2.1.4 Expedited Service at Application

7 CFR Code of Federal Regulations 273.2(i)

2.1.4.1 Eligibility for Expedited Services at Application

2.1.4.2 Verification Requirements for Expedited Services

Expedited Services are designed to get the initial FS FoodShare allotment to the FS group within seven calendar days from the date of the application. In order to do this, the applicant must be allowed to complete the interview quickly and CARES Client Assistance for Reemployment and Economic Support must issue benefits quickly. The two phases of expedited services are:

Priority Service - which refers to whether or not a person should be interviewed the same day or the next working day from the filing date
Expedited Issuance - which refers to how quickly CARES will issue FoodShare benefits once the case is confirmed and eligible for expedited issuance. Expedited benefits will be issued the same day or the next business day following confirmation in CARES. All food units that apply after the 15th of the month and who are eligible for expedited issuance must receive the prorated initial allotment and next month's allotment within 7 calendar days from the application filing date.

Local agencies must provide priority service and expedited benefits to those households that qualify for them.

2.1.4.1 Eligibility for Expedited Services at Application

A person or food unit may be eligible for priority services and expedited issuance if:

Their total monthly gross income and available assets are less than the monthly costs for utilities and rent or mortgage; or
Their gross monthly income is less than $150 and they have $100 or less in available liquid assets; or
Their household includes a migrant any person who temporarily leaves a principal place of residence outside of his state and comes to this state for not more than 10 months in a year to accept seasonal employment in the planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, or storing of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state/seasonal farm worker, who is also defined as "destitute" by meeting all of the following criteria:

1. Liquid assets are less than $100, and
2. Income prior to the month of application was from a terminated source, and
3. They don't expect to receive more than $25 from a new source in the next ten days.

There is no eligibility for expedited services at recertification (2.2.1).

2.1.4.2 Verification Requirements for Expedited Services

A food unit eligible for expedited benefit issuance is only required to provide verification of identity of the primary applicant before the expedited benefits can be issued. Any documents, which reasonably establish the applicant's identity, must be accepted, and no requirement for a specific type of document, such as a birth certificate or photo ID, may be imposed. Even collateral contact is acceptable. If any other required verification is readily available, it must be used in the initial eligibility determination. Other outstanding required verification items must be requested, however do not delay the issuance of expedited benefits pending the receipt of other requested verification.

CARES will deny ongoing months with a failure code reason related to expedited verification requirements. If requested verification is not received, the AG will remain closed due to failure to provide requested expedited verifications (codes 152, 153, or 154). In many instances a verification checklist is not sent, resulting in negative QC errors. To avoid possible errors confirm all FS benefit months, including the second or third month “fail”. Run eligibility a second time to place the case in pending status and to send a system generated verification request. Change the verification due date on the checklist to the 30th day of the application. Suppress any incorrect notices.

There is no limit to the number of times a household can be certified under expedited procedures as long as the household:

submitted all the required verifications within the last 30 day application processing period following an expedited issuance, or
was certified under normal processing standards since the last expedited certification.

2.1.4.3 Eligibility for Migrant Workers

According to Wisconsin Statutes, 103.90 (5) (a), "A 'migrant worker' is any person who temporarily leaves a principal place of residence outside of his state and comes to this state for not more than 10 months in a year to accept seasonal employment in the planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, or storing of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state."

Migrants are eligible for priority service if:

Income is less than $150 gross, and
Available assets are $100 or less, or
They meet the definition of “destitute” by meeting all three of the following criteria:
1. Assets are $100 or less, and
2. The only income received by the food unit prior to the application filing date was from a terminated source, and
3. The household does not expect to receive more than $25 from a new source within 10 calendar days from the date of application.

Treatment of Income for Destitute Migrants:

Budget income from a terminated source which was received by the food unit between the first of the month of application and the application date, as income available for the food unit’s needs in the month of application.
Disregard any income from a new source expected during the month of application. This income may not be more than $25.00 or must be received at least 10 days after the date of application.
After the application month, budget income from a new source for the months it will be received.

The home of a migrant worker in his/her state of residency is an exempt asset.

This page last updated in Release Number: 07-03

Release Date: 10/01/07

Effective Date: 10/01/07