Dealing with FSSA

  Earlier this week, the mail contained 3 envelopes similar to these.
  They were all essentially mine, though one actually had Max's name on it.
  From the outside, i had no clue who had sent them, though i suspected it might be FSSA, since i'd never received anything from that town under any other cicumstance.  And, well, one actually was addressed to Max.

One for All

  When we applied for Max's waiver services after he was targeted, the formidable paperwork asked for information on everyone in the household.  Paperwork reduction requires the same forms no matter which form of aid you are requesting, so in many places i had to read closely and ask MyGuy and staff exactly what was meant.
  Staff didn't always know.
  Our intake specialist told us, and nothing in the paperwork indicated otherwise, that we could use Max's checking statement for proof of SSI income.
  That was not so.

Social Security Numbers?

  Paragraph 7, page 1 of the paperwork instructions* seems clear.
  On the third reading.
  First, it says that a SSN is required for all applicants who may leagally have one.
  Okay.  Four household members, one applicant here.
  After explaining what they may & may not do with these, the paragraph continues that they are allowed to ask for the SSNs of of "family members who are not applying; however, you do not have to provide these numbers as a condition of eligibility." emphasis theirs  It continues that lack of such a number will be irrelevant to the determination of the case.

 So, two months ago today, they denied us.

  And why are they getting back with us NOW about SSNs that are not even necessary in this circumstance?
  i looked in the letter to find out how to ask.
  The instructions said to call the given number (identical, BTW, to their FAX number) "during business hours."
  What are business hours?  8-5?  7-4?  6-3?  10-2?

Not 5 o'clock yet

  Like i said, who knows what "business hours" means?
  But even after 4:30, it was worth a try.  i wanted to get on with this.
  It was 4:40.  i picked up the phone.
  Now it's totally unreasonable of me to want NO touchtone calling tree, or one with only a choose the language option.
  But i kid you not, it took me 10 minutes to get through their calling tree to find the "ask a question about a letter you received," then "enter your zip code" prompts.
  It was then 4:50.

Do offices close at 4:45?

  When i had completed the ten-minute exercise, the computer told me that the office was closed for the day.
  No indication of when it would open again.
  Next month, perhaps?

But they did open the next morning.

So the next morning it called them as soon as i got my act together, a little after 9:30.  It took all of three minutes, not ten, to navigate the calling tree.  (Still had a mouthful of cereal when the rep introduced herself!  And there was no need to enter our zip code even.)
  She said to disregard the letters, as in fact they do not need that information.
  But her other information was puzzling: the last activity on the case, per The File, was 5/13.  But my letters are dated the 14th.  Maybe another call is indicated.  Sigh.
  Total time: Seven minutes, from my pick up to hangup.
  Anyway, i have a dated record of talking to a "Named Individual" who told me to disregard the letters, and that i should hear no more about this.
  But i'm filing the letters.  Along with notes of the conversation with Named Individual.

Helpful Suggestions

i should've remembered to ask Named Individual to whom i could direct the following comments.  She couldn't do anything about any of this, but possibly she has a clue who could. 

•   First of all, can you please hassle me about these non-required numbers before you make your decision?
•   Next, this might be in the same category as the calling tree request above, but, maybe at least two of these requests could've come in the same envelope.  They all came to me anyway, but how did anyone determine that MyGuy/Dad's request should go to Max, while my own and Boom's should go to me?  i suppose that, once that die is cast, the 3 envelopes makes bureaucratic sense. . . .
•   And can you please let us know what your business hours are normally?  Even if you have to say, "Subject to change without notice."   Not that people won't get mad if we hit one of those without notice days, but most days should be pretty much the same.
•   And, finally, i understand you'd prefer we dealt with you online.  But, for those of us who persist with the call, please include your business hours of the day.  Since we MUST be sucked into such an interminable calling tree, it would be good to know in advance that there's no chance a human will be at the end. 

  You might have to change the program to do that, but, guess what, there are actual people who do that.  It IS possible.
 



  *Presumably this paper has a name.  This was on the top of it:  NOTICE REGARDING RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES   DIVISION OF FAMILY RESOURCES State form 54105 (R6 /8/12) DFR 0009C