Verification

Overview

Verification is the use of third-party information or documentation to establish the accuracy of statements on the application. Verification is not required for exempt income unless it is considered questionable.

Before determining eligibility for applicant households, sufficient information concerning the applicant's situation must be obtained for the EW to make an informed judgment as to the household's eligibility. Verification and documentation are tools for making this judgment and recording the decision-making process in the case file.

CalFresh households have primary responsibility for providing documentary evidence regarding key eligibility factors; however, eligibility staff can help reduce this burden and speed up processing time by the use of certain verification reduction strategies as detailed below:

Ensuring mandatory verification is only requested when needed to document a household’s eligibility.
Check all available electronic sources to verify before requesting missing verification
Not limiting verification to any single type of document, if multiple sources are available.
Utilizing collateral contacts made by the county to appropriate third-party sources.
Utilizing self-certifications obtained through the household, where permitted.
Only requesting “optional verification” for the purposes of maximizing benefits.
Identifying “questionable information.”
Not requiring verification for information that hasn’t changed at recertification or since the last report.

NOTE: Applications submitted with no verifications must be accepted if meeting the minimum requirements:

The applicant's name, and
Household address (unless homeless), and
Signature of the head of household, any household member or an authorized representative (AR).

Verification

Overview

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