When a client contacts you to let you know he/she has moved out of state, or another state social services agency contacts you to let you know the client has moved to their state, you close the case for the next month, as long as you take the action by 2nd deadline (no 10-day advance notice required). Please make sure to include the client’s new address so our DHS closure notice can be received by the client. Policy at 340:50-9-5(m)(3)(C) states, “When the worker determines, based on reliable information, the household moved out of state, the worker closes benefits by the non-advance notice deadline per Appendix B-2”

Whenever a client applies for benefits in Oklahoma and reports to the worker they have moved to Oklahoma from another state in the last year, it is the responsibility of the worker to verify the benefits have ended in the other state. The worker should not ask the client to provide this verification. Policy at 340:50-5-66 ITS #1 states, “The worker must take extra care to avoid duplicate participation. If the household has lived in another state in the past 12 months, the worker must verify there are no open cases in the other state.”

Ask the client what state they moved from and if they ever received benefits in that state. If yes, when did the case close? Document the client’s response in Case Notes. Use the National Directory of Contacts for out of state contact information.

• Make an attempt to call the other state to obtain verification
• If the other state does not have a phone number or verification cannot be obtained immediately:
  • Use the Out of State Inquiry Form, that you were unable to obtain the verification immediately. Once submitted, the form will automatically send the request to the new email address for Out of State Inquiries: AFS.OutofStateInquiry@okdhs.org
  • Use Case Notes Generator to document the attempt to verify benefits and use the customer’s statement as “best available” in IMS/FACS to continue the interview.
• SNAP Unit then sends a request via email/fax to obtain the verification
• Once verification is received, the SNAP Unit will upload it to OnBase as a change which will trigger a task for a worker to take the appropriate action based on the discrepant information at that time. The worker who receives this task will be responsible for any overpayment if duplicate benefits were received.

Example 1

Client calls the caseworker on 07-05-23 to let the worker know that he has moved to Arkansas. What effective date should the worker close the case?

The worker should close the case, eff. 08-01-23 , since the client reported this change prior to 2nd deadline AND a notice of adverse action is not required.

Example 2

Client comes to the local county office on 07-25-23 to apply for SNAP. Client provides a current driver’s license from the state of Arkansas for proof of ID. What action should the worker take on the case?
During the interview, the worker needs to ask the client about the Arkansas ID and if the client has moved to Oklahoma from Arkansas or any other state in the last 12 months. If the client states that they have moved to Oklahoma from Arkansas in the last 12 months, the worker needs to contact Arkansas to verify benefits have closed in that state and the effective date of closure.

Example 3

Client comes to the local county office on 8-19-24 to apply for medical benefits due to disability. Client states that she recently moved from Texas. What action should the worker take on the case?

We need to attempt to verify if the client has open medical benefits in prior state. If the state does not have a contact or if verification cannot be obtained immediately, we can document the attempt to verify benefits and client’s statement in FACS as “best available”.

If the client statement or verification confirms current receipt of medical from prior state then, we need to wait until we know the other state has closed their medical and buy-in before we certify here.

If medical is certified in OK, buy-in can be added without having to wait until the Bendex to update. If they have SSI, it is a must the client update the finding address on the SSI record to OK, so it will pull over to the state of Oklahoma.

Most states have Medicaid and buy-in connected to the SSI record and SSA auto enrolls in benefits based on the SSI finding address. Oklahoma as a state does not. Once the SSI leaves that state, it should start a closure of Medicaid and buy-in with SSA.

If it is SLMB or QI-1 only, clients need to report the move and update address with SSA. We can send buy-in for SLMB or QI-1 and Medicare will send a stop to the other state. If the client has not reported the move and the updated address with SSA, the other state is likely to take back buy-in from Oklahoma.

Remember! Update Case Notes with an adequate explanation!

Policy 340:50-9-5(m)(3)(C) Clients moving to another State

Policy 340:50-5-66 ITS #1 Clients who have recently moved to OK from another state