Type of Interview

USDA FNS granted California a waiver of the face-to-face interview requirement for all non-assistance households. A telephone interview is required.

Telephone Interview

A telephone interview must be conducted at recertification in place of a face-to-face interview, unless a face to-face interview is required for the reasons listed below.

Telephonic Signature (TS)

For telephone interviews, the client has the option to provide a telephonic signature. A telephonic signature is a type of electronic signature using an individual’s recorded signature or verbal assent in place of an actual written signature and is considered legally enforceable.

The Telephonic Signature RC process eliminates the need to mail out the CalFresh RC packets, which includes the CF 37 form, for completion by the client prior to the telephone interview.

Note: If for technical reasons a TS signature cannot be captured EW can revert to Non-TS by sending the forms via DocuSign, explaining the R&R verbally and adding a detailed case journal explaining the TS interview was unable to be completed due to technical reasons.

Face-to-Face Interview

A face-to-face interview must still be conducted at recertification in the following circumstances:

1. When requested by the household or the household’s authorized representative, or
2. When the county determines it is necessary to verify conditions of eligibility, or
3. When doing the recertification in conjunction with another program (e.g., General Assistance, CalWORKs) and those programs require a face-to-face interview.