Communicating With Households About Scheduled Interviews
When communicating with households about interview scheduling, you may choose to send a written notice to the applicant household informing it of the date, time, and location of the interview. We consider a written notice to be a best practice and encourages states to keep a copy of written notices in the case file. You may also call the household to schedule an interview. When the interview is scheduled telephonically, you must document these calls to show that an interview was scheduled and that the time and place were communicated to the household.
Expedited service. You must schedule the interview for applicants entitled to expedited service in a timeframe that enables them to meet the 7-day processing standards. The state must conduct the interview before an eligibility determination is made, consistent with all other applicant households. While verification may be postponed, the interview must follow standard protocols to provide information and explore the applicant’s circumstances. 7 CFR 273.2(i)
Notice of Missed Interview and rescheduling. States must send a Notice of Missed Interview (NOMI) when a household misses its interview appointment to notify the household it missed the scheduled interview and that it is responsible for rescheduling the interview. You must schedule a second interview if the household contacts you within the 30-day processing period. 7 CFR 273.2(e)(3)
Denial for missed interview. The state must send the household a notice of denial on the 30th day following the application date if the household has not responded to the NOMI. You may combine the NOMI with the notice of denial at recertification. 7 CFR 273.2(e)(3), 7 CFR 273.2(g)(3), 7 CFR 273.14(b)(3)
Refusal to cooperate. The state must deny the application at the time of refusal if a household refuses to cooperate in completing the certification process, including the interview. For a determination of refusal to be made, the household must be able to cooperate but clearly demonstrate that it will refuse to take the actions required to complete the application process. For example, to be denied for refusal to cooperate, a household must refuse to be interviewed and not merely fail to appear for the interview. You must not deny the household’s application if any question exists as to whether the household has failed to cooperate, as opposed to refused to cooperate. 7 CFR 273.2(d)(1)
You are not allowed to deny an application prior to scheduling an interview, even if information on the application suggests ineligibility. Applicants who appear to be ineligible based on their application information may provide information during the interview that shows they are in fact eligible. This situation could happen for many reasons, including the applicant inadvertently omitted information on their application or struggles with literacy, educational, or language barriers.
For example, a household may have made a typographical or clerical error. If the household has limited English proficiency (LEP), it may need translation services to understand questions sufficiently to accurately answer them. An interactive interview enables eligibility workers to clarify statements, confirm applicants understand the questions asked and correctly answer them, and ensures the most accurate information is used to determine eligibility.
Options and flexibilities: Some states have requested a waiver of the requirement to schedule an interview and instead allow applicant households to call for an interview within a set period after application (for more information, see the section Waivers).
Interview is Key to SNAP Approval or Denial
- You cannot approve a SNAP application, including for households potentially entitled to expedited service, prior to conducting an interview.
- You cannot deny an application without offering the household an interview, even when the application includes information suggesting ineligibility.