SECTION 340:50-13-3. Quality control

(a)   Legal authority. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services federal and state legal authority for providing a systematic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) quality control (QC) process and administrative operation to assure state accountability is vested in Sections 241 through 244 of Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes. SNAP QC reviews are conducted per Sections 275.10 through 275.14 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 7 C.F.R. § 275.10 through 275.14, and the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) FNS 310 Quality Control Handbook. The USDA mandates parameters for the QC process including but not limited to conducting household interviews, type of reviewer inquiries, method of verification, and appropriateness of collateral contacts.

(b)   Sampling plan. The annual sampling plan is developed by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Performance Outcomes and Accountability (OPOA) in compliance with federal regulations at 7 C.F.R. § 275.11. Methodologies are outlined in detail and submitted to USDA for approval.

(c)   Random sample. A random sample of SNAP applications, reapplications, and other case actions is generated monthly by the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services Information Services Division.

(d)   Case assignment. The cases in the monthly random sample are assigned to and reviewed by an Adult and Family Services (AFS) SNAP QC reviewer for verification of conditions of eligibility and for procedural errors related to denials and terminations. All errors are referred to SNAP program field representative staff, who notifies county offices and support centers of errors found on sampled cases.

(e)   Refusal to cooperate. When, at any point in the SNAP QC review process, a household refuses to cooperate with the AFS SNAP QC reviewer, the SNAP QC administrator sends the Notice of Refusal to Cooperate with Quality Control to SNAP program field representative staff to notify them of the household's refusal.

(1)   AFS SNAP program field representative staff closes the food benefits on refusal to cooperate with the SNAP QC review for the next advance-notice effective date per DHS Appendix B-2, Deadlines for Case Actions.

(2)   A household closed for refusal to cooperate with a SNAP QC review may reapply and be certified for SNAP participation only after the household cooperates fully and completely with SNAP QC in the completion of the QC review or when the penalty period ends per Section 273.2(d)(2) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The penalty period ends 125-calendar days from the end of the SNAP QC review period, October 1 through September 30th. Refer to OAC 340:50-3-2(g) for more information.

[Source: Amended at 11 Ok Reg 345, eff 10-15-93 (emergency); Amended at 11 Ok Reg 2667, eff 6-13-94; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 872, eff 6-1-03; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 840, eff 6-1-09; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1659, eff 9-17-18]