Saturday, March 16, 2024

Why Are My Food Stamps Late

Pandemic Food Stamp Benefits Delayed For Some Families Fssa Offers Help Line

Living On Food Stamps (and what I’ve learned)
Jeanie Lindsay

Families and parents have had several questions in recent weeks about whether or not they qualify for the benefit, and when they might receive it for their children.

USDA

Families and parents have questions about how and when theyll receive new pandemic-related food stamp benefits, but the state says families should be able to call the agency for answers.

The pandemic benefit provides a one-time boost in food stamps to families whose kids normally get free or discounted meals at school. The amount families should receive per child is calculated by using the cost of meals at school multiplied by the average number of school days kids missed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The state says people don’t have to do anything to get the benefits they should have received a new card in the mail or had them added to their existing food stamps card.

Indiana Family and Social Services Administration spokesperson Marni Lemons says people should call 800-403-0864 if they have any questions.

“That is the number that people can call with any issues they’re having,” she says.

Over the past few weeks, families and parents have reached out to ask all kinds of questions, including ones about how to access the benefits once they receive their card, what happens if they lost the card or never received one, and whether or not their child qualifies.

For additional help finding food resources families can call 211, or visit FSSA’s website.

You May Have Missed A Re

Every few months, you will need to re-certify, or resubmit paperwork to prove that you are still eligible for benefits. If you miss a deadline for paperwork or a phone interview, your benefits may stop.

The re-certification varies, depending on your circumstances. The length of time is usually 6-12 months. Some people, may have to re-certify more frequently. With the ESAP program, seniors and disabled adults may only need to re-certify once every two years!

Its important to always check your mail and open anything you receive from the food stamps office. This will help you ensure that you do not miss any deadlines.

If the answer to Why didnt my EBT card refill? is that you missed a deadline, you will need to contact your local agency as soon as possible in order to complete your re-certification. If you complete your re-certification within 30 days of the date it was due, your case may be reopened with minimal difficulty.

Good Cause For Submission Of A Late Sar 7 Form

The CalFresh Program uses CalWORKs rules to determine good cause for late filing of a SAR 7. Good cause exists only when the recipient cannot reasonably be expected to fulfill her reporting responsibilities due to factors outside of her control. The burden of proof rests with the recipient.

Good cause exists:

  • When the recipient is suffering from a mental or physical condition which prevents timely and complete reporting
  • When the recipients failure to submit a timely and complete report is directly attributable to county error or
  • When the county finds other extenuating circumstances.

Generally, the household must ask for a good cause finding. The household does not need to use specific words but must clearly express to the county, whether orally or in writing, that the recipient wants an opportunity to present his explanation for not meeting the semi-annual reporting requirements. A request for a fair hearing may also be considered a request for good cause determination.

The county is required to make a good cause finding if a household that was discontinued for failure to submit a complete SAR 7 requests restoration of CalWORKs during the calendar month following discontinuance. Also, the county has the discretion to make its own good cause finding, without a household request.

Once a full calendar month has passed since the SAR 7 discontinuance date, the household may not claim good cause and must reapply for benefits.

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First Food Stamp Program

The idea for the first food stamp program has been credited to various people, most notably Secretary of AgricultureHenry A. Wallace and the program’s first administrator, Milo Perkins. Of the program, Perkins said, “We got a picture of a gorge, with farm surpluses on one cliff and under-nourished city folks with outstretched hands on the other. We set out to find a practical way to build a bridge across that chasm.” The program operated by permitting people on relief to buy orange stamps equal to their normal food expenditures for every $1 of orange stamps purchased, 50 cents’ worth of blue stamps were received. Orange stamps could be used to buy any food blue stamps could be used only to buy food determined by the department to be surplus.

Over the course of nearly four years, the first FSP reached approximately 20 million people in nearly half of the counties in the United States at a total cost of $262 million. At its peak, the program assisted an estimated four million people. The first recipient was Mabel McFiggin of Rochester, New York the first retailer to redeem the stamps was Joseph Mutolo and the first retailer caught violating program rules was Nick Salzano in October 1939. The program ended when the conditions that brought the program into beingunmarketable food surpluses and widespread unemploymentceased to exist.

