Application Requirements
  |
This section includes application requirements, including the requirement that the application must be identifiable.
Policy
Persons applying for benefits in the state of Arizona are required to use an official FAA application. The official FAA application is used during the application process when determining eligibility.
Quick Access Menu:
How to Apply – Official Applications and Where to Find Them
Benefits can only be requested using an official application. It is required that the official application is an identifiable application in order to be accepted for processing.
An identifiable application includes all of the following:
●Name of the applicant
●Residential or mailing address
NOTE When the participant cannot receive mail at a valid residential or mailing address, mail must be sent to a United States Postal Service (USPS) General Delivery location. For information on general delivery, see Keying General Delivery Service on ADDR.
●Signature of the Primary Informant(g), responsible adult participant, or the Authorized Representative
NOTE When FAA receives an official application that is missing one or more of the requirements listed above, the application is not accepted for processing and the date of application is not saved.
FAA accepts all of the following official FAA applications for the NA and CA programs:
●Health-e-Arizona Plus (HEAplus) online application at http://www.healthearizonaplus.gov/
●Application for Benefits (FAA-0001A)
●Solicitud de Beneficios (FAA-0001A-S) Spanish version
●Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) Nutrition Assistance Application (FAA-1821A) form
●Solicitud de Asistencia Nutricional Proyecto de Solicitud Simplificada Para Personas de Tercera Edad (FAA-1821S)
NOTE The FAA-1821A and FAA-1821S are used for NA only.
●Any other DES/FAA approved application form used for FAA pilot programs or projects
●Photocopies or print outs of any of the previously listed official applications
Forms may be downloaded and printed from the DES Document Center. Applications do not have an expiration date. Older versions of the official application are accepted as long as the application meets the identifiable(g) requirement.
Applications are available in English and Spanish. FAA provides an application to anyone who asks for one. When applicants are unable to come to FAA to get an application, they can complete any of the following:
●Online HEAplus application at http://www.healthearizonaplus.gov/.
●Paper application downloaded from the DES Documents Center or MyFamilyBenefits (MFB) at https://myfamilybenefits.azdes.gov/Home.aspx.
●Request an application be mailed. The application can be requested by calling the Customer Care Center for HEAplus, AHCCCS, and FAA at (855) HEA-PLUS or (855) 432-7587, or any DES local office. FAA staff place an application in the outgoing mail on the same day it is requested.
●Complete a telephonic application over the phone by calling the centralized Customer Care Center for HEAplus, AHCCCS and FAA at (855) HEA-PLUS or (855) 432-7587.
Official applications can also be obtained from any of the following sources:
●Hospitals
●Community organizations
●Organizations involved in outreach efforts
●Download or print the application from the DES Document Center. To locate the application form, complete the following steps from the DES Documents Center webpage:
Click on the Forms tab.
Type FAA-0001A in the Search by Name, Number or Keyword field.
A fillable PDF application form is available to download.
NOTE Official applications that are faxed, photocopied, or downloaded and printed from a website are acceptable.
Who Can Apply
Anyone can apply for benefits for any of the following:
●For themselves
●For someone in their household
●On behalf of a different budgetary unit (For more information on who can apply, see Authorized Representatives.)
For CA, when the PI is incompetent(g) or incapacitated(g), the application may be completed by someone acting responsibly on behalf of the applicant.
How to Submit an Application
Applications and information may be turned in using any of the following methods:
●Online through HEAplus at http://www.healthearizonaplus.gov/.
●Online through MFB at https://myfamilybenefits.azdes.gov/Home.aspx.
●Over the phone by calling the Customer Care Center (855) 432-7587.
●In person at any FAA office
To locate the nearest FAA office, click ‘Find a DES Office’ on the DES Office Locator webpage found at https://des.az.gov/find-your-local-office.
FAA office hours are weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time) except for state holidays.
NOTE Some FAA office locations observe Daylight Saving Time(g)
●By Fax to
(602) 257-7031 (Area codes 602, 480, and 623)
(844) 680-9840 (Toll Free from any other area code)
●By mailing it to DES FAA, PO Box 19009, Phoenix, AZ 85005-9009
NOTE Public Resource Computers (kiosks) are available in some FAA lobbies to assist applicants in applying online.
When an applicant visits an FAA office, the applicant is allowed to submit the application and complete the interview regardless of where the applicant lives.
All applications that meet the identifiable application requirements must be registered by FAA within one workday(g).
Participants may voluntarily withdraw their application at any time. Their request may be verbal or written.
Effective Date of the Application
For the effective date of an identifiable application, all of the following apply:
●When a paper application is turned in, the effective date of the application is the date the identifiable application is received.
●For NA and CA applications turned in online in HEAplus during business hours(g), the effective date of the identifiable application is the date the signature was obtained.
●When the HEAplus application is turned in outside of business hours and the interview is not completed the same day, the effective date of the application is the next workday(g).
●When the HEAplus application is turned in outside of business hours and the interview is completed on the same day, the effective date of the application is that same date.
●The date of application for a telephonic application is the date the participant completes the voice signature process. When the participant begins the application during business hours, then completes the application and voice signature after business hours, the date of the application is that same date. When no signature is obtained, the effective date of the application is the date the signature is obtained.
NOTE When an identifiable application is received from a source other than FAA, the effective date of the application is the date the application is received by FAA.
All questions on the application that pertain to the programs that are being applied for, need to be answered before an eligibility determination can be made. The Primary Informant(g) (PI) or authorized representative is required to provide information needed for the requested programs and is subject to criminal penalties when providing false statements.
When a participant decides to apply for additional programs during the interview, the interview date is used as the application date for the additional programs.
Any applicant may apply for benefits at any time. When an applicant is incarcerated at the time of application submission, the effective date of application cannot begin before their release date.
