Quality Control Reviews

The reviews are federally mandated to ensure the Department of Health and Welfare has correctly processed benefit cases and people are receiving the benefits they are entitled to.

Idaho could lose federal funding to support benefit programs.

The reviews are completed by a specialized team working independently from the applications and benefit management teams and offices.

Any household who received benefits may be randomly selected.

Cases are randomly selected each month for review by Idaho's computer system.

No, you are not in trouble!

Benefit cases are randomly selected each month for review by Idaho's computer system.

Yes. Households selected for a Quality Control review must cooperate with the review to continue to receive benefits.

You can find out more by clicking the link below:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/quality-control

If you receive SNAP benefits, you will have to do an interview. A Quality Control interview is a mandatory part of the review process. The interview is similar to the one conducted when you applied or re-evaluated your benefits, and is about 15 to 30 minutes long, depending on your household size and circumstances.

For other programs we will complete a desk audit. Desk audits do not have an interview portion with our team. However, there are times the reviewer may need to reach out to you to obtain or clarify information.

If SNAP benefits were $100 or less, the interview can be done over the phone. If you are concerned about giving your information over the phone, you have the option to request the interview be in person or by completing a video conference interview.

For households with SNAP benefits are over $100, a face-to-face interview with a Quality Control Reviewer will need to be completed. The face-to-face interview can be completed in-person or as a video conference.

Once a case is selected for review, we schedule a time for you to meet with a Quality Control Reviewer. During the interview you will be asked questions pertaining to a specific month and go over the documents you brought to the interview. The reviewer will attempt to assist with any missing documents and will let you know if additional documents may be needed.

The interview is like the interviews completed when you apply for a re-evaluate your benefits. The difference is, we look at a past month and not what is happening at the time of the Quality Control interview.

You will receive a letter in the mail with the date, time, and location of your scheduled interview.

For households with an email address on file with the department, you may also receive an email from SAQC@dhw.idaho.gov confirming your interview date, time, and location.

You can also request a video interview instead of being seen in person.

For your convenience, these interviews can be done at your local Health and Welfare office, your home, an agreed upon place, or a video conference.

If the appointment date, time, or location are not convenient, please contacted us to reschedule.

No, to complete an interview at one of the offices you will need to make a scheduled appointment.

Please confirm or reschedule your scheduled interview by emailing Quality Control:

No, Quality Control is required to continue with the review process, regardless of the household’s cooperation.

Households that do not cooperate with the review will have their benefits closed and will not be eligible again until they cooperate.

Additionally, households that don’t cooperate, may be sent to the Investigation and Recovery unit and/or a subpoena issued.

This sanction will last until the household cooperates with the review process or 125 days after the end of the Quality Control annual review period. The date of the end of the annual Quality Control review period will be located on the notice sent by quality control.

If you are unable to locate your notice you can contact quality control for assistance

Households must cooperate with the Quality Control review process. If you are unsure what is needed to cooperate, contact Quality Control for assistance.

Most importantly, yourself! Many of the documents can be verified by showing us online accounts using a smart phone. Here are some common documents we may need:

Proof of income:

• Paystubs
• Self-employment
• Social Security
• Veterans’ benefits
• Unemployment benefits
• Child support
• Pensions
• Dividends
• Interest received from a bank account(s).

Proof of expenses:

• Self-employment expenses
• Rent – Lease Agreement or Rent receipts.
• Mortgage Statements
• Homeowners Association fees
• Home Insurance and taxes
• Utilities – NV Energy, Southwest Gas, Phone, Water, etc.…
• Proof of paying court ordered Child Support
• Childcare costs
• Medical receipts and bills for anyone in the home over the age of 60 or is disabled
• Your landlord’s name, address, and phone number
• The name, address, and phone number of 2 people, not related to anyone in the home, we can speak to about who lives in your home.

Still attend the interview. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything.

During the interview, a Quality Control reviewer will attempt to assist households with verifications needed and will let you know what documents are still needed. After the interview you may receive a notice requesting additional documents needed to complete the review.

We provide many safe and secure ways to submit documents. Please only submit documents requested from Quality Control. You may contact your assigned Quality Control reviewer, or email SAQC@dhw.idaho.gov.

Quality Control will send you a prepaid envelope with each request sent to you. If you need an additional prepaid envelope, please contact us.

Yes, of course, we will assist you in any way possible to obtain required verifications.
Conference calls can be a safe, fast, and easy way to verify required information.

 
We can verify information with others, such as:

• Your landlord
• Mortgage Company
• Power Company
• Cell Phone Provider
• Pension