Current through September 17, 2024
Benefit levels for all households are based on each
household's net income and household size.
001.01
INITIAL
CERTIFICATION. Benefits are prorated from the application filing
date at initial certification. The eligibility determination for a household
submitting an initial application is based on circumstances for the entire
application month. A household's benefit level for the initial month will be
based on the day of the month on which the household files the application.
Benefits will be prorated from the application filing date to the end of the
month.
001.02
RECERTIFICATION. When the household files a new
application prior to the expiration of their certification period, benefits are
not prorated. Unless there has been a break in benefits, households are not
entitled to expedited services at recertification. When the household files a
new application after the expiration of their certification period, benefits
are prorated from the application filing date. Migrants and seasonal farm
workers' benefits are not prorated unless there has been a break in service of
more than one month. The Department determines eligibility and benefit level at
the time of recertification by considering the household's circumstances as
anticipated for the certification period following the expiration of the
current certification period.
001.02(A)
APPLICATION TIMEFRAME. An application will be
considered as an application for recertification if it is received within the
60 days before the last day of a certification period, or within 30 days after
the last day of the certification period. The last day of a certification
period is day 1 when counting back 60 days. Applications received before the 60
day timeframe will not be considered recertification applications but they will
be reviewed for actionable changes. Applications received within 30 days after
the last day of the certification period are considered late recertifications
and are eligible for expedited service.
001.03
ELIGIBILITY FOLLOWING
APPLICATION MONTH. The Department will use the same application to
deny a case for the initial month and to approve the case for the following
month when both of the following conditions are met and actions are completed
at the same time:
(A) The household is
ineligible for the program in the month of application; and
(B) The household is eligible for the program
in the following month.
001.04
RETROACTIVE
BENEFITS. Retroactive benefits are issued only when eligibility is
determined in the month(s) following application. The Department will issue
retroactive benefits to a household for the month of application when all of
the following conditions are met:
(1) The
household is eligible for the program in the month of application;
(2) The household is entitled to benefits in
the month of application; and
(3)
The Department makes the determination in a month following the month of
application that the two steps above apply to the household.
001.04(A)
TIME
STANDARDS. The eligibility determination for the month following
the month of application will be made within the time standards for application
processing.
001.05
FLUCTUATING ALLOTMENTS. When there are anticipated
changes in the household circumstances, and the household does not choose to
use the averaging procedures, the assigned allotment will reflect changes
anticipated at the time of certification.
001.06
PRORATED
ALLOTMENT. Benefits are prorated for the first month of the
initial certification period and for the month following recertification when
there has been a break in service and at reinstatement. If the allotment after
proration is less than $10, benefits are not issued for that month.
001.06(A)
STANDARD
MONTH. As a basis of proration, the automated system uses a 30-day
month as a standard for households. Application of households applying on the
31st day of a month will be treated as though the household had applied on the
30th day of the month. In February, households applying on the 28th or 29th day
are treated the same as households applying on those dates in any other
month.
001.06(B)
EXPEDITED PROCESSING. If the household files an
initial application on or after the 16th day of the month, the Department
issues one combined allotment for the month of application and the following
month. The household must provide verification of the identity of the head of
the household before receiving benefits but may postpone providing some or all
of the other verifications for the first two months. The combined allotment
will be issued within seven calendar days of the receipt of the application.
All required verifications must be provided before the third month's benefits
can be issued.
001.06(C)
MIGRANT AND SEASONAL FARMWORKER HOUSEHOLDS. The
Department will not prorate benefits for migrant and seasonal farm workers when
the household has participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
within a month before the date of application or at
reinstatement.
001.07
FULL MONTHS ALLOTMENT. A full month's allotment is
provided in all months except the initial month, the first month of the
recertification period when there has been a break in service, or at
reinstatement. Except during a prorated month, all eligible one and two-person
households will receive at least the minimum monthly benefit, listed in a
guidance document. A full month's allotment for a household of three or more
may be less than the minimum monthly benefit. All eligible households with
three or more members who are entitled to benefits of $1, $3, and $5 will have
the benefits adjusted up to $2, $4, and $6, respectively.
001.08
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH
ANOTHER PROGRAM REQUIREMENT. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program allotment is reduced 25% when:
(1) The
household is receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and
an Aid to Dependent Children Program or Assistance to the Aged, Blind, or
Disabled Program cash payment at the time of noncompliance with the
means-tested program; and
(2) The
individual within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program household is
being sanctioned through a reduction or termination of cash assistance for
failure to comply with an Aid to Dependent Children Program or Assistance to
the Aged, Blind, or Disabled Program requirement and there is no corresponding
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program requirement.
001.08(A)
INCLUSION IN THE CASH
PAYMENT. The household, unit, or individual must be included in
the cash payment at the time of the sanction. If there is a corresponding
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program guideline for which the individual is
being sanctioned in the Aid to Dependent Children Program or Assistance to the
Aged, Blind, or Disabled Program cash assistance program, only the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program penalty applies.
001.08(B)
TIMEFRAME OF
SANCTION. The 25% allotment reduction is applied the same month
the assistance payment is reduced or terminated. If the household member who
caused the sanction leaves the household, the benefit reduction is lifted the
month following the report the individual is no longer in the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program household.
001.08(B)(i)
SANCTION DUE TO
GRANT REDUCTION. If the grant is reduced, the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program failure to comply with another program requirement
penalty continues until the sanction is lifted. If the sanction is still in
effect at the end of one year, the Department will review the case to determine
if the failure to comply with another program requirement penalty should
continue.
001.08(B)(ii)
SANCTION DUE TO GRANT TERMINATION. If the grant is
terminated due to an Aid to Dependent Children Program Employment First
sanction, the failure to comply with another program penalty is applied
concurrently with the minimum length of the Employment First
sanction.
001.08(B)(iii)
ENDING SANCTION. If the household is no longer
eligible for cash assistance due to a reason other than the sanction, the
failure to comply with another program penalty will be
lifted.
