Any household which fails to submit requested verification documentation by the date specified by the SFA or submits verification information which does not support the initial determination of eligibility, must be sent a notice that their federal meal benefit status will be reduced or terminated in 10 calendar days. Please see the prototype “Letter of Verification Results and Change in Eligibility.”
SFAs must take the following actions if the household fails to cooperate with verification efforts:
- SFAs must follow up with families who do not respond to initial verification efforts with at least one attempt in writing (including to a parent or guardian’s email) or by telephone or text message. All attempts must be documented and ensure that LEP households are provided adequate language assistance and understand the need to respond to the verification request. Additional follow up after this is encouraged but not required.
- SFAs may contract with a third party to make additional attempts to follow up with non-responders.
- Prior to actual reduction in federal meal benefit status or termination of federal meal benefit status, 10 calendar days advance written notification must be provided to the household.
- The first day of the 10-calendar day advance notification must be the day the notice is sent to the household.
- The notice must advise the household of a change in federal meal benefit status, reason for the change, the right to appeal and that an appeal must be filed within the 10 calendar days advance notice period to ensure continued federal meal benefit status while awaiting a hearing and decision, how and when the appeal must be filed, and that the household may re-apply to change their federal meal benefit status.
- If the household provides information that confirms their eligibility within the 10 calendar days, the family’s federal meal benefit status must continue.
- If there is no response, the federal meal benefit status must be terminated on day 11
- Reductions or changes in federal meal benefit status must be extended to all children in the household who were originally determined to be eligible by information that no longer supports the federal meal benefit status.
- Households that appeal the reduction or termination of federal meal benefit status within the 10-calendar day notice must continue in the original federal meal status until the decision of the hearing official is made.