If Your Food Stamps Case Gets Closed Can You Reapply

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If you receive financial assistance in the form of food stamps, now referred to as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, you have to meet a set of criteria to remain eligible. If you lose your eligibility, you can reapply, but there are specific guidelines for the reapplication process.

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Getting A Closed Case Reopened:

If you send DTA your recertification form and have your interview, but your SNAP ends because DTA is missing documents, you can ask DTA to reopen your case.DTA should reopen your case if you sent in the recertification form before the deadline, and you get your missing proofs in within 30 days of the date your case closed. You do not have to start a new application. 106 C.M.R. § 366.340. 106 C.M.R. § 361.700. Your benefits may be pro-rated if the delay was your fault.If your SNAP closed at the point of Recertification and less than 30 days have passed, you can send DTA your Recertification instead of doing a new application. If more than 30 days since your case closed, file a new SNAP application.

How Do I Know If I Qualify For Emergency Snap Benefits

You may qualify for expedited SNAP benefits if your households gross monthly income is less than $150 and liquid resources do not exceed $100 OR your households monthly gross income plus any cash that you have on hand or in the bank is less than your rent/mortgage and utilities OR your SNAP household contains a migrant or seasonal farm worker who is considered destitute and the households liquid resources do not exceed $100.

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Renaming The Food Stamp Program

The 2008 farm bill renamed the Food Stamp Program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and replaced all references to “stamp” or “coupon” in federal law with “card” or “EBT.” This was done to mark a more explicit focus on providing nutrition. It was also done to reduce usage of the stigmatized phrase “food stamps”.

Immigrant Status And Eligibility

food stamps

The 2002 Farm Bill restores SNAP eligibility to most legal immigrants that:

  • Have lived in the country for 5 years or
  • Are receiving disability-related assistance or benefits or
  • Have children under 18

Certain non-citizens, such as those admitted for humanitarian reasons and those admitted for permanent residence, may also be eligible for SNAP. Eligible household members can get SNAP benefits even if there are other members of the household that are not eligible.

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Pilot Food Stamp Program

The 18 years between the end of the first FSP and the inception of the next were filled with studies, reports, and legislative proposals. Prominent US senators actively associated with attempts to enact a food stamp program during this period included George Aiken, Robert M. La Follette Jr., Hubert Humphrey, Estes Kefauver, and Stuart Symington. From 1954 on, US RepresentativeLeonor Sullivan strove to pass food-stamp program legislation.

On September 21, 1959, P.L. 86-341 authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to operate a food-stamp system through January 31, 1962. The Eisenhower Administration never used the authority. However, in fulfillment of a campaign promise made in West Virginia, President John F. Kennedy‘s first Executive Order called for expanded food distribution and, on February 2, 1961, he announced that food stamp pilot programs would be initiated. The pilot programs would retain the requirement that the food stamps be purchased, but eliminated the concept of special stamps for surplus foods. A Department spokesman indicated the emphasis would be on increasing the consumption of perishables.

Of the program, US Representative Leonor K. Sullivan of Missouri asserted, “…the Department of Agriculture seemed bent on outlining a possible food stamp plan of such scope and magnitude, involving some 25 million persons, as to make the whole idea seem ridiculous and tear food stamp plans to smithereens.”

It’s Best To Be Proactive

If you are changing jobs, getting a raise or something else in your life is about to change that could affect your eligibility, it’s best to report those changes as soon as possible. Timely reporting can keep you from being penalized. You might be ruled ineligible to receive SNAP at that time, but not having to wait out a disqualification period means that if your situation changes at any time, you can immediately reapply.

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Why Do Some Households Get Only $16 In Snap Each Month

Federal and state SNAP law allows all 1 and 2 person households under the gross income test to get a minimum benefit. This rule does not apply to households of 3 persons or more.106 C.M.R. § 364.600.

