Duplicate Food Benefit Issuance

DC's expectation is for the duplicate PDC validation to include closed PDCs, for the periods where the member was included in the assistance unit and benefits were issued.

This should be considered on eligibility checks on the Income Support Application and Income Support IC, and PDC Determination assessment/reassessment. If a member has been counted toward a benefit that has been issued, then they should not be eligible, again, to be counted toward benefit for the same period and product. Additionally, the expectation is that duplicate PDC validation would also occur when a closed PDC is reactivated. In the example provided in 'Duplicate Benefits.doc' (sections 14-17), DC's expectation would be for the second application to show the client ineligible for September, October, and the prorated portion of November (which the Overpayment did not cover). Also, when the closed PDC was reactivated (sections 32-33), validation should identify that there is a member that is already included in another PDC which is not closed. If the PDCs are associated to separate ICs, then the case worker should manage the appropriate evidences (household member etc). If the PDCs are associated to the same IC, then I don't think there is a valid scenario to reactivate a closed PDC when another PDC for the same product exists and is not closed.

There could be several scenarios for a PDC to be closed (eg a verification not provided with a specific time frame, the client becomes ineligible, the client requests for benefits to end) There is not a business requirement to re-apply and create a new PDC, which overlaps the closed PDC. There is also not a business requirement to reactivate a closed PDC, when one or more members are on an active PDC. This is a loop hole in the system, which allows the case worker to do this by error or intentional misconduct.

The business requirement is that a client cannot receive duplicate benefits, where they are counted toward a benefit for the same period and product. The only exception is for victims of domestic violence that leave the home and become a resident of a shelter for battered women and children. This requirement is being stressed since the loop hole does exist, and the federal FNS audits have a zero tolerance for this occurrence.