Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) for domestic violence victims
Revised Date:
July 25, 2014
Purpose: To describe the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP), run by the Office of the Secretary of State.
Overview
The ACP protects the address of persons attempting to escape from domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, or stalking situations. Participants use a substitute address in place of their actual physical or mailing address.
Rules for the Address Confidentiality program are found in WAC 434-840-001 through WAC 434-840-370 and are governed by the Office of the Secretary of State.
Worker Responsibilities
When an individual presents an ACP authorization card:
- Call the ACP at 360-753-2972 to verify that the individual is currently certified in the program.
- If the individual is currently certified in the ACP:
- Use the ACP mailing address and participant code number as shown on the card in place of the individual's physical address on the ACES ADDR screen.
Example:- Jane Doe
1453
PO Box 257
Olympia, WA 98507-0257
- Jane Doe
- Mail all benefits and information for the individual to the substitute address:
- Do not ask the individual to provide their actual address. Do not record the individual's physical address in ACES or retain copies of any documents that list the individual's physical address.
- When verifying residency, household composition, or shelter costs, do not ask the individual to provide documents that state their physical address. Accept any document that lists the ACP address and reasonably verifies the eligibility factor. See Verification for instructions on determining reasonableness.
- If the individual provides a document that lists the physical address:
- Do not keep the document.
- Explain to the individual that if we have anything in the case record that lists their physical address, we may have to reveal that information if we are issued a subpoena.
- Document in the narrative:
- What documents were used as verification;
- What eligibility factor the documents verify; and
- Why copies of the document are not in the record.
- Allow the individual to provide any document that has the physical address concealed.
- Reverify the individual's participation in the ACP at eligibility review / recertification, if questionable.
- Use the ACP mailing address and participant code number as shown on the card in place of the individual's physical address on the ACES ADDR screen.
- If the individual is not currently certified in the ACP:
- Do not enter the ACP mailing address and participant code into ACES;
- Require the individual to provide their actual address;
- Record the address in ACES; and
- Follow the normal verification procedures as described in Verification.