One of the most important tasks in determining eligibility for benefits is conducting the interview. Interviews are considered successful when the worker obtains information that is both accurate and complete. Use the following guide for interviews to assist you while you obtain the necessary information you need to determine eligibility for your clients.

Question sections are organized tab-by-tab to give guidance as to which FACS tab the questions are addressing.

The following information is entered prior to or in the initial minutes of the interview.

• What is the case number?
• What is the interview date?
• How are you interviewing the client? (Phone or Face-to-Face).
• How did this client apply for benefits? (Online, Paper, Verbal Request).
• What is the client’s name or authorized representative? (Individual who conducted the interview)
• Does the client wish to appoint an authorized representative?
• How did we verify identity?
• What benefit(s) is the household applying for?

Case Information

• “What is your mailing address? Is there an apartment, lot, or trailer number associated with this address?”
• “What is the best phone number to reach you at? “Is it a cell, home, or work telephone number?”
• “Are there any other family members or friends we can contact if we are unable to contact you for any reason”? “What is their telephone number(s)?”
• “May we email you requests for information, notifications, or case changes?” “What is a working email address for you?”
• “Have you moved or recently changed your address lately?”
• “Tell me what type of housing you have.” “Do you live in a house or an apartment? Do you rent or own?”
• “What is the primary language spoken in your household? Do you also read this language?”

Let’s talk about your rights and responsibilities as well as QC.

Quality Control

Please be aware your SNAP case may be selected for a random Quality Control review at any point during the certification period. In the event your case is selected, you will be required to verify any information used to determine your household’s benefits. This can include but is not limited to:

• Citizenship status
• Who lives in your home
• Income (wages, self-employment, child support, contribution income, unearned income, etc.)
• Deductions (shelter costs, utility expenses, child care costs, etc.)

Please note the Quality Control process is required by Federal Food and Nutrition Services and your cooperation is required to continue receiving SNAP benefits.

Rights and Responsibilities

You have the right to equal treatment no matter what your race, color, age, sex, disability, religious creed, political belief, or national origin, the right to receive information about all DHS programs, and the right to apply for benefits at any time and to receive help on your application. The information you give to DHS will remain confidential and your application will be completed on time. If you do not agree with the outcome of your case or any of these rights are not met, you have the right to ask for a fair hearing.

If you believe you have been discriminated against, you have the right to file a civil rights complaint with DHS or the federal government. If you want to file a complaint, DHS staff will explain the complaint process to you and provide you the forms to complete – or you may write your own statement. If you ask, staff will help you fill out the complaint form and send it to the correct address for you.

Now we will go over your responsibilities.

It is your responsibility to be truthful, cooperate with any investigations and requests for information by DHS. We may need to request documents to help us determine if you are eligible for benefits. If you are unable to obtain any documents we request, contact your worker for assistance. You must report all changes to your household circumstances within 10 days from when that change occurred. Finally, you must allow DHS to give information to other government agencies or private organizations to get help for you?

If you receive SNAP benefits, you must agree to never sell or trade your benefits or the EBT card they come on. You must never use someone’s else’s card and you cannot use food benefits on groceries that are not considered food such as: alcohol, tobacco, or paper products.

• Do you understand your rights and responsibilities?

Intake

• “Has anyone in your household lived in any other state besides Oklahoma in the last 12 months?” “What state did you live in?” “What benefits did you receive there?”
• “Is anyone in the household a fleeing felon?”
• “Is anyone in the household a probation or parole violator?”

Household

• “Please tell me about all the people who stay in your house.”
• “How are each of you related?”
• “Does everyone purchase and prepare food together?”
• “Is there anyone living at your address whom you do not want to include in the benefit(s)?”
• “Has any person moved out of your household in the last year?” “Is there anyone who is temporarily away from the home?” “When will they return?”
• “What is each person’s name as it is listed on their Social Security Card?”
• “What is each person’s Social Security number and date of birth?”
• “Are all the people in the benefit U.S. citizens?” “Who is not a U.S. citizen?” “What is the country of origin for each noncitizen alien in the household?” “What alien status verification did the household provide?” “Does anyone in the household have an Alien Registration Number?” “Does this household have an entry date?”
• “Is anyone a student of higher education?” “Does the student have a meal plan?” “Who is attending an institution of higher education?” “What program?” “Does this person meet student policy exemption?” “Describe meal plan and if it affects eligibility?”
• “Is anyone in the household receiving commodities?”
• “Has anyone served in the armed forces?”

Income

• “Who receives money in your household?”
• “Is anyone self-employed?” “Who is self-employed?” “What is the start date of the self-employment?” “Has this person been self-employed for 12 months?” “Less than 12 months?” “Have taxes been filed on this income?” “Is there a current tax return?”
• “Is anyone working, or have earned Incomes?” “Who is employed?” “When did they start working?” “What is the most recent pay date?” “Can paystubs be obtained online?” “How often do you get paid?” “Are these earnings representative of what you will receive in the future?”
• “Does anyone receive any unearned income that is not work related such as SSI, social security, child support, alimony, or contributions from family and/or friends?”

Exp Services

• “What is the total amount of income your household will receive this month?”
• “How much do you pay for your shelter, rent, or mortgage”?
• “How much cash/money do you currently have in hand or in bank accounts?”
• “Are you a seasonal or migrant farm worker?”
• “Does anyone in your household receive tribal commodities?”

Resources

• “Does the household have any liquid resources?” Examples include cash, access to checking accounts, savings accounts.
• “What is the declared value of any liquid resources?”
• “Did the household receive substantial lottery or gambling winnings greater than $4,250?”
• “What type of vehicles do you own?”
• “Have you sold a home, vehicle, or land in the last 5 years?”
• “Does anyone have any life insurance policies?”
• “Does anyone have any stocks, bonds, or trust funds?”
• “Does anyone in the household receive any income from land or mineral rights?”

