The California Department of Social Services has issued instructions regarding face-to-face interviews for applications and recertifications. 7 C.F.R. § 273.2(e)(2) now gives states the option to conduct interviews for applications and recertifications by telephone. California has been conducting telephone interviews under a federal waiver. Now, California has accepted the option in the federal regulation to do telephone interviews.
Counties will routinely conduct telephone interviews in lieu of face-to-face interviews at application and recertification for all CalFresh households regardless of the length of the household’s certification period length. Counties may conduct face-to-face interviews if determined necessary. However, if an in person interview in the office would be a hardship, the county must do a home visit for the interview. Counties must inform applicants of the opportunity to have a face-to-face interview on request. The county must provide a notice of missed interview if the applicant or recipient misses a telephone interview. The application process cannot be negatively affected because the county does a telephone interview. (ACL 17-80, July 31, 2017.)