441—58.23 (234) Application procedures.
	 58.23(1) Date of application. The date of application shall be determined by the date a signed Form 470-2762, Emergency Assistance Application, is received in any local office or department-designated site. When an application is delivered to a closed office, it will be considered received on the first day that is not a weekend or state holiday following the day that the office was last open. To be considered valid, the application must contain a legible name and address and must be signed.
	  a.   	 The emergency assistance case record must contain a completed application for each 30-day eligibility period. Whenever an initial application is denied, withdrawn, or more than 30 days old, the household shall be required to complete a new application form.
	  b.   	 At least one face-to-face interview shall be conducted before approval of the application. The face-to-face interview may be held in the county office, at a department-designated site, or in the applicant’s home.
	 (1) 	 The applicant may appoint an authorized representative to attend the interview if the applicant is unable to attend. The authorized representative must be a person knowledgeable of the household’s circumstances.
	 (2) 	 If the applicant or authorized representative fails to attend the required interview, the application shall be denied.
	 (3) 	 When it is impossible to hold a face-to-face interview within the ten-day time frame for processing applications as described at 58.23(2), the county office or department designee may waive the face-to-face interview and hold a telephone conference instead.
	  c.   	 The household’s declaration shall be accepted except when verification is required by these rules or information appears questionable. The decision with respect to eligibility shall be based largely on information provided by the household.
	 58.23(2) Time limits. Applications shall be processed within ten calendar days from the date of receipt to resolve the household’s emergency. The ten-day time standard for approval shall apply except in unusual circumstances, such as when the department and the household have made every reasonable effort to secure necessary information which has not been supplied by the date the time limit expires; or because of emergency situations, such as fire, flood or other conditions beyond the administrative control of the department.
	 58.23(3) Additional information required. When additional information or verification is required, the household shall be requested in writing to provide that information within five calendar days. The written request shall also inform the household that failure to provide the required information within five calendar days or failure to authorize the local office to secure the information from other sources will result in denial of the application. The five-day period begins the day after the date the local office issues the written request.
The five-day time limit to provide additional information shall be extended if the household is unable to obtain the information by the requested date due to circumstances beyond the household’s control, such as illness, or the source who is to provide the verification causes a delay, or due to emergencies like fire, flood, etc.
	 58.23(4) Basis for decision on application. The decision with respect to eligibility for emergency assistance shall be made based on the household’s circumstances as they exist on the date of the interview.
	 58.23(5) Subsequent requests for assistance. Except for verifying that an emergency exists and applying for benefits from LIHEAP, general relief, or veterans affairs, the household is not required to reverify eligibility factors for approval of additional emergency assistance payment requests made within the 30-day authorization period. The time limits for processing additional requests for assistance remain the same as initial requests.