1325 Enumeration | TANF

An AU member who does not have an SSN or who does not know the number must apply for one with SSA. The AU is referred to SSA.

The AU must be informed of its responsibility to submit original or certified copies of documents that verify age, identity, and citizenship, such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses, etc., to SSA with the application.

Refer to Sections 1305 Age, 1310 Citizenship/Alienage, and 1330 Identity for types of verification the AU must submit.

The AU must provide proof of the application for the SSN.

The AU must be contacted no later than the fifth month following the month of application for the SSN to determine if the SSN has been received, and monthly thereafter until the SSN has been obtained.

Infants may be enumerated at birth by a medical facility. When the Record of Live Birth is registered with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, an application for a SSN is automatically filed with the SSA. The Record of Live Birth or the Form SSA-2853, Message from Social Security provides verification of the application for the SSN.

The AU must be contacted no later than the fifth month following the month of the child’s birth to determine if the SSN has been received, and monthly thereafter until the SSN has been obtained.

If an individual reports or information known to the agency indicates that an individual has more than one SSN assigned to him/her, the individual must be referred to SSA to resolve the discrepancy. All duplicate numbers must be entered in the system.

The AU must be informed of the responsibility to report the correct and primary SSN to the county office upon resolution with SSA.

Refer to 1430 Social Security Number (SSN) Validation.

Good cause may be claimed when an individual has not met the enumeration requirement because of the inability of the AU to obtain the necessary documents required by the SSA.

Good cause is established when it is determined that the AU member has made every effort to obtain the documents but has been unsuccessful.

The county department must make every effort to assist the AU in obtaining documents needed to complete the enumeration process.

The SSA makes provisions for mail-in applications in lieu of applying in person. Therefore, good cause does not include the following:

If good cause is established, the individual is eligible to be included in the AU.

The existence of good cause must be monitored within 90 days of the date good cause was established and monthly thereafter.

The following information must be documented when an AU claims good cause:

If it is determined that good cause no longer exists and the enumeration requirement is not met, a penalty may be applied.

An individual who does not meet the enumeration requirement without good cause and who is a member of the standard filing unit (SFU) is penalized until the requirement is met or good cause is established. The penalized individual’s needs are not considered but his/her income and resources are included in determining eligibility and benefit amount.

Refer 1670 Budgeting the Income of a Penalized Individual.

An individual who is not a member of the SFU is not penalized but is excluded from the AU. His/her needs, income and resources are not considered in determining eligibility or benefit amount.

An individual becomes eligible the month following the month the enumeration requirement is met or good cause is established.