• Each applicant has the right to apply for assistance without delay, including the rights to:
  
  
  • Receive and file an application for benefits the same day s/he contacts the Department if s/he  contacts the agency during office hours;
    
  • Receive assistance in completing the application in person within the same day if requested; 
    
  • Have an application mailed on the same business day to individuals requesting an application by mail or telephone.  'Mail' refers to the transmittal of all written communications and documents and may include, but is not limited to, the U.S. Postal Service, other commercial delivery services, and electronic communications or document transmission technology, such as electronic mail or the Internet; and
    
  • Apply for benefits at any time, including while a fair hearing request is pending or after a hearing decision has been made.
    
• Each applicant has the right to an initial application interview in the home or on the telephone if an adult representative is unable to go to the service center because of one of the following circumstances:
  
  
  • the applicant or adult representative has a mental or physical medical condition that prevents visiting a Department office or service center;
  • the applicant is over age sixty-five (over age sixty under the FS program); or 
  • the authorized program manager (center manager) determines on a case-by-case basis the need to conduct an in-home or telephone interview

'Telephone' refers to any mode of real-time, person-to-person telecommunications, including but not limited to the telephone, telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), teletypewriter (TTY), videophone, teleconferencing, or other electronic telecommunications device.