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    Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

    SNAP Quality Control

    Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Quality Control is a process for reviewing SNAP cases. Federal law requires random SNAP cases to be reviewed every month in all states.

    SNAP Quality Control looks for two things:

    1. That your household is receiving the right amount of SNAP benefits; and
    2. That the local county assistance office is processing cases correctly.

    Who are SNAP Quality Control reviewers?

    SNAP Quality Control reviewers are state employees working for the Pennsylvania Division of Quality Control (DQC).

    Why was my case chosen by Quality Control?

    Cases are randomly chosen for a Quality Control review each month by the SNAP computer system. If your case is selected for review, it is not because you did anything wrong or because there is a problem.

    Do I have to participate in the review?

    Yes. If your case was chosen for a Quality Control review, you must cooperate with the review. This includes participating in the interview as well as providing all documentation requested by the Quality Control examiner. If you refuse to cooperate with a Quality Control review, your SNAP case will close, and you will not be eligible for benefits until the review is completed.

    What happens during a Quality Control review?

    First, a Quality Control examiner will look at the work your local county assistance office (CAO) did on your case, including reviewing documentation you provided when you applied. The reviewer will then need to interview an adult in the SNAP household and collect current documentation to make sure you are receiving the correct amount of SNAP benefits.

    Why does Quality Control need to do an interview?

    Quality Control rules — set by the federal government — require that the household be interviewed. If your monthly SNAP benefits are $100 or less, the interview can be done over the phone, but everyone who receives more than $100 will need to meet with the Quality Control examiner.

    Face-to-face interviews are scheduled to take place at your local CAO. If you cannot make it to your scheduled interview, please notify Quality Control as soon as possible to reschedule. If you cannot make it to the local office because of a disability, you may request a home interview.

    What kind of documents will I need for the review?

    You will need to give the Quality Control reviewers current documentation about your income, expenses, and who is living in your home. The specific documentation needed may vary depending on your situation, but could include items such as paystubs, a rental agreement, and utility bills. This documentation may be the same as what you gave your local CAO during your application, or it may be more current.

    For example, your rental agreement may be the same as when you applied for SNAP, but your paystubs and utility bills should be for the current month. Even if your documentation is the same, you will need to show the Quality Control reviewer.

    How can I send my documents to Quality Control?

    You should bring as much documentation as possible to your scheduled interview, but you may be asked to submit additional documentation to Quality Control. If so, you can email, fax, or mail any additional documentation needed to finish the review process as noted in your Quality Control appointment notice.

    Contact Information