SNAP

• “Is anyone in your household on strike?”
• “Do you wish to have an authorized representative for your case?” “What is their name, address, relationship to you, & phone number?”

ABAWD

You may use the following script when discussing Work Registration and ABAWD in a SNAP interview. You should tailor this information to the situation and maintain a conversational tone with the client.

Any household member ages 16 to and able to work, will need to meet the general work requirements to get SNAP benefits unless exempt.

These are agreeing to register for work, taking a suitable job if offered, and not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing your work hours below 30 a week without good cause. Disqualifications may occur if a household member fails to comply unless good cause exists.

Examples of good cause include discrimination, unreasonable work demands, other employment or enrollment of at least part-time in an educational program requires you or other household member to leave employment, retirement, initial offer of hours or earnings does not materialize or circumstances beyond your control such as illness, unavailability of transportation, household emergency or lack of adequate childcare for children ages 6-12.

Are there any household members currently employed at least 30 hours a week or earning wages at least equal to $217.50 per week?

A Work Registration exemption applies for those individuals.

Are there any household members ages 16 to 59 years old that are unable to work?

Let’s go over any other exemptions that may apply?

• Meeting work requirements for another program (TANF or unemployment compensation);
• Taking care of a child under 6 or an incapacitated person;
• Unable to work due to a physical or mental limitation;
• Participating regularly in an alcohol or drug treatment program;
• Studying in school or a training program at least half-time (but college students are subject to other eligibility rules).

If none of these exemptions exist:

If you are age 18–54*, able to work, and don’t have any dependents, you might need to meet both the general work requirements and an additional work requirement for (Able Bodied Adults without Dependants) ABAWDs to get SNAP for more than 3 months in 36 months. If you agree to register for work, the household will receive a letter explaining the work registration requirements for our state as well as receive information and resources for finding employment. Good cause reasons are also explained in the letter.  The work requirement for ABAWD can be fulfilled by:

• Work at least 80 hours a month. Work can be for pay, for goods or services (for something other than money), unpaid, or as a volunteer;
• Participate in a work program at least 80 hours a month. A work program could be SNAP Employment and Training or another federal, state, or local work program;
• Participate in a combination of work and work program hours for a total of at least 80 hours a month;
• Participate in workfare for the number of hours assigned to you each month (the number of hours will depend on the amount of your SNAP benefit.)

You are excused from the ABAWD work requirement and time limit if you meet any of these exemptions:

• Unable to work due to a physical or mental limitation;
• Pregnant;
• Have someone under 18 in your SNAP household;
• Excused from the general work requirements (work registration exemptions previously discussed);
• A veteran;
• Experiencing homelessness;
• Age 24 or younger and in foster care on your 18th birthday.

If you have to meet the ABAWD work requirement, but you don’t; you will lose your benefits after 3 months. To get SNAP again, you must meet the ABAWD work requirement for a 30-day period (work at least 80 hours) or become excused. Otherwise, you need to wait until the end of your 36-month period, when you’ll get another 3 months under the time limit.

Please be sure to report any changes in work hours if they are reduced to under 20 hours per week/80 hours per month.  Changes can be reported to the customer service line at (405) 522-5050.

OK SNAP Works

OK SNAP Works is Oklahoma’s SNAP Employment and Training Program. Our goal is to provide SNAP participants the opportunity to gain skills, training, or experience that will improve their employment prospects. At no cost to the participant, they may receive:

• Professional, vocational, and technical programs for learning new job skills;
• Adult Basic Education for improvement in reading, writing the English language, and math;
• Writing effective resumes;
• Improving interview skills;
• Supportive services such as transportation assistance, uniforms, clothing for interviews, equipment or trade tools, or things that are both reasonable and necessary for the success for SNAP E&T.

Shelter

• “Do you pay any money towards heating or cooling your residence?” “Who is responsible for paying the utility bills?”
• “How much is your monthly rent payment?” “Does the monthly payment include the utilities?”
• “Do you have to pay taxes and home insurance separate from your mortgage?”
• “Have you changed residences in the last year?”
• “Do you pay a monthly bill for a home telephone line or cell phone?”
• “Have you recently had a change in your mortgage or rent payment?”
• “Who is responsible for the rent or mortgage payment in your household?” Is this payment split among household members?” “How much does each person pay towards the rent or mortgage payment?”
• “Are you required by the lease to have renter’s insurance in order to live there?”

Expenses

• “Does anyone in the household pay court ordered child support?”
• “Does anyone in the household pay any money towards child care costs?”
• “Does anyone in the household pay any money towards monthly prescriptions, co-pays for doctor appointments, or hospital bill balances?”

Child Care Tab

• “Does your household have resources over $1,000,000?”
• “Are you starting a new job?” “Are you in danger of losing a job due to a lack of child care?”
• “Have you visited any child care facilities prior to this application?”
• “How has child care been provided for before?”
• “Are you currently paying someone to watch your child(ren)?” “How much are you paying per month in child care costs?” “Does anyone help you pay the child care cost?”
• “Who can provide care in the case of an emergency?”
• “How many days a week will you need child care?”
• “What is your work or school schedule?”
• “What is the name/address of the child care facility you wish to use?”

Medical

• “Is there anyone in the household in need of medical services?”
• “Is there anyone in the household that is currently pregnant?” “What is the due date?” “What is the expected number of births?”

Social Services

• “Are you or anyone in your family need help escaping an abusive situation?” 24 Hour Safeline: 1-800-522-SAFE (7233)
• “Does anyone in the household request any other social services?”
• “Do you need a referral for food resources?”
• “Do the household need an EBT card?”