When an applicant is incarcerated at one of the following correctional facilities, see Inmate Pre-release NA Referrals:
●Lewis State Prison
●Perryville State Prison
●Tucson State Prison
Procedures
When an identifiable paper application is received, complete all of the following:
●Date stamp the application.
●When the participant is in an FAA office handing in their application, they may request a copy of the application. When this occurs, print the application and give it to the participant.
●Review the application for possible NAX eligibility. For expedite policy, see Requirements for NA Expedited Services (NAX).
●Enter the information from the application into HEAplus, within one workday(g) of receipt and submit the application. The Technical Information Process System (TIPS) transfer(g) automatically registers the NA and CA programs in AZTECS.
●Upload a copy of the application into OnBase as Document Type “FAA0001A FORNA APPLICATION FOR BENEFITS”. Review the document in OnBase to ensure the signature can be viewed and shred the original.
NOTE It is important to pay attention to the TIPS process! There may be instances where an interview is being completed on the same day an application is received. When TIPS has not automatically registered the NA or CA in AZTECS, the worker may be required to manually register the application. The HEAplus Application ID must be correctly keyed on APMA or RERE to prevent the TIPS process from overriding what has been keyed in AZTECS.
When an application submitted in HEAplus has not been registered by the TIPS process, all of the following must be completed:
●Review AZTECS to determine whether an additional case number has been created.
●When an additional case number is located, the additional case number must be deleted on DECA in AZTECS by a member of management. (See Delete Case (DECA) Procedures for more information.)
Use an official, identifiable application when determining eligibility. Specific forms and addendums are available in the Documents Center for documentation purposes.
NOTE When an identifiable application is received and no programs are requested, submit the application for all programs in HEAplus.
When an application for NA or CA is received that is not listed as an official FAA application, complete one of the following:
●When the applicant is present at the time the application is received, have the applicant complete an official application, and attach it to the submitted application. Register the application.
●When the applicant is not present at the time the application is received, complete all of the following:
Send the request to review the application by email to the Policy Support Team (PST), see [email protected].
Fax the application to PST at (623) 777-5647 using the Fax Cover Sheet for Protected Information (DES-1078A) form.
When an application is sent to PST to determine whether it is acceptable, the PST specialist determines whether it is an older acceptable version of the application. PST then notifies the FAA office of the decision and action to take.
Receipt of an Additional Application
An application may be turned in by a participant while a prior application is pending. Treat the second application as a change. When a renewal is due or the participant is applying for an additional program, register the renewal or additional program.
Complete the data entry process of all paper applications through HEAplus and upload the document into OnBase within one workday(g) of the date of the application.
When the participant chooses not to stay for an interview, the application must be keyed and submitted online through HEAplus by the receiving office. Provide the participant with the HEAplus Interview Line at (855) 777-8590.
A participant may request additional programs during the interview. When this occurs, inform the participant that the application date for the additional programs is the date of the interview. For more information, see Programs Added During the Interview.
When a renewal is not due and no additional programs are requested, treat the additional application as a change. (For information and policies on changes, see Effecting Changes.)
When the first application is pending, complete all of the following:
●Review both applications for any changes and document the case file(g).
●Delete the first application on DECA in AZTECS and register the second application using the earlier date.
When an earlier application is received and a later application has been approved, complete a hand budget to determine whether eligibility exists before the current effective date.
NOTE Nutrition Assistance Budget Worksheet (FAA-1077A) form or CA Budget Records (FAA-0200A and FAA-0200C) may be used to determine eligibility in earlier months when needed.
The application must be registered no later than close of business on the workday(g) after the application is received.
Verification
The participant has the primary responsibility for providing verification. (See Participant Responsibilities – Providing Verification for additional policy.)
When an NA application is expedited, all verification except for the identity of the PI can be postponed.
AZTECS Keying Procedures
When the participant wants to withdraw their application, determine the reason the participant wants to withdraw. When they are ineligible due to not meeting an eligibility requirement, complete the denial process using the Denial Closure Reason Code appropriate to the reason (e.g., RS when the budgetary unit is moving out of state), not VW.
Many denials require minimal information to be keyed to complete the denial process. However, the procedure for denials is to key all the information obtained from the application and later at the interview. The reasons for this include all of the following:
●All reasons for case ineligibility need to be documented in the case file for future application purposes, and for notice purposes.
●Participant information in AZTECS may be used to identify fraud cases. For example, a participant may be denied for excessive resources and apply again right away with no resources listed.
Complete all of the following steps immediately to deny a new application:
●Key the necessary information on INDA.
●Change the Participation Codes in the PT field on SEPA from CO to the appropriate codes based on information from the application.
●Key all applicable information through the AZTECS eligibility screens.
When there is not enough information to determine ineligibility, after keying all known information or voluntary withdrawal is confirmed, complete all of the following:
●Key VW in the denial closure reason field on the appropriate program screen (AFED or FSED).
●Key Y in the AUTHORIZATION field. Press ENTER.
●Send a Voluntary Withdrawal (C201) notice to the Primary Informant (PI) to confirm the withdrawal and inform the PI(g) of the right to reapply at any time
When a participant requests to withdraw their application for only one program, deny the program using the same procedures. Complete the determination for any other program.
When determining eligibility for the other program, eligibility screens from the denied program display in the first benefit month. Advance through these screens to process the eligibility determination.
Once an application is denied for withdrawal, a new application must be turned in to begin the application process again.
When cases are registered incorrectly or in error, see DECA Procedures to delete the application.
Legal Authorities
7 CFR 273.2(n)(1)
7 CFR 273.2(n)(2)
7 CFR 273.10(a)(1)(ii)
7 CFR 273.12(c)
last revised 08/05/2024