financial assistance application is denied shall not be required to file a new SNAP application but shall have the household's SNAP eligibility determined or continued on the basis of: (1) The original application filed jointly for financial assistance and SNAP purposes; and (2) Any other documented information obtained subsequent to the application which may have been used in the financial assistance determination and is relevant to SNAP eligibility or level of benefits. [Eff 3/19/93; comp 11/19/05; am and comp 10/07/10] (Auth: HRS §346-14) (Imp: 7 C.F.R. §273.2(j)(1)) §17-663-87 Certification procedures for financial assistance households. (a) A household where all members are included in a single financial assistance payment shall have the household's SNAP recertification completed at the same time the household is redetermined for financial assistance. (b) If a financial assistance household has not had its financial assistance redetermination completed timely, the department shall ensure that the SNAP recertification is timely completed. In no event shall SNAP benefits be continued beyond the end of the certification period. (c) A household shall not be required to report changes in the household's financial assistance grants, since the department has prior knowledge of all changes in the financial assistance grants. (d) Except as provided in subsection (c) a financial assistance household shall follow the same reporting requirements as any other SNAP household, and shall use the SNAP change report form or six-month report form. A financial assistance household which reports a change in circumstances to the financial assistance worker shall be considered to have reported the change for SNAP purposes. (e) A household shall be notified: §17-663-87 663-53 (1) Whenever the household's benefits are altered as a result of change in the financial assistance benefits; or (2) Whenever the household's financial assistance benefits are terminated, but the household is still eligible for SNAP benefits, its members shall be advised of SNAP work registration requirements, if applicable. (f) Whenever a change results in the reduction or termination of the household's financial assistance benefits within its SNAP certification period, and the department has sufficient information to determine how the change affects the household's SNAP eligibility and benefit level, the department shall take the following actions: (1) If a change in household circumstances requires a reduction or termination in both the financial assistance payment and in SNAP benefits, the department shall issue a single notice of adverse action, or adequate notice for households subject to simplified reporting as specified in chapter 17-650, for both the financial assistance and SNAP actions. (A) If the household requests a hearing within the period provided by the notice of adverse action or adequate notice, the household's SNAP benefits shall be continued on the basis authorized immediately prior to sending the notice unless the basis for the termination was that the household failed to file a completed six-month report by the department’s deadline; (B) If the hearing is requested for both programs' benefits, the hearing shall be conducted according to financial assistance procedures and timeliness standards. However, the household shall reapply for SNAP benefits if the SNAP certification period expires before the hearing process is completed; (C) If the household does not appeal, the change shall be effective in accordance §17-663-87 663-54 with the provisions specified in chapter 17-680; (2) If the household's SNAP benefits will be increased as a result of the reduction or termination of financial assistance benefits, the department shall issue the financial assistance notice of adverse action, but shall not take any action to increase the household's SNAP benefits until the household decides whether it will appeal the adverse action. (A) If the household decides to appeal and its financial assistance benefits are continued, the household's SNAP benefits shall continue at the previous basis. (B) If the household does not appeal, the department shall make the change effective for the next regularly issued allotment for the household. If, due to the computer processing deadline, the department is unable to increase the next allotment, the department shall supplement the household for that month. (g) Whenever a change results in the termination of a household's financial assistance benefits within its SNAP certification period, and the department does not have sufficient information to determine how the change affects the household's SNAP eligibility and benefit level, the department shall not terminate the household's SNAP benefits but instead shall take the following actions: (1) Where a financial assistance notice of adverse action has been sent, the department shall wait until either the household's notice of adverse action period expires or the household requests a hearing, whichever occurs first. If the household requests a hearing and its financial assistance benefits are continued pending the appeal, the household's SNAP benefits shall be continued on the same basis; or (2) If a financial assistance notice of adverse action is not required, or the household decides not to request a hearing and §17-663-88 663-55 continuation of its financial assistance, the department shall send the household a notice requesting information regarding the household’s circumstances. The household shall be given ten days to respond to the request for information. Failure to respond to the request for information within the specified ten days shall result in termination of the household’s SNAP benefits and a notice of adverse action shall be sent to the household. [Eff 3/19/93; am and comp 11/19/05; am and comp 10/07/10] (Auth: HRS §346-14) (Imp: 7 C.F.R. §§273.10(f)(4), 273.12(f))