Programs for Families :: Benefits Eligibility Screenings (BESO)

Resources for BESO Partners

Counties that will accept BESO electronic submission of the DHS Initial Request for Services include Tulsa, Creek, Osage, and Washington.

Tips for Screeners

The following tips will help you during the screening process:

  1. Creating and submitting the DHS Initial Request for Services:
    • If you are in a county that CAN electronically submit to OKDHS: To ensure that an e-form is generated, you must answer "Yes" to two questions: "Would the applicant like to create an initial food stamps application?" and "Would you like to electronically submit your application?" Then you must open the e-form by clicking on it and fill in any additional information about the applicant's dependents. Click "save" to close the e-form and "approve" to send it.
    • If you are in a county that CANNOT electronically submit to DHS: To ensure an e-form is generated you must answer "Yes" to this question: "Would the applicant like to create an initial food stamps application?" Then answer "No" to this question: "Would you like to electronically submit your application?" Then you must open the e-form by clicking on it and fill in any additional information about the applicant's dependents. At this point, you can print out the form to be mailed. Then click "save" to close the e-form.
  2. When entering an applicant's name in the applicant profile, you must use letters only. If any special characters are used (such as a dash or apostrophe), the e-form will not open.
  3. When entering the number of dependents into the applicant profile, the applicant is not included with other dependents. For example, a single person would have no dependents. A larger household consisting of a husband, a wife, and their two children would have three dependents.
  4. When the question is asked during the screening "How many other dependents does the applicant care for?" do not include the applicant. This question is designed to find out how many other dependents (spouse, elderly parent, or so forth) the applicant has in addition to the children listed in the previous question.
  5. To protect an individual's personal information, the social security number is no longer a required field on the applicant profile page. The only time a social security number is required is if an electronic form is being submitted. The only place you must fill in a social security number is on the application itself. The completed application is only visible to your user name, so no one else will have access to your applicant's information.
  6. BESO determines likely program eligibility based on information collected during the screening process. If the applicant provides inaccurate information concerning income, resources, etc., then the screening results may be inaccurate as well.

To find a DHS office by county, click here.

For information about becoming a BESO partner, contact Jim Alexander at 382-3274.