Welcome to the Verification Workshop Department of Agriculture School Nutrition Programs

Objectives To understand and conduct verification correctly To file required reports in a timely manner To understand how to complete the new Verification Collection Report

What is verification? Verification is the confirmation of eligibility for free and reduced price meals

Verification of eligibility Must include either confirmation of: Reported income or NJ SNAP or TANF eligibility

Why is verification important? It identifies children who are receiving benefits improperly Children receiving benefits improperly result in the misuse of federal funds

The New SFA Verification Collection Report Overview of Changes Reports layout is different Report has 5 separate sections All SFAs participating in the NSLP must complete the new form in the applicable sections SFAs with alternate provisions must complete the report in the applicable sections

Save the dates October 1st Report number of applications in SNEARS October 31 st Complete and submit the Verification Collection Report in SNEARS

Are you ready? Be certain: applications are complete and correctly determined a second look for accuracy is strongly suggested applications have been identified as error prone the district has developed a Benefit Issuance Document (BID)

Number to verify?

Selection criteria Must select applications identified as ERROR PRONE

Error prone is... Weekly: $0 - $25 Every two weeks or twice a month: $0 - $50 Monthly: $0 - $100 Annually: $0 - $1200 below the free or reduced price income eligibility limits.

Household of 4 Income $565.00/week Eligibility = free Is this application error prone? $ is within the range of error prone Is this application error prone? $ weekly IEG - $ error prone identifier $ Range is $ $ YES!

Household of 2 Income $1695/monthly Eligibility = reduced Is this application error prone? $2392 monthly IEG -$100 error prone identifier $2292 Range is $2292 $2392 $1695 is not within the range of error prone Is this application error prone? NO!

Not enough/Too many Insufficient Number of Error Prone Randomly select from remaining applications Excess Number of Error Prone Randomly select from error prone What should I do?

Random selection Any method which gives each application an equal chance of being selected Selection must not involve discrimination

Never to be included in the random selection... Directly certified students (SNAP/TANF) Homeless, migrant, and runaway children Children in RCCIs (Group Homes) FPM or SSMP (Milk Programs) Denied applications Schools participating in Provision 1 and 2, except in the base year Foster child with documentation from DYFS

Confirmation review of selected applications Prior to notifying the household of verification the applications selected must be reviewed by the confirming official Confirming official : Validates determination If incorrect, notify household of change Correctly identifies application as error prone Signs and dates application May not be the determining official

Keeping on Task Set up verification folder Complete and attach Verification Tracker (Form #242) Households must be notified in writing We Must Check Your Application (Form #236) Attach all documents and correspondence to verified application

And the task continues… Must verify all income on the application Acceptable proof of income documents must be from the month prior to applying up to the current time

Incomplete verification An attempt must be made to obtain the information Letter to Notify Household of Incomplete Verification (Form #237)

When the household fails to respond... SECOND ATTEMPT must be made by: mail Second Notice We Must Check Your Application (Form #21) or phone or

And the task still continues... Document on Verification Tracker (Form #242) attempts and results Verification must be completed for all applications which have been selected If all students in the household withdraw, must select a new application to verify

Acceptable documentation for income JOBS Dated paycheck stub indicating gross income amount and frequency Signed and dated letter from employer indicating gross income amount and frequency Letter to Verify Employment (Form #241)

Documentation (cont.) Social Security, Pensions or Retirement Social Security retirement benefit letter Statement of benefits received Pension award notice Paystub or copy of check

Documentation (cont.) Unemployment, Disability, or Workers Compensation Notice of eligibility from state employment security office Check stub Letter from workers compensation

Documentation (cont.) Welfare Payments Benefit letter from welfare agency Other Income (such as rental) A dated letter indicating amount of income and frequency

Documentation (cont.) Child support or Alimony Court decree or agreement Copies of checks received Military Housing Letters/rental contract from the military housing privatization initiative

Documentation (cont.) Self-employed Ledger books Last quarterly tax estimate Prior years tax return

Documentation (cont.) Foster Child Documentation from an appropriate State or local agency indicating the child is the responsibility of the State or has been placed with a caretaker by the court. Foster families receive a Resource Family Parent Identification Letter (DYFS 5-49)

Acceptable documentation for categorical (NJ SNAP or TANF) NJ SNAP or TANF certification notice that shows dates of certification Letter from NJ SNAP or TANF office that shows dates of certification

Unacceptable d ocumentation W-2 Forms EBT NJ SNAP photo identification card Medicaid identification card WIC identification card Family First card

Verification through collateral contacts Collateral contact is used when the household is not able to provide written evidence Collateral contact is an individual outside the household who is knowledgeable about the households circumstances

And the task never ends....verifying for cause May verify any questionable application for cause anytime during the school year Excluded from sample size Must include results on Verification Collection Report (Form #742) if verified for cause before November 15th

Verifying School District Employees For Cause Verification for cause must not be conducted on all district employees approved lunch applications The LEA could identify questionable applications from school district employees and then conduct verification for cause on those questionable applications only

Results of verification No change in benefits Increase in benefits Reduction in benefits Termination of benefits

No change in benefit level Documentation supports approved benefit level The LEA should send the We Have Checked Your Application (Form #244)

Increase in benefit level Documentation qualifies the household for free meals The LEA must send the We Have Checked Your Application (Form #244) Benefits are increased immediately R F

Reduction in benefit level Documentation exceeds the original reported amount The LEA must send the We Have Checked Your Application (Form #244) The households must be given 10 calendar days prior to reducing benefits F R or FD or RD

Termination of benefit level after 2 nd attempt Failure to respond to verification or Incomplete response to verification The LEA must send the We Have Checked Your Application (Form #244) The households must be given 10 calendar days prior to reducing benefits

Household responds to termination notice If household responds with required documents within 10 calendar days and eligibility is supported, benefits continue If household responds and eligibility is not supported, benefits remain terminated/denied The LEA must send the We Have Checked Your Application (Form #244)

Recordkeeping Staff must be notified of changes in meal eligibility Meal status changes must be extended to all children in the household Meal status changes are applied to all school nutrition programs offered

Appeal Process Households request hearing during the 10 calendar day period LEA must continue to provide original benefits until final determination is made If hearing official rules: a termination or reduction, benefits takes place within 10 operating days an increase in benefits takes place within 3 operating days

Reapplying Households that are affected by reduction or termination in benefits: May reapply any time during the school year These applications are NOT considered new applications Required to submit income or proof of participation in NJ SNAP or TANF documentation at time of reapplication

Steps to complete the Verification Summary Report the results of all applications verified in Section 5 on the Verification Collection Report (Form #742)

Its October 31st Final submission of the Verification Collection Report is available October 31 st through November 30 th SFAs must complete all applicable fields

General Information

Section 1- All SFAs Must Fill Out

Section 2 – SFAs Operating Provisions N/A

Section 3- Students Approved Free Not Subject to Verification

Section 3, Line 3-2 – Students Directly Certified through SNAP Include all SNAP direct certifications in this count. If a student is SNAP directly certified along with another program (i.e. SNAP/TANF), classify it as a SNAP direct certification. Include it in the count on this line, not on another lineSNAP takes precedence. If a student is extended eligibility for free meals because someone else in the household receives SNAP, classify it as SNAP direct certification, and include it in this count.

Section 4 – Students approved as Free or Reduced through an application As of October 1 st Last operating day Oct.

Totals – T-1 and T-2 T-1 = Total FREE eligible students reported T-2 = Total REDUCED PRICE eligible students reported

Section 5 - Results of Verification

Results of Verification

Verified For Cause VC-1: Report the total number of household applications verified for cause, as of Nov. 15th, if applicable; These applications are outside the standard verification process; i.e., they are NOT considered part of the required sample size; You MUST include the results of verification for cause by original benefit type in 5-8.

Consequences when verification incorrect: Reimbursement may be withheld May have to re-do verification

Thank you for attending the Verification Workshop Department of Agriculture School Nutrition Programs