1. The department shall permit any individual who wants to apply for assistance pursuant to the temporary assistance or any other public assistance program administered or supervised by the department to so apply. Such public assistance shall be furnished with reasonable promptness in accordance with statute and rules of the department.

2. A request for assistance may be made at a county office of the family support division in person, by telephone or by mail.

3. Whenever the division receives a request for assistance an investigation and record shall be promptly made of the circumstances of the applicant by the division in order to ascertain the facts supporting the application. Upon the completion of such investigation the director of the family support division, or someone designated by the director, shall decide whether the applicant is eligible for benefits and if entitled to benefits determine the amount thereof and the date on which such benefits shall begin. The division shall notify the applicant of the decision.

4. During the investigation of any application or recertification of assistance, the division shall:

(1) At the time of each application, provide each applicant household with a clear written statement explaining what acts the member of the household shall perform to cooperate in verifying and otherwise completing the application process;

(2) Assist each applicant household in obtaining appropriate verification and completing the application process;

(3) Not require any household to submit additional proof of a matter on which the division already has current verification, unless the division has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate, incomplete or insufficient; and

(4) Not deny any application for assistance solely because of the failure of a person outside the household to cooperate in providing information.

5. The division shall complete the investigation within the time allowed by federal law or state statute. If no time limit is otherwise specified by federal law or state statute, benefits shall be provided not later than forty-five days following the filing of an application.

6. The division shall explain to the applicant the nature of all categories of public assistance, benefits and services for which the applicant household may be eligible and may be given, and the consequences of accepting temporary assistance benefits, including, but not limited to, lifetime limits and work requirements. If the applicant chooses not to receive temporary assistance benefits, the division shall evaluate the applicant’s eligibility for medical assistance, food stamps and any other public assistance benefits which the applicant or the applicant’s dependents may be eligible.