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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.

Clarifying Information

The ACP provides the following services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking or stalking:

  1. Helps the participant maintain the secrecy of home, work, or school address.
  2. Gives the participant a substitute mailing address.
  3. Forwards first class mail from the substitute address.
  4. Helps the participant obtain many state and local agency services without revealing the physical or mailing address.
  5. Helps the participant to register to vote or obtain a marriage license without having those records available to the public.

Participants are given a laminated authorization card the size of a driver license. The card has the individual's signature, substitute address, expiration date, and a toll-free number to the ACP office for information. The toll-free number is 800-822-1065. The TTY number is 800-664-9677.

When a public assistance individual uses the substitute address, the ACP authorization card must be presented to the worker. The worker may make a copy of the ACP authorization card.

Worker Responsibilities

When an individual presents an ACP authorization card:

  1. Call the ACP at 360-753-2972 to verify that the individual is currently certified in the program.
  2. If the individual is currently certified in the ACP:
    1. 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
    2. Mail all benefits and information for the individual to the substitute address:
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. If the individual provides a document that lists the physical address:
      1. Do not keep the document.
      2. 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.
      3. Document in the narrative:
        1. What documents were used as verification;
        2. What eligibility factor the documents verify; and
        3. Why copies of the document are not in the record.
    6. Allow the individual to provide any document that has the physical address concealed.
    7. Reverify the individual's participation in the ACP at eligibility review / recertification, if questionable.
  3. If the individual is not currently certified in the ACP:
    1. Do not enter the ACP mailing address and participant code into ACES;
    2. Require the individual to provide their actual address;
    3. Record the address in ACES; and
    4. Follow the normal verification procedures as described in Verification.

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