If you only get $16/month it is a good idea to get a SNAP math check- up to be sure you are getting all the deductions you qualify for. Many 1 and 2 person elder and disabled households often do not claim all their out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Example: Tom and Emily Smith are an elderly couple who receive Social Security for a total of $2,050/month unearned income. The Smiths pay shelter costs of $1,000 per month plus heat and utilities. The couple has not claimed any medical expenses and receives just $20/month in SNAP as a minimum benefit. If the Smiths verified medical expenses of at least $36/month, their SNAP would increase to $71/month. If they verified over $190/month, their SNAP would increase even more.

When Will I Get My Snap Benefits

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Your SNAP benefits are put in your EBT account on the same day each month based on the last digit of your Social Security Number.

Last Digit of SSN

The last digit of your SSN is also how DTA determines your SNAP month for issuing your first amount of benefits. Your SNAP month runs from the day your benefits are deposited to the day before the next months benefits will be issued to you.

Example: If your SSN ends in 5, your benefits are deposited on the 8th of the month, and your SNAP month is from March 8th through April 7th.

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Mickey Leland Childhood Hunger Relief Act

  • eliminating the shelter deduction cap beginning January 1, 1997
  • providing a deduction for legally binding child support payments made to nonhousehold members
  • raising the cap on the dependent care deduction from $160 to $200 for children under 2 years old and $175 for all other dependents
  • improving employment and training dependent care reimbursements
  • increasing the FMV test for vehicles to $4,550 on September 1, 1994 and $4,600 on October 1, 1995, then annually adjusting the value from $5,000 on October 1, 1996
  • mandating asset accumulation demonstration projects and
  • simplifying the household definition.

Notice Requirements For Submission Of A Late Or Incomplete Sar 7 Form

The county must provide a notice of action to a semi-annual reporting household that either fails to file a SAR 7 by the 11th day of the submit month or files an incomplete SAR 7 form. This notice must tell the household:

  • The report is late or incomplete
  • What the household must do to complete the form
  • What papers the household needs to send in with the form
  • The date by which the household must file the late report and
  • The CalFresh office will help the household complete the semi-annual report form if the household asks for help.

These notices are the NA 960 X when the report not received and the NA 960 Y when the county says the report is incomplete.

The county must also provide notice if it considers information reported on the SAR 7 to be questionable. If so, the county must inform the household it has until the first of the following month to submit the necessary clarifying information or verification.

The county must send the notice no later than 10 days before the end of the submit month, i.e., the sixth month of the reporting period.

The notices also serve as the notice of adverse action if the household does not submit a complete SAR 7. Because of a federal waiver, counties can continue to combine the reminder notice and the termination notice. This waiver is extended until April 30, 2025.

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What Is I Was Getting Snap In Another State Or Dta Says I Am Part Of Another Snap Household

SNAP in other states

You cannot get SNAP in two states at the same time. This is called duplicate participation, which is a serious offense. 7 C.F.R. §273.3. If you learn you are listed as a member of a SNAP case in another state, and you are not living with that household report it to DTA.

If you were getting SNAP in a different state and you move to Massachusetts, make sure you tell the state you left to close your case. If you have proof your SNAP was closed in the other state , give that proof to DTA. When you tell DTA you left another state, they may ask you for a notice or other proof of termination of your SNAP benefits in that state. This proof can be very difficult or impossible to get. If you need help, DTA should do a collateral contact with the other state to verify that your benefits are closed.

DTA should approve your SNAP for a date that does not overlap with when you last got SNAP in the other state.

Example: Maria moves to Massachusetts from Maine in August. She asks Maine to close her SNAP. Maine closes her SNAP effective September 1. She applies for SNAP in Massachusetts on August 15. DTA calls Maine to confirm that her case was closed, and approves her SNAP going back to September 1. DTA cannot approve her case going back to August 15 because of the duplicate issuance rules.

If you move out of a household and need your own SNAP

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