SR 09-05 Dated 05/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases an expansion in the current definition of categorical eligibility for the Food Stamp Program. Food Stamp Program categorical eligibility is now extended to new households requesting Food Stamp assistance in which:

§   there is at least one member who is a dependent child;

§   there is at least one adult household member who is a specified relative to the child; and

§   the Food Stamp household’s gross income is less than or equal to 185% of the federal poverty income guidelines.

New Form 77u, It Takes a Village, was created to satisfy the TANF-related service requirement associated with implementing this Food Stamp Program option. Form 77u is an informational pamphlet listing resource contact information for mostly non-cash, in-kind community services that may be available to low-income families. Because it is a federal requirement to provide this information to offer this Food Stamp Program option, the form will be included in all end-of-interview packets beginning May 1, 2009, which ensures that all new households receive it.

All other Food Stamp Program requirements remain unchanged.

POLICY

The current definition of Food Stamp Program categorical eligibility has been extended to include households newly requesting Food Stamp assistance in which:

§   there is at least one Food Stamp household member who is a dependent child;

§   there is at least one Food Stamp household member who is a specified relative to that dependent child; and

§   the Food Stamp household’s gross income is less than or equal to 185% of the federal income poverty guidelines.

The new categorical eligibility criteria will be applied when the household is:

§   not categorically eligible under current categorical eligibility criteria because not all members are eligible for or receiving public assistance or SSI; and

§   ineligible for regular food stamps due to excess income or resources.

Households meeting the expanded categorical eligibility criteria after not meeting the current categorically eligible criteria, or because income or resources exceed the limits set in the regular Food Stamp Program, are not subject to the resource test or additional income tests. All other Food Stamp Program requirements remain unchanged.

Because the Food Stamp Program benefit determination process, reporting requirements, and work registration requirements have remain unchanged, the following situations may occur:

§   Some households newly considered categorically eligible for Food Stamps due to the higher income limit provided under the expanded categorical eligibility requirements, may not be eligible for an actual dollar amount in monthly Food Stamp benefits. This is because the Food Stamp monthly allotment amount is still calculated based on expenses, household size, and net income. However, families who become eligible for the Food Stamp Program due solely to the elimination of the resource assessment test associated with the new expanded categorical eligibility category, will now be potentially eligible for an actual dollar amount in monthly Food Stamp benefits. NOTE: Even if the household is determined eligible for the Food Stamp Program but receives zero monthly Food Stamp benefits, being determined eligible for the Food Stamp Program:

-   provides automatic eligibility for the Food and Nutrition Free and Reduced School Lunch Program for all households with school-age children; and

-   means that non-exempt household members are subject to Food Stamp Program work registration and job search requirements.

§   Although there should be no one-person households eligible for Food Stamps via the new expanded categorical eligibility criteria, there may be two-person households newly eligible for the Food Stamp program under the expanded criteria. These two-person households are eligible for the minimum Food Stamp benefit allotment according to current policy. See FSM PART 601, Table G, Determining Food Stamp Allotments.

§   Food Stamp households categorically eligible for the Food Stamp program under the new requirements may also be certified for 4, 5, or 6 months and therefore subject to the special 130% income reporting requirements. However, some households’ income may exceed the 130% limit at application because the new categorical eligibility requirements extend categorical eligibility to families with income less than or equal to 185% of the poverty guidelines. Consider the household to have met the 130% special income reporting requirements if the household’s income exceeds 130% at the time of application. This latter household who is eligible for the Food Stamp Program via the expanded categorical eligibility criteria, and whose income exceeds the 130% limit at the time of application, would not have to report any other changes in case circumstances during the remainder of the current certification period, per current policy. This means that if the household’s income exceeds 130% at application, the household does not additionally have to report any other income changes that occur during the certification period, even if the household’s income subsequently exceeds the 185% limit.

