If an Income Maintenance (IM) claim referral is registered in error, reject the referral.  Enter the IM claim in CARS using OVCA - ADD CLAIM INFORMATION screen.

All food stamp claims are established using Program Code 12 (Inadvertent Household Error or Agency Error), unless the Welfare Investigation Unit (WIU) notified the county office a trafficking situation occurred.  Claims for trafficking convictions only are established using Program Code 11 (Intentional Program Violation-IPV) and Reason Code 91 (Trafficking). 

Any claims established incorrectly using Program 11 and Reason 91 must be terminated following instructions in Memorandum IM-#180.  Record the reason for the termination in OVNA.  Establish the claim using Program 12 and the correct reason for the claim. 

The letter that is mailed to the household notifies them of the reason for the claim based upon the reason code entered into CARS.  Therefore, it is important that the correct reason code is entered. 

WIU reviews all Inadvertent Household Error claims established and investigates when appropriate.  If WIU does not pursue an intentional program violation, the county may request an Administrative Disqualification Hearing.  If intentional fraud is determined through court proceedings, waiver, or administrative hearing decision, the claim code is changed to Program 11 (Intentional Program Violation).

• Discuss this memorandum with appropriate staff. 

• Register food stamp claims only using OVAD  DISCOVERY ADD. 

• Process all other program claims using OVCA - ADD CLAIM INFORMATION. 

• Establish all food stamp claims using Code 12 unless there is a conviction for trafficking food stamps verified by WIU. 

• Terminate any claims established as a trafficking claim in error.  Establish the claim using Program 12 and the correct reason code.