3.5 Contacting the Participant

3.5.1 Initial Contact, Appointment Scheduling, and Notification

Timely contact with each new FSET referral and updated referral by the FSET worker facilitates the ability of non-exempt ABAWDs to meet the work requirement and has consequences for the FoodShare (FS) eligibility status of this group of FS members.

3.5.1 Initial Contact, Appointment Scheduling, and Notification

The FSET worker is expected to contact the referred FS member by letter or by telephone within five business days of the FS eligibility effective date. As part of the initial contact, the FSET worker will schedule an initial appointment. If the FSET worker attempts, but is unsuccessful in making initial contact via telephone, the worker is responsible for sending an appointment letter within five business days of the FS eligibility effective date.

The FSET worker is expected to schedule an initial appointment for FSET enrollment and orientation. This appointment should be scheduled to occur within 12 calendar days of the date the referral is received or the effective date of FS eligibility, if the referral is sent prior to the FS eligibility start date.

For referrals in which the effective date of FS eligibility is on or before the date the referral was received:

The worker is responsible for contacting the individual as soon as possible but no later than five business days from the date the referral was received.
If the worker is unable to reach the individual within the five business day time frame, an initial enrollment appointment must be scheduled.
The initial appointment must be scheduled to occur within 12 calendar days of the date the referral was received.

Note: For appointments scheduled to occur within 12 calendar days of the current date, CARES Worker Web (CWW) will automatically send the appointment letter the day after the worker schedules the appointment.

Example: On 7/10/15 a referral is received for a non-exempt ABAWD with a FS effective date of 7/1/15. The FSET worker calls the individual on 7/11/15 and schedules an enrollment appointment for 7/15/15. CWW will automatically send an appointment letter on 7/12/15 for appointment on 7/15/2015. The worker contacted the individual within the five business day time frame, which expires on 7/17/2015. The worker also scheduled the appointment within the 12 calendar days' time frame, which expires on 7/22/2015. The letter is automatically sent on 7/12/15, which is the day after the worker scheduled the appointment on 07/11/2015.

Example: On 7/10/15 a referral is received for a non-exempt ABAWD with a FS effective date of 7/1/15. The FSET worker is unable to reach the individual by phone on 7/11/15 and 7/15/15. On 7/15/15 the worker schedules the initial enrollment appointment for 7/21/15 so that the individual receives the appointment letter prior to the date of the appointment. The worker contacted the individual within the five business day time frame, which expires on 7/17/15. The worker also scheduled the appointment within the 12 calendar days' time frame, which expires on 7/22/15. The appointment letter will automatically be sent by CWW on 7/16/15.

For referrals in which the ‘Effective Date’ of FS eligibility is after the date the referral was received:

The worker is responsible for sending an appointment letter no more than five business days from the date the referral was received.
The initial appointment must be scheduled to occur within 12 calendar days after the effective date of FS eligibility.

Note: CWW will automatically send an appointment letter 12 days prior to the appointment.

Example: On 7/10/15 a referral is received for a non-exempt ABAWD with a FS effective date of 8/1/15.The FSET worker calls the individual on 7/12/15 and schedules an enrollment appointment for 8/2/15 (the individual is ineligible for FS in July and so cannot begin participating in FSET until August 1). The worker complied with the five business day requirement, which expires on 7/17/15. The worker also complied with the 12 calendar days, which expires on 8/13/15. CWW will automatically send an appointment letter 12 days prior to the date of the enrollment appointment.

If the individual misses their initial appointment, the FSET worker is expected to schedule a second appointment, which must be scheduled to occur within 12 calendar days of the missed appointment. The Department of Health Services (DHS) strongly encourages FSET agencies to continue scheduling additional appointments beyond the required two appointments for non-exempt ABAWDs who fail to attend these scheduled appointments. Additionally, it is advisable to schedule the subsequent appointment sooner than 12 days if the FSET agency is able to accommodate such a scheduling. The FSET agencies should follow the same 12-day time frame for scheduling these additional appointments.

For more information about appointment correspondence, see Process Help 1.8.9.

3.5.2 Number of Contacts

At a minimum, a second appointment letter must be sent to individuals who miss their initial appointment.

The FSET worker should contact and schedule an appointment for each non-exempt ABAWD who is not participating in FSET but has reached the end of the second time-limited benefit (TLB) month, to try and engage them in FSET one more time. In order for a non-exempt ABAWD to meet the work requirement through FSET participation and maintain ongoing FS benefits after the TLB month, s/he must be enrolled and fully participating in FSET by the 10th day of the third TLB month. The FSET worker should document in PIN comments information relating to each contact that is attempted.

This page last updated in Release Number: 15-01

Release Date: 02/26/15

Effective Date: 02/26/15