DTA is required to interview all applicants for SNAP benefits. 106 C.M.R. § 361.500. The interview should be conducted by phone, where DTA calls you at a specific time using the phone number you listed on the application form. If the phone number you list is a voice messaging number only, be sure to note that on the application. DTA should let you call in to a SNAP worker at a specific date and time.

You have the option of an in-person interview at the local DTA office if you wish or if you are disabled and need an accommodation. See Question 12 (What if a disability makes it hard for me to apply, get proofs, or comply with the food stamp/SNAP rules?). Under limited circumstances, DTA can require you to come to the local office if they have a good reason to require an in-person interview or DTA can schedule a home visit.

DTA will also schedule a phone interview when your case is being reviewed (recertified). 106 C.M.R. § 366.320(B). Special rules apply for elder and disabled households at recertification. See Question 70 (Do I need to have an interview to continue benefits?).

Scheduling the interview

DTA is supposed to contact you by telephone within two (2) days of when they received your application to schedule an interview and to screen you for emergency benefits (see Question 9 (Can I get emergency food stamp/SNAP benefits?)). If a social services agency helped you fill out a paper or online application and is listed on the application as an authorized helping agency or emergency contact, DTA should contact the agency if unable to reach you.

To protect your privacy, most of the time DTA will not leave a detailed message about who is calling and why, unless you give them written permission to do so. Be sure to pay close attention to phone calls and messages left during the times DTA indicates you may be contacted.

If DTA has not reached you within two days, they should send you a written notice scheduling an interview by telephone. This interview should take place within seven days of your application in order to screen you for expedited benefits. If you do not hear from DTA by phone or by mail within five (5) days of filing your application (or sooner if you need emergency benefits), call your local DTA office and ask to speak with a supervisor or the office director.

What happens during the interview

The DTA worker's role is to confirm the information you gave on your application, discuss any new information that DTA has from other government databases, and tell you what proofs or verifications you need to provide. If you are subject to a work requirement (see Questions 36 (Are there work rules for childless adults ages 18 to 50 years?) and 37 (Is there a quick way to check the status of my application or my benefits?)), the worker should discuss this with you. During the interview, the DTA worker should also explain your rights and responsibilities. In addition to the DTA worker asking you for information, the interview is a chance for you to ask questions about the SNAP program and other benefits you might be eligible to receive.

If you need emergency (expedited) SNAP benefits, the worker should screen you on the first contact (in person or by phone), even if there is not enough time to do the full interview. See Question 9 (Can I get emergency SNAP/food stamp benefits?).

The interview must be conducted confidentially (not in a public setting where others can hear) and the information you provide must be kept private and not shared outside DTA unless you give written permission. 106 C.M.R. §§ 361.550, 360.300. If you need help getting any proofs, or you need a list of alternative proofs, you have a right to ask the worker during the interview or at any other time.

If you miss a scheduled interview

If you miss an interview DTA scheduled for you (either in person or by phone), DTA is required to send you a written notice. The notice must say you missed an interview and that you have the right to ask for another scheduled interview. 106 C.M.R. §§ 361.500, 361.540. You do not need to have or show good cause for missing the first interview. However, it is up to you to contact DTA to ask for a rescheduled interview.

If DTA does not hear from you within 30 days of when you first applied, your SNAP application will be denied. 106 C.M.R. § 361.700(B)(1). You still have the right to reapply for benefits and the denied application will not be held against you, but the date your benefits start will be the date of your new application.

Advocacy Reminders:

• If DTA has denied your SNAP application but failed to send you a notice of missed interview (DTA calls it a “NOMI”), contact your worker or the supervisor to get your case reopened. You can also file an appeal. DTA should not deny your application if they have not followed the required interview protocol.