Can I skip verifying consumer requests in Pennsylvania? What are the requirements?

To answer your question, no, you cannot skip verifying consumer requests in Pennsylvania. According to 55 PACO Section 205.3, the verification of resources, or the lack of them, will be one of the essential steps in the process of establishing eligibility for public assistance. The supplying of information about resources to prove need will be the responsibility of the person applying for or receiving assistance. Establishing a large portion of the proof during the application process will be routine. The applicant will present documentary evidence such as birth certificates, rent receipts, deeds, insurance policies, pay envelopes, and the like. However, the necessity of substantiating other facts will often enter into the process, and the worker must then decide what sort of proof must be produced, by whom, and in what manner it is to be proved. The decision to use a source other than the client will normally be made when the worker is confronted with any of the following situations: (i) The client has made every reasonable effort to obtain the facts, but without success. (ii) The facts obtained by the client need clarification, and the worker is convinced that direct contact with the source of information, rather than again through the client, would produce better results. (iii) The worker suspects that the client has either falsified or knowingly withheld essential information and wants to verify his convictions. (iv) It is known that the required facts cannot be obtained directly by the client.

Therefore, it is mandatory to verify the information provided by the consumer to establish eligibility for public assistance in Pennsylvania.

Jurisdiction

Pennsylvania

• Privacy