SR 15-13 Dated 08/15

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases clarification of current policy for providing replacement Food Stamp (FS) benefits for food that was purchased with FS benefits and subsequently destroyed in a disaster. This SR also releases new DFA Form 474, Attestation and Verification of Food Stamp (FS) Household Disaster. The form streamlines the process by which Family Services Specialists (FSS) verify disasters that destroy food purchased with FS benefits.

POLICY

Replacement FS benefits are issued to a FS household that experiences a disaster that destroys food purchased with EBT FS benefits if the recipient:

·      reports the disaster within 10 days of the date the food was destroyed; and

·      provides a signed statement attesting to the disaster and the value of destroyed food that was purchased with FS benefits within 10 days of the report of loss. (If the 10th day falls on a weekend or holiday the recipient may return the statement on the day after the weekend or holiday.) FSS should strongly encourage FS recipients who report disasters that destroy food purchased with FS benefits to use new DFA Form 474, Attestation and Verification of Food Stamp (FS) Household Disaster, to attest to the disaster and aid in obtaining verification of the disaster.

If a recipient requests replacement benefits more than 10 days after the disaster, FSS must make a case note of the request and deny it for failure to provide timely notice of the disaster.

Before issuing replacement benefits FSS must obtain verification by:

·      receiving a completed DFA Form 474 in which a 3rd party attests to the disaster;

·      obtaining documentation from a community agency, such as an insurance company, Fire Department, electric company, newspaper, or the Red Cross; or

·      contacting a 3rd party, such as a community agency, neighbor, or landlord, to verify the disaster. (Recipients may suggest who to contact for verification by using DFA Form 474.)

FSS must issue replacement benefits within 10 days of the recipient’s report of the disaster or within 2 working days of the receipt of the recipient’s signed statement, whichever is later. For example, if a recipient reports a disaster on Tuesday May 5 the deadline to issue replacement benefits is:

·      Friday May 15 if the recipient provides DHHS with a signed statement on or before May 13;

·      Monday May 18 if the recipient provides DHHS with a signed statement on May 14; or

·      Tuesday May 19 if the recipient provides DHHS with a signed statement on May 15. (If the recipient returns the signed statement after May 15, the recipient’s request should be denied for failure to provide a timely signed statement.)

Replacement benefits must not be issued without verification of the disaster. Additionally, replacement benefits must not be issued if a recipient:

·      fails to report a disaster within 10 days; or

·      fails to provide within 10 days of their report of loss a signed statement attesting to the loss.

Replacement benefits will be issued for the value of the food lost in the disaster or the FS household’s monthly allotment, whichever is less. If a signed statement claims a loss greater than the FS household’s monthly allotment, DO workers do not need to obtain another signed statement but instead must issue a replacement equal to the FS household’s monthly allotment.

For large disasters that affect numerous FS households, pursuant to 7 CFR 273.2(c), DFA will request a waiver of program requirements from the Federal Nutrition Service to issue a mass replacement of benefits to FS households instead of issuing numerous individual replacements.

Policy Examples

Example 1

January 10 Tom’s home burns down.

January 12 Tom reports to DHHS he has lost his home and food.

January 15 Tom provides a signed statement of his loss to DHHS.

January 15 FSS verifies with the local fire Department that Tom’s home was destroyed.

January 15 FSS issues replacement benefits to Tom.

Example 2

January 10 Tom’s home burns down.

January 12 Tom reports to DHHS he has lost his home and food.

January 23 Tom never provides a signed statement of his loss so he is denied replacement FS benefits.

Example 3

February 11 A massive snowstorm knocked out power to most of New Hampshire for 3 days.

February 12 The State determines that a large population of FS recipients was affected by the snowstorm so it would be more efficient to request from FNS a waiver to do a mass replacement instead of individual requests.

February 16: FNS approves the waiver for mass replacement of benefits in the city.

February 17 The State issues the replacement benefits to all SNAP households in the city at FNS approved percentage. No contact or statement of loss from the recipient is needed.

Error Examples

Example 1 (Failure to Verify Disaster)

February 1 Tom’s roof collapses after a snowstorm, destroying his home and food.

February 3 Tom reports to DHHS that he lost his home and food.

February 10 Tom provides DHHS with a signed statement of his loss.

February 11, 12 & 13 FSS attempts to contact community agencies or 3rd parties but cannot verify the disaster.

February 13 FSS issues the replacement benefits without verifying the disaster.

Example 2 (Failure to Issue Replacement Benefits by deadline)

April 1 Tom’s home is destroyed in a plane crash.

April 2 Tom reports to DHHS the loss of his home and his food.

April 8 Tom provides DHHS with a signed statement of his loss.

April 14 FSS contacts FAA to verify the plane crash destroyed Tom’s home.

April 15 FSS issues replacement benefits to Tom more than 10 days after Tom reported the disaster – benefits issues late/untimely.

Example 3 (Failure to Obtain a Signed Statement)

November 5 Tom’s home floods completely.

November 10 Tom reports to DHHS the loss of his food.

November 13 FSS contacts the Red Cross to verify that the flood destroyed Tom’s home.

November 13 FSS issues replacement benefits to Tom without obtaining a signed statement.

DESCRIPTION OF NEW FORM

New DFA Form 474, Attestation and Verification of Food Stamp (FS) Household Disaster, is a 2 page electronic form or, when printed, a 1-page double sided form that can be used by FS recipients to attest to and verify a disaster and the resulting loss of food that was purchased with FS benefits. FSS provide the form to any FS recipient who within 10 days of a disaster reports that food purchased with FS benefits was destroyed in the disaster. The FS recipient must return the completed form within 10 days of the report of the disaster.

FSS use the completed form to:

·      ensure proper attestation of the disaster and the value of food purchased with FS benefits and lost in the disaster;

·      obtain verification of a reported disaster; and

·      determine the correct issuance of replacement FS benefits.

New DFA Form 474 is available electronically, for Department staff only, on the Lotus Notes Family Services Database and available to the public on the following website: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dfa/forms.htm.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

Section 709.01  What Benefits May Be Replaced

Section 709.17  Replacing Food Destroyed in a Disaster

Section 709.19  Time Frame for Requesting Replacement of Destroyed Food

IMPLEMENTATION

The policy clarification and related use of DFA Form 474 released in this SR are effective upon receipt or August 1, 2015, whichever is earlier.

DFA Form 474 is available electronically, for Department staff only, on the Lotus Notes Family Services Database and available to the public on the following website: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dfa/forms.htm.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

No special client notification is planned or needed.

TRAINING

No special 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 www.dhhs.nh.gov/DFA/publications.htm, effective August 3, 2015. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Food Stamp and Forms Manual.

DFA/BDC:s