§   If the household is determined eligible for regular Food Stamps or is categorically eligible for Food Stamps because the household is eligible for or receives public assistance or SSI, categorical eligibility under the new expanded criteria will not be determined. However, if the Food Stamp household is not eligible for regular Food Stamp assistance due to exceeding the income or resource limits of the Food Stamp Program, and the household does not meet other categorical eligibility requirements for the Food Stamp Program, the household’s eligibility will be determined using the expanded categorical eligibility criteria when the new "Services info provided" check box on the "Program of Assistance" screen is checked. This box will be automatically checked for new applicants, but for current recipients, Family Services Specialists will have to provide new Form 77u and check the box at the recipient’s next recertification. Checking this box, even when the household is currently eligible for Food Stamps, will allow New HEIGHTS to automatically explore categorical eligibility under the new criteria if the household’s circumstances change at a later date.

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

Beginning May 1, 2009, New HEIGHTS will use the new expanded categorical eligibility criteria for all new applicants requesting Food Stamp assistance, when the household is:

§   not categorically eligible under the current categorical eligibility criteria because not all members are eligible for or receiving public assistance or SSI; and

§   ineligible for regular food stamps due to excess income or resources.

Current Food Stamp categorical eligibility is indicated in New HEIGHTS on the Food Stamp "Budget" screen when the "Categorically Eligible" indicator box is highlighted and contains "YES." If the household is not categorically eligible, this field is not highlighted and is populated with "NO." This indicator will continue to be highlighted and populated with "YES" for both regular categorical eligibility or expanded categorical eligibility. However, when categorical eligibility has been determined under the new policy, the "Gross Test" tab on the Food Stamp "Budget" screen will be active and will show the household’s gross income, the 185% of federal poverty limit for household size, and the outcome of the test (PASSED or FAILED). This tab will remain inactive when the household has regular categorical eligibility.

Additionally, a new check box, located on the "Program of Assistance" screen, "Request for Assistance Details" tab in New HEIGHTS, was created to confirm that the Family Services Specialist has provided new Form 77u. This check box indicator, entitled "Services info provided:"

§   will be automatically checked for all new applicants, since all new applicants will have received Form 77u; but

§   will be unchecked for current Food Stamp recipients. Family Services Specialists must check this box at the next recertification, after providing the new Form 77u to the household. Checking this box will allow New HEIGHTS to automatically explore categorical eligibility for the Food Stamp program under the new criteria, if the household experiences a change in circumstances at a later date.

Once checked, the box will remain checked regardless of case status. The box should not be "un-checked" without Supervisor approval.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

New Form 77u, It Takes a Village, and its instructions, were created to satisfy the TANF-related service requirement associated with implementing this Food Stamp Program option. Form 77u is a double-sided informational pamphlet which provides resource contact information for non-cash, in-kind services that may be available to low-income families. Because it is a federal requirement to provide this information as part of enacting this Food Stamp Program option, the form will be included in all end-of-interview packets as of May 1, 2009.

Form 800AA, Programs and Services Guide Insert, and its associated instructions are obsolete once the current supply of the form has been depleted. All of the information on the current Form 800AA was incorporated into new Form 77u along with several new service organizations. The list of District Offices was the only information not transferred from Form 800AA to the new Form 77u, as that information is supplied on several other pamphlets the client receives.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

Section 119.01   When Eligibility Is Uncertain

Section 145.04   Special Reporting Requirements

Section 231.01   Categorical Eligibility Criteria

PART 403   RESOURCE LIMITS

PART 601, Table E  Food Stamp Maximum Monthly Income Limits

Section 611.01   Computing Income Eligibility

Glossary   D-words

Glossary   S-words

IMPLEMENTATION

The policy released in this SR is effective May 1, 2009.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

No special client notification is planned.

TRAINING

No training is planned or needed.

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line manuals.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for Division of Family Assistance policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DFA/LIBRARY, effective April 27, 2009.

This SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all hard copy holders of the Food Stamp and Forms Manuals.

DFA/JBV:s