Duplicate Participation
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This subject is about receiving benefits more than once during any month. For staff, it also includes the procedures to contact other states for public assistance information.
Policy
Duplicate participation is when a participant is currently receiving benefits for the same month in another case or another state.
A participant may not receive duplicate NA or CA benefits for the same month. Duplicate benefits include when a participant receives any of the following:
●NA benefits and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) in the same month.
NOTE Budgetary units approved for NA and receiving zero benefits can receive FDPIR benefits.
●NA benefits in Arizona in more than one case.
●CA benefits in Arizona in more than one case.
●NA benefits from more than one state.
●CA benefits from more than one state.
●A participant who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and CA benefits.
When a participant moves to Arizona and receives NA or CA benefits from another state, potential eligibility begins the month after benefits from the other state stop. (See Example 1)
When living in a domestic violence emergency shelter, a participant may be eligible to receive duplicate NA benefits in the same month when all of the following apply:
●The participant must have received NA benefits with the person who abused them.
●The participant no longer resides with the person.
●The participant applies for NA benefits without the abusive person.
A participant is eligible for NA or CA benefits when receiving any of the following commodities in the same month:
●The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
NOTE Any budgetary unit receiving NA benefits is categorically eligible to receive TEFAP commodities at no cost.
●Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
NOTE CSFP provides low-income, elderly participants with USDA food commodities at no cost.
TEFAP or CSFP commodities are not considered duplicate benefits. For more information about these commodity programs, see USDA Food Distribution Programs (Commodities).
When a participant receives duplicate benefits for the same month, the participant may be required to pay back benefits.
Verification
The participant has the primary responsibility for providing verification. (See Participant Responsibilities – Providing Verification for additional policy.)
Proof that benefits from out of state have stopped is required. Verification includes any of the following:
●Written notification from the agency, including the date benefits from out of state stopped.
●A collateral contact by the FAA to the appropriate state agency.
●FAA received a completed Verification of Out-of-State Benefits (FAA‑1475A) form the out-of-state agency. The FAA may need to send this form depending on the other state agency’s requirements.
NOTE When verification is not available at the time of the interview, the participant is allowed ten calendar days to verify.
A participant statement may be used when obtaining documented or collateral contact verification may cause harm or undue hardship(g) for the participant or when all of the following occurs:
●Attempts to obtain the verification from an acceptable source are unsuccessful. This includes documented and collateral contact verification.
●The participant statement is not questionable(g).
Examples
1) Jane moved to Arizona from Ohio at the end of 8/28/2021 and applied for NA and CA benefits on 09/05/2021 in Arizona. Jane applied for NA and CA benefits in Ohio on 07/06/2021, and Ohio approved her benefits.
The Ohio agency provided a Verification of Out-of-State Benefits (FAA‑1475A) form showing that Jane’s NA and CA benefits stopped 09/30/2021. Jane’s Arizona NA and CA benefits would start on 10/01/2021, which is the month after her Ohio benefits stopped. Jane is sent the F124 notice when all the verification is provided, and the application is approved.
Legal Authorities
7 CFR 272.4(e)
7 CFR 273.2(i)(4)(iii)(D)
45 CFR 233.40(a)(1)
AAC R6-12-304
last revised 12/09/2024