During a recent FNS audit, auditors identified that the State sends the household a request for contact to verify their address upon receiving undeliverable returned mail. If the requested verification is not returned, the State closes the case for failure to provide requested information. Receipt of undeliverable mail may be an indication that a household has moved, but there may be other reasons for mail being returned. Thus, receipt of undeliverable returned mail is unclear information. Under simplified reporting, households are not required to report a change of address during the certification period. Therefore, when the county receives returned mail without a forwarding address for simplified reporting households, the county should hold that information and follow-up at the next scheduled certification action or periodic report about the potential change in residence.
Updates will need to be made to NOTES - RETURNED MAIL to reflect these directions from FNS so that cases that meet unclear information criteria are not improperly acted upon.
During a recent FNS audit, auditors identified that the State sends the household a request for contact to verify their address upon receiving undeliverable returned mail. If the requested verification is not returned, the State closes the case for failure to provide requested information. Receipt of undeliverable mail may be an indication that a household has moved, but there may be other reasons for mail being returned. Thus, receipt of undeliverable returned mail is unclear information. Under simplified reporting, households are not required to report a change of address during the certification period. Therefore, when the county receives returned mail without a forwarding address for simplified reporting households, the county should hold that information and follow-up at the next scheduled certification action or periodic report about the potential change in residence.
Updates will need to be made to NOTES - RETURNED MAIL to reflect these directions from FNS so that cases that meet unclear information criteria are not improperly